Staying in China over the summer after studying ends - which visa?

[willharrison]

Hi there

I have been googling this for a good 45 mins and am none the wiser - so any help will be much appreciated.

I plan to enroll for a year on the language program at BNU - but to start in the Spring semester 2009, then have the gap for summer, and then take the Fall semester.

I therefore plan to apply for the X visa. Over the summer between semesters, I want to stay in China and travel around a bit rather than return to the UK.

What I want to know is: can I stay throughout the summer 2009 on the X visa (by virtue of the fact that I will have enrolled on a 1 year program and be going back to BNU in the Fall)?

If the X visa is not enough to keep me in China, which visa do I need? Am I able to get an L (tourist) visa - and if so will it be easy to extend it beyond the 30 days to cover the 2/3 months between semesters? And then would my x visa 'resume' when I register for the Fall semester?

Which visa combination will keep me in China over the summer!!

Any assistance you can provide will be greatly appreciated

Kind regards

[roddy]

X visa will be fine, and if you're paying a year's tuition in one go you should get the full year.

[willharrison]

Thanks very much Roddy - a great help!