JW202 Form: Is it difficult for a school to prepare and send it to a student?

[John J]

Hi,

I have noticed that most Chinese universities and schools are reluctant about sending a JW202 form to students still in their home countries. They argue that it's taking too much time and rather encourage students to come on a tourist visa that they promise to convert to an X visa in China. Yet, the regulation requires an X visa for people who intend to study for more than 6 months. It sounds very suspicious for me. There is a health examination that students should normally take in their home countries. These schools do not tell applicants that this health examination is not a joke. Many people came to china on L visa to study or work and Could not get the X/Z visa because one test of the health examination was positive (sometimes wrongly) and had to leave the country at their own expenses. Others have been in trouble while trying to convert an L/F Visa to an X/Z visa. Why is it that the regulation is X/Z visa to study/work and the widespread practice is L visa to be converted to X/Z visa in China at the applicant risk? Could someone tell me the normal procedure followed by a school to prepare a JW202 form on a student's behalf and the duration of the whole process?

Thanks in advance

[Matty]

JW202 I think was the one for the F Visa if I recall. I've had a couple sent out to me before, but only after I pay the fees, that's the general requirement I've seen. If they send you the form, you may apply for the visa, enter China and never go to the school or pay your fees, and the school is legally liable for your actions.

I've also entered on an L-Visa and had it changed to an F-Visa, though this was at a reliable school that I trust and has a good reputation.

An important question here is... what is the school?

As for the medical test, I took one once and found it a bit of a joke, it wasn't really thorough and some didn't even do the tests and just gave me a stamp. I don't think there's any great risk in that respect unless you have an infectious disease of some sort.

Have you already paid, or you're paying when you get there?

[roddy]

The JW202's (and JW201's) are printed by the Ministry of Education - there'll be a fee, quite possibly inflated locally, plus if they run out they have to go and get new ones. There must be a fairly high number of students who apply and don't turn up - not that surprising that the schools would rather not take the risk until you're in front of the desk handing over your fees.

[John J]

Two schools gave me two options: to come on an L visa or pay a deposit and come on an X visa. I chose the second option and was willing to pay the deposit. They then said, the seats were sold out. So, I thought the issue was the JW202 form. What is actually the procedure schools have to follow? Does it take that long (a full month or more) for the JW202 form to be ready? As for the medical check up, I personally know people, from developing countries, who could not get a Z/X visa because it was argued they were sick. Although they did not have any symptom of an infectious disease. They retook the same tests back home and they were all negative. Visa conditions vary in China according to people's nationalities. What applies to westerners does not apply to other people.

[Estratos]

Beijing University of Technology sent me the JW202 form to Poland without any problems. I just had to wait for it to arrive (nearly 2 weeks). I got my F visa with no problems. The University didn't require any cash before, I paid my registration fee along my tuition fee here in Beijing,

[John J]

This confirms my suspicions. It means that the registered school must normally have the JW202/201 forms and just fill in, stamp and send them to students(although it's printed by the ministry of education). I assume that the ministry only print blank forms and distribute them to registered schools. The filled in and stamped forms are then issued by schools to their foreign students. It's completely illegal to ask someone to lie about the actual purpose of his/her stay. There should be some requirements these schools want to evade. Which ones? My situation is complicated now, the schools I wanted to attend have made me waste a lot of time and I'am late for most long term Chinese courses. I wanted to study Chinese 10 hours/week for one or two years on a student visa (X). According to my research, this is only possible in Kunming. But most Kunming universities and schools are reluctant when talking about X visa from abroad. They want me to come on an L visa, which I refuse in order to avoid any nightmare once in China. I don't know if there are other cities and schools where I can study Chinese 10 hours/week for a year on an X visa obtained abroad. I wish to start in October, the school should be affordable and outside Shanghai and Beijing.

[panda23]

As for the medical check up, I personally know people, from developing countries, who could not get a Z/X visa because it was argued they were sick. Although they did not have any symptom of an infectious disease. They retook the same tests back home and they were all negative.

