Getting a Z (working) visa in Hong kong

[imron]

Perhaps they meant high as in it will be a waste of money to come to hong kong and apply for a visa just to have it rejected.

[lilongyue]

If they even mean 'high cost for you' and not 'lot of hassle for us'. Did you ask them how high exactly?

No, I didn't, but after train tickets, hotel rooms and meals (all in Hong Kong, much more expensive than Mainland) a few hundred dollars . . . wasted if I can't get the visa. Looks like I'll have a nice break from the sweaty-hot Hangzhou summer!

[onebir]

I picked up my Z visa this morning - so with an Irish passport applying for a Z in HK with the foreign experts bureau documentation remains possible.

I took my friend with a UK passport round the corner to the nearest visa agent (Sunrise Intl, Room 4008. 40th floor, China Resources Building - same building as the consulate, but a different entrance directly on Harbour Road. Tel +852 2890 9698) They accepted his application & seemed to think it would go smoothly - HKD900 for next day (in this case Mon for a Friday application)

[onebir]

I picked up my Z visa this morning: with an Irish passport, if you're in the mainland & have all the necessary documentation, for the moment at least the application can be done in HK.

My friend with the UK passport went to Sunrise Travel - in the same building as the Chinese consulate (different entrance, directly on Harbour road). They seemed fairly relaxed about the application; HKD900 for next day (in this case Monday) service, HKD550 for normal speed.

[onebir]

My friend with the UK passport also obtained his Z visa without incident - although because he applied via the travel agent mentioned above it was HKD900 instead of HKD400 for an equivalent service at the consulate.

He said:

I asked the guy [visa agent] how he did it but suddenly his english got very bad...

[lilongyue]

Well, after looking at the contract my company made for me, and being very dissatisfied with it, I'm going for the "marriage visa." When I asked for information about this kind of visa, the guy at the gong an gave me a piece of paper entitled "L Visa for Foreigners Who Come to Visit Relatives in Hangzhou, Or to See the Doctor, or for Other Private Business." The Chinese is "外国人来杭州探亲,看病或处理其他私人事务申请L签证所需材料." Among the documents required are my and my wife's Chinese marriage certificates (结婚证), my wife's ID and hukouben (户口本), the paper showing that I've registered with the local police and the Chinese equivalent for my wife (since she isn't from Hangzhou, or Zhejiang Proince). It costs 940 RMB for a year, and it seems that I don't have to go back to the U.S. to do it, although I'm still not 100% on this. So, it's a glorified tourists visa, but I figure it won't cause me too much trouble so long as I lay low. I'm also rather relived that I have this option because of the complications that come with a visa provided by a company (the hassle of changing jobs, the control the company has over you because of having supplied you with a visa, etc.).

[heifeng]

It costs 940 RMB for a year, and it seems that I don't have to go back to the U.S. to do it, although I'm still not 100% on this.

If you are already on an L and want to extend it then you shouldn't have to go back to the US, just supply what they mentioned..but if you want to get on an L and are currently on something else then that may be messier.

[onebir]

If you are already on an L and want to extend it then you shouldn't have to go back to the US, just supply what they mentioned..but if you want to get on an L and are currently on something else then that may be messier.

Even a trip to HK not really knowing whether you'll be getting a visa to get back into China is worth avoiding!

[whereishunter]

I have been searching this forum and other places on the web to find out if it is possible to get Z visa in HK? I have done it in the past but cant find any information about doing it now.

Thanks for your help.

[roddy]

Merging with the latest relevant topic - Onebir was able to do it pre-Olympics, so I'd guess post-Olympics will be fine.

[BrandeX]

Everything I have noticed still indicates it is home country only, but I wouldn't consider that factual. Perhaps someone wants to go try?

[zhwj]

Anyone have the latest information on obtaining a Z-visa in Hong Kong? I've just hired myself as General Manager of a new startup in Beijing, and the Labor Bureau should be finished processing my paperwork the first week of July. I'm currently counting on being able to go to Hong Kong - is that still possible, or will I have to make arrangements to fly back to the US?

