Anyone receive new visas, residence permit renewals?

[senor boogie woogie]

Hello,

I am an American living in Hangzhou, and have been for almost eight years. I really love it here and consider it my home.

My Residence Permit (RP) expires July 31. I received said RP from a university that I worked for. However, I left that position halfway through the contract. I left Dec. 31. By late February, I was employed at another school part time. I have worked there "part time" until June, when I recently went "full time" there, with the agreement that she would give me a working visa. We signed a contract, I dated it for January and she told me that she was going to take care of it for me.

Right now, I am somewhat nervous. I was wondering if someone was to renew their visa/RP, would they have to get a police record check from their place of origin, or is this for first timers? I really and truly do not want to trvel back to my home country, live in my parents house, away from my Chinese wife for four months. The trip alone would cost thousands of dollars, and would be an awful pain in the arse. I did read someone post that teachers getting renewals did not have to provide the Police Check, and this was in Shenzhen.

I was wondering if anyone else has gotten their new RP, or visas.

Thank You

[Senzhi]

As far as I know, you'd need a release form from your previous school to get new employment. It's a document that shows you no longer have any obligations towards your previous school.

Recently, some posts here have also mentioned you'd need a reference letter from your previous school. However, personally, I can't confirm.

Normally, as long as your residence permit hasn't expired, you shouldn't have to travel back to your home country. However, beware if they try to put you on an L or F visa in between. Then chances are extremely great you'd have to travel back to obtain a new Z visa.

That is not to say that nothing else is possible. After all, this is a country where anything could and does happen through guanxi. For the better or the worst.

Edited June 9, 2009 at 07:39 PM by Senzhi

[hidden12345]

If you're married to a Chinese citizen, couldn't you just get 1yr L visa simply by providing a marriage certificate (no financial info needed)? That way you could continue teaching on the down low and not pay taxes for it either. Z visas seem so unnecessarily restrictive in a country where you absolutely do not want to give anyone with a grudge power over your freedom or money.

[senor boogie woogie]

*I just do not want to return back to the United States for a Police Clearance when I have lived here for so many years. Getting one from the FBI will take at least 12 weeks, and what I wanted to know if people were being sent back to their home countries to get this document.

*I was fired from my last job in late December. (I hated it, so no biggie), and I have been working for my new employer more or less since then. I am worried that the previous employer went to the PSB to cancel my Residence Permit. We signed a contract, but we back dated it to January. Wont the PSB take umbrage that I have been working under the old RP for five months?

* I have also heard offhand that Zhejiang was actually enforcing the mythical "5 year limit" on teaching, and I have been here almost 8.

I hate visa time!