Can I apply to extend a residence permit one or two days late?

[DaveDave]

Hi,

Situation: Been working in Beijing with a 1 year residence permit which expires next Tuesday, 28 June. I have accepted a new job which I was offered at the last minute. It looks like I will have to leave China and return which will be expensive and a hassle, but I am prepared to do because the job will be good.

My new employer made an application for a new Foreign Expert certificate and SAFEA say they will issue it on 29 or 30 June. Perhaps SAFEA would supply a document that my employer could show the PSB. But according to my understanding I should leave China by midnight on 28 June. Has anyone been in this situation? I am prepared to pay the 500 RMB fee per day for overstaying but what I MUST avoid is being barred from China for a period of time and losing the job. I would prefer to have the expense of leaving China and applying from Hong Kong or my home country. I don't need advice about applying from HK or England - I can do this - but before I pay for a ticket, is there any way to find out what would happen if I apply on 29 or 30 June to extend the residence permit?

Thanks

Dave

[anonymoose]

is there any way to find out what would happen if I apply on 29 or 30 June to extend the residence permit?

Yes. Go to your local PSB and ask. Seriously. That is the safest way. It may be that you have to apply for a visa extension (maybe an L visa) first to bridge that couple of days. In any case, at least the advice will be straight from the horse's mouth.

[roddy]

Tricky one. If they do tell you to get a tourist visa, does Beijing still have the proof-of-funds requirement for tourist visas? If so would they let you apply for a very brief one rather than the usual 30 days? I think I've heard of 10-day 'sort out your stuff and go home' L visas being given. But can you do a residence permit - L visa - residence permit ?

As you seem to want to play it safe I'd be inclined to go and ask, perhaps armed with a letter of explanation / mercy-begging from your employer and see what they say. But if you're going to do that, do it sooner rather than later, and be aware that may end up with you having to go to Hong Kong or something. FYI, you can get a work visa in Hong Kong, but you want to make sure your letter of invitation specifies applying for it in Hong Kong. See here.

If you decide to chance it and apply after your current residence permit has expired - under the circumstances I'd expect a bit of tutting, an apology from you and maybe the fine. For a first offense I can't imagine they'd chuck you out, but it will be recorded and next time round they may well not be so friendly. And really, who knows. Unless you find someone who's done exactly the same thing in the last couple of weeks, it's anyone's guess.

Good luck, and let us know what happens.

[DaveDave]

Ok,

Sure I'll let you know. I just heard from Mrs Li who is doing the process for me. SAFEA told her they should issue the Foreign Expert book on 28 or 29 and she will go to the PSB tomorrow and ask them what they advise. If issued by say noon on 28th there should be enough time to make the application.

I am prepared to go to the PSB myself on Friday when I will have free time.

I guess I will stay and be prepared to go to the airport on Tuesday evening and buy a ticket and leave for wherever ... Taiwan or HK or Cambodia would all allow visa free entry on arrival.

Dave

[abcdefg]

I guess I will stay and be prepared to go to the airport on Tuesday evening and buy a ticket and leave for wherever ... Taiwan or HK or Cambodia would all allow visa free entry on arrival.

Wouldn't Seoul be another option if you have to leave the country? It's closer and airfare is substantially less than flying to Hong Kong.

[roddy]

Thing is, if you do have to leave (I reckon they'll tell you to just not worry about it, to be honest) aren't you going to have to apply for a new work visa wherever you are? If that's the case, Hong Kong is likely to be the easiest option.

[Chinlish]

Explain the situation to your local PSB and I'm positive they will give you an extension to your current visa, at the very least issue a low cost 30 day L visa which is the norm. Most can get this 30 day visa without leaving China, it will only be issued once so don't try to repeat the exercise again on the same visa.

Please don't get the residence permit mixed up with visas, two totally separate documents.

Hope this helps.

[DaveDave]

Ok

Result: Mrs Li made my application for the Foreign Expert book and they said they might issue it on last day my residence permit is valid or on the day after. Then she went to the PSB and explained. They said they would accept it if it was one day late and would not force me to leave China and reapply.

To Chinlish, no, I did not confuse a visa and residence permit. I came to China 2 years ago on a (work) Z-visa. I changed it to a residence permit 3 times ... the last one is due to expire on 28 June.

Soooooooo - answer to my Q is that if you go to the PSB in Beijing and explain in advance they can give permission to extend the residence permit one day late.

Dave

[roddy]

Thanks for the follow up. What's the actual job, are you doing anything interesting?

[DaveDave]

Math teacher in an international school in Beijing. Interesting to me ... rather useful that they will accommodate me as I don't have a spare blank page in the passport to go to HK and return without getting a new passport, and that would take at least 3 weeks.

[Chinlish]

As a new member to this forum I'm surprised that guys still confuse the term 'residence permit' with 'visas'.

