james_moat Posted April 15, 2009 at 07:39 PM Report Posted April 15, 2009 at 07:39 PM Hello Forum. I am in the process of moving life to China for a few years - and basically have a question with regards to visas. I am highly skilled in my profession, so do not currently have a huge number of worries finding work in Beijing, my destination. However, I would rather not be forced out of China just to renew visas. My Chinese partner is currently employed, and so initially I will likely be independently studying whilst also searching for work. I am unsure of how to word this in my L visitor/tourist visa application. I suspect mentioning looking for work, or just visiting for 5/6 months is not going to go down so well with the consulate I will be applying for the visa to here in the UK. Have searched about extensively, but as I am not leaving the country on a Chinese work visa, and actually would prefer to pick and choose a job when I am there, minimising flights back to the UK just for the sake of visas, although visiting UK friends and family is of course important. If anybody has any tips of suggestions I would appreciate it. For reference, my partner and I are not married currently. Quote
airthus Posted April 16, 2009 at 01:16 AM Report Posted April 16, 2009 at 01:16 AM With the new visa regulations it is quite nearly impossible to go to china with an L visa and have it changed there. You can renew the L visa to stay up to 6 months but after that you will have to leave the country and apply for another visa. the easiest suggestion i would have is to sign up at a language school to get an X visa (valid for more than 6 months) and when you do find a job have the company take care of the visa documents. Quote
Senzhi Posted April 16, 2009 at 03:04 PM Report Posted April 16, 2009 at 03:04 PM And when you've find a long term employer, you might face the risk of having to return to your home country to apply for your Z-visa. Happened to a colleague of mine, who (in 2007 was here on an L, followed by an F visa,) had to go back to the UK with the necessary documents just to apply for a Z-visa. And on his own expenses too! Quote
liuzhou Posted April 16, 2009 at 03:52 PM Report Posted April 16, 2009 at 03:52 PM Anyway, you don't apply for a specific visa. There is nowhere on the form to indicate which visa you want. The visa official looks at your suppporting documentation and decides what to issue. Quote
james_moat Posted April 17, 2009 at 01:11 PM Author Report Posted April 17, 2009 at 01:11 PM Hello, Thank you for the responses. I would ideally like to book a return flight, for example five months or so after entering China, which will be there to use for visiting family back home. I will need to decide whether to enter on an L visa or student X visa, I may go for the X visa just to get Chinese language skills improved, plus saves having to leave the country. Return flights to the UK from China are expensive, but vice versa are very reasonable. £1000 vs £400 currently, madness. Just to mention - in the UK on the visa application form you *do* have to specify which type of visa you are applying form, certainly at the local consulate I have used a few times previously. Whether or not a visa would be rejected due to incorrect candidate selection is another matter of course, perhaps they would just issue the correct visa type and ignore the candidate selection where incorrect. Time to get language-school hunting I suspect. Many thanks. Quote
liuzhou Posted April 17, 2009 at 02:09 PM Report Posted April 17, 2009 at 02:09 PM in the UK on the visa application form you *do* have to specify which type of visa you are applying for I have just downloaded the visa application form from the UK website here and it definitely doesn't ask which type of visa you want. It asks your reason for visiting and whether you want single or multi-entry. The issuing officer decides what you get. Quote
james_moat Posted April 17, 2009 at 03:33 PM Author Report Posted April 17, 2009 at 03:33 PM Hello again. I see what you mean - because the 'reason for visit' is so closely related to the actual types of visa, (F, L, X, Z, etc) I must have made the connection in my head in the past. Quote
peekay Posted April 17, 2009 at 03:34 PM Report Posted April 17, 2009 at 03:34 PM And unless you apply for a long-term study program (longer than one semester) they are unlikely to issue you an X visa. You'll probably get a single-entry F visa instead, even if you ask for a multiple entry visa. Normally you can stay for up to 6-months if you join a semester course (specify 180-days as your "longest intended stay"), so that might be sufficient for your needs. As Senzhi wrote you'll likely have to leave the country if you end up applying for a Z visa. Depending on how the Z paperwork is written, you may be able to apply in nearby Hong Kong instead of flying all the way back home. Alternatively, you can enter on an L visa and have it converted to an F visa while looking for a job. Not cheap but cheaper than paying a semester's worth of tuition fees if you don't really intend on attending classes. Quote
imron Posted April 18, 2009 at 04:40 AM Report Posted April 18, 2009 at 04:40 AM the 'reason for visit' is so closely related to the actual types of visa, (F, L, X, Z, etc)Yes and no. If you're going to be working or studying for 6 months or less, you'll probably end up with an F visa rather than a Z or an X visa. Quote
tortue Posted April 27, 2009 at 10:08 PM Report Posted April 27, 2009 at 10:08 PM the easiest suggestion i would have is to sign up at a language school to get an X visa (valid for more than 6 months) and when you do find a job have the company take care of the visa documents. Hi, Does that mean that if one wants to go to china to attend language courses they must be booked before departure as a requirement to apply for the visa? thanks! Quote
james_moat Posted April 30, 2009 at 08:36 PM Author Report Posted April 30, 2009 at 08:36 PM So, just to clarify: When applying for the visitor/tourist visa, which is what I plan to do, what should be done with regards to providing the Chinese embassy consulate with flight details? The return flight I'm booking is months in the distance, so it really looks already as if I'm intending to stay there for at least five months. Although I've provided a copy of flights before, I don't know if a) they check with the airline B) really require them or c) care at all when the return date is. Things seem more relaxed since the olympic debacle. I'm happy to 'fake' the details of the return flight on a print out, but do not wish this to jeopardize my chances of getting a visa if they will actually check. The reason I booked a flight far in advance is due to the high cost of booking a flight from China to the UK, versus UK to China. Any help appreciated, thanks. Quote
james_moat Posted May 2, 2009 at 03:37 PM Author Report Posted May 2, 2009 at 03:37 PM And a further clarification: I've booked flights to leave UK end of June, and return to London Beginning of December. I may not even show the embassy the flights. I could just show them the onwards flight, or fake a print out of the return flight if need be. The issue I pose is that if I have an L tourist/visitor visa that has a duration of stay for 30, 45, or 60 days, the airline (Emirates) may question this. Has anybody encountered questioning before? I intend to both study part time at a small Chinese language school as well as find employment - however I would like to know if I'm the airline are going to be unhappy about this. In my mind it is not their concern, but if I explain to them I wish to extend the visa once in China, I suspect they will not let me on the onwards flight... Quote
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