[BrandeX]

Interesting, my Hong Kong associate just opened a company here in Guangzhou, and he was told they can't have any Z-visa's for us real foreigners until after 1 year of operation.

[peekay]

Yet I was recently informed that as the company's founder (assuming a WOFE), not only you qualify for a Z-visa, you can get one without leaving China at all...

[imron]

Interesting, my Hong Kong associate just opened a company here in Guangzhou, and he was told they can't have any Z-visa's for us real foreigners until after 1 year of operation.

It depends on the kind of business. If its a wholly-owned foreign enterprise, you should be able to, that's how it was for the company I was working for in China.

[onebir]

Anyone have the latest information on obtaining a Z-visa in Hong Kong?

I handed in my Z visa application in HK on Friday, with no problems. (Irish passport, application sponsored by a largish language school.) It's being processed at the moment, I plan to pick it up on Monday morning.

To anyone applying for a Z visa, TAKE YOUR HEALTH CERTIFICATE. They'll check it and hand it back to you. This is a requirement, but buried at the bottom of the requirements for supporting documentation (sec 4). Indeed it doesn't make much sense that you need to show this - the provincial foreign experts bureau requires it before issuing the other documentation the visa office requires, so it's already been checked...

A non-HK resident UK citizen I met in the queue applied for a double entry tourist visa without difficulties - despite this notice:

Visa applicants are increasing in a large number and need longer waiting time in the visa office recently. If you don't reside or work in Hong Kong permanently, you are required to apply Chinese visafrom the Embassy or Consulate-General of Peoples' Republic of China in your resident country. You are welcome to China for tourism, business and visit.

Edited June 29, 2009 at 06:59 AM by onebir

[zhwj]

Thanks for the info, onebir. I was planning on just taking along all the paperwork I submitted to the Labor Bureau (minus the company documents), to be on the safe side.

I'm not the company's legal representative, and our registered capital is fairly puny, so I don't think I have the option of getting a residence permit without leaving the mainland.

[onebir]

Picked up the visa with no problems this morning.

One minor wrinkle: when I checked the visa, the "full name" field only included my initials. All the earlier visas had forenames spelled out in full. I pointed this out to the official; she explained the machine-readable part at the bottom includes your full name.

zhwj: bear in mind I'm on an Irish passport - I'm assuming yours is US. It's (just) possible they're treating different nationalities differently; ahead of the olympics they accepted my Z application, but turned down one from a friend with a UK passport on the same day. Probably wouldn't hurt to check directly.

[Tinamt]

Hi all,

Just read some previous post about applying for a Z visa and thought the following information would be useful for the ones who are or will in the application process.

There are two options for you to proceed your Z visa application, each option has differenct procedures.

First option is to apply for a Z visa in mainland China (without leaving the country):

1.Applying for a work permit

2.Converting your current F/L visa into a 2-month Z visa

3.Applying for an enployment certificate

4.Applying for an one-year residence permit

Second option is to apply for a Z visa from outside of China:

1.Applying for a work permit

2.Applying for a Z visa invitation letter

3.Leaving China to HK, for example, or other countries, with the above two documents (1&2), applying for a 30-day Z visa to come back to China

4.Applying for an enployment certificate

5.Applying for an one-year residence permit

[zhwj]

Progress update: The Beijing side of things approved all of my paperwork and issued me an invitation letter made out to the Hong Kong visa office, so that's where I'll be going.

And for anyone else who finds themselves tasked with filling out the online application to be "audited" before taking it to the Beijing commerce dept, note that the instructions for work visa invitation applications are incorrect. The document says 如果是来华工作签证，日本、韩国填写365天，其它国家填写000天. However, my application failed the audit until I called up the support line and was told I was supposed to fill in 365 days (I'm on a US passport).