I've lived and worked in China for many years, in many different cities, acquiring many different visas for different purposes.

I apologise in advance for sounding padantic but a visa cannot be exchanged for a residence permit, you must have both.

A visa of any description allows you to enter and exit the country and determines the duration of stay. (in your passport).

A residence permit (temporary) is a document issued by the local police which informs them of your whereabouts in case of the need to contact you, basically for their records and your security. This is why you should always carry this document (copy) on you at all times incase of an emergency.

In fact, the only people who can get a true 'residence permit' are those over the age of 60, married to a Chinese citizen and have undergone a thorough medical check. This replaces a visa in your passport and is a multi-entry, 2 year visa under a different title.

[roddy]

Unless I'm mistaken, you've got that completely wrong. Have a read of this and tell me where I'm mistaken.

[DaveDave]

Hi,

The first sticker in my passport says 'Chinese Visa, Category Z, Enter before [date], Duration of each stay 000 Days after entry'

Someone of Zhengzhou, Henan PSB drew a line through it when he/she stuck another sticker which says 'Residence Permit for Foreigner in the People's Republic of China'.

I have two more similar stickers and am applying to get a fourth one in the next 2 or 3 weeks; that is the one I refer to.

I also have a different temporary residence permit with the local police in my district in Beijing.

Dave

[jbradfor]

In fact, the only people who can get a true 'residence permit' are those over the age of 60, married to a Chinese citizen and have undergone a thorough medical check. This replaces a visa in your passport and is a multi-entry, 2 year visa under a different title.

I believe what you are referring to is often called a "permanent residence permit", aka "Chinese Green Card". [Anyone know the Chinese name?] And, at least according to this web site, your facts are off.

Also, it, like a "regular" residence permit, is not a visa. To obtain one, you would get a D visa to enter China, then change to a permanent residence permit within 30 days of arriving in China (source)

EDIT: "Anyone know the Chinese name?" "just read the Chinese version". OK.

Interestingly enough, the Chinese names for "residency permit" and "permanent residence permit" seem to be the same.

From the text for an X visa in English: "Holder of X visa should enter China within the validity of the visa. Holder should go through the formalities for a Residence Permit at a local public security authority within 30 days after entry into China. The period of validity of the Residence Permit is its holder's duration of stay in China." From the Chinese version: "持该签证者须在签证有效期内入境，并自入境之日起30天内到所在地公安局办理居留手续，领取居留证件。"

From the text for a D visa: "D visa is valid for 6 months with single entry and 000 duration of stay. D visa holder should go through formalities for a Permanent Residence Permit at a local public security authority within 30 days after entry into China." versus "持D签证者须在签证有效期（6个月）内入境，并自入境之日起30天内到所在地公安局办理居留手续，领取居留证件。"

LATER EDIT: A bit more searching seems to show that a Permanent Residence Permit in Chinese is often called 永久居留证; anyone confirm or deny?

[Chinlish]

Hi Roddy,

Now I'm confused!!

What you quote is for 'students' not teachers or tourists who are studying for periods of more than 6 months. This allows them freedom of movement around China. X visa.

Beijing has a different system than most other parts of China concerning visa policies.

For this I will apologise as I have little knowledge of this system but in south China, especially Guangxi Autonomous Region the system is as I stated.

Hi Jbradfor,

Check the date of the info on the website link you gave, things have changed since then, in fact, things are changing concerning visas every week!

The guys that have been in China a few years will know, what is said and what is done are two very different entities. Whatever is said at the PSB by one officer will be denied the next day by another!

[roddy]

Check what's in your passport. Do you have only 签证s or are there some 居留许可s in there. You've maybe been on F visas a lot, but otherwise anything of any duration should be a residence permit.

I also have a different temporary residence permit with the local police in my district in Beijing.

This is where confusion arises. That's not a residence permit as such, and calling it one means it gets mixed up with the 居留许可. It's a registration of where you happen to be living.

The guys that have been in China a few years will know, what is said and what is done are two very different entities.

Obviously, I'm basing all this on a three-day stopover tour of Beijing and Xi'an.

[jbradfor]

This allows them freedom of movement around China.

What does your visa type / residency permit status have to do with moving around China? I thought visas were to get you into China? [Excluding, perhaps, places that require special permission to enter, such as Tibet.]

[imron]

Beijing has a different system than most other parts of China concerning visa policies.

Other forum members from Guangxi seem to get issued residence permits in their passports as Roddy described. That picture linked to in that thread also clearly shows (in Chinese) that the purpose of the residence permit is for employment, so its definitely not just for students.

As far as I'm aware, Liuzhou's not yet over 60 either

[DaveDave]

End result:

I just got a message from Mrs Li. The PSB extended my residence permit one day late, as they agreed last week.

Dave

[imron]

Thanks for the follow-up. Glad to hear things worked out.