Are you implying that if there's something the school doesn't like about you, the medical results can somehow be tampered with to make it appear as if the person has an infectious disease so that they can't stay in China long-term, when in fact there's nothing wrong with them? I was under the impression that aside from the "none of the following diseases or disorders found" section, it was up to the school/employer to determine whether you had passed the medical or not.

[John J]

No. The school might be willing to enrol you, but the health examination is carried out by a government authorized hospital. Since some nationalities and races (Africans, Indians, and black people) are seen as undesirable by many Chinese, they sometimes issue a fake report saying you are sick in order to prevent you from getting a health certificate. The said health certificate is required for the X/Z visa. I wanted to advise people from the above-mentioned backgrounds not to accept to go to China on a tourist or business visa if they plan a long stay in this country. Racism against the above-mentioned races and nationalities is a reality in China. Don't fall in the trap of schools and companies asking you to come on an L/F visa that they promise to convert into an X/Z visa once in China. It's easier said than done. Get the appropriate visa before leaving for China.

[roddy]

Where and when is this happening, exactly?

[panda23]

No. The school might be willing to enrol you, but the health examination is carried out by a government authorized hospital. Since some nationalities and races (Africans, Indians, and black people) are seen as undesirable by many Chinese, they sometimes issue a fake report saying you are sick in order to prevent you from getting a health certificate. The said health certificate is required for the X/Z visa. I wanted to advise people from the above-mentioned backgrounds not to accept to go to China on a tourist or business visa if they plan a long stay in this country. Racism against the above-mentioned races and nationalities is a reality in China. Don't fall in the trap of schools and companies asking you to come on an L/F visa that they promise to convert into an X/Z visa once in China. It's easier said than done. Get the appropriate visa before leaving for China.

I see. So these groups aren't banned from staying long-term in China, but rather they are not allowed to have their short-term visa converted, instead they must get the X/Z visa in their home countries or perhaps in HK. So then what's the point of going to all the trouble of issuing a fake health report? Why not just say it is not possible to convert the person's visa and so they must go home with the relevant forms and apply directly for the proper visa type? And where do you draw the line between "desirable" and "undesirable?"

[jbradfor]

Where and when is this happening, exactly?

I heard it from a friend who heard it from a friend who swears that he overhead two people talking about it in a coffee shop.

Racism against the above-mentioned races and nationalities is a reality in China.

Certainly can't disagree with that, but forging official documents that are so easy to get done elsewhere? Not saying it ain't true, but....

[roddy]

It's not impossible that a local government has decided it doesn't want people from nations X, Y and Z, and that the easiest way to handle this is to lean on the hospital to fiddle their health checks. Seems odd though, and that's why I'd like to know where and when - I doubt it's nationwide policy.

[John J]

I have never pretended that it's a national policy, nor is it an official government policy. It's rather a result of unfair decisions taken by some racist individuals because of their hatred against the above-mentioned nationalities, races and ethnic groups. It happened in a well-known city of Jiangsu province. In this city, there was only one hopistal authorized to carry out health examinations for visa purposes. The person I'am talking about was an African working for a local Sino-American company. He was asked to come to China on an F visa and the company promised to convert it into a Z visa in China. The company was managed by Chinese and Westerners. The said African was recruited by a western manager. Once in China, the Chinese management seemed not to like this black employee in spite of their hypocritical smiles and kindness. They found pretexts to cut down his salary (paying him only one-third of his normal salary) which normally followed the westerners' salary structure. After two visa runs to Macau, the employee insisted about getting a Z visa, a work permit and a residence permit. The Chinese managers, experts in telling lies, first plotted with the police station that the employee's visa duration of stay was not sufficient for the whole Z visa procedure and pretended that his brand new F visa brought from Macau could not be extended. They suggested that he had to go back to his home country to get a new visa. The employee rather made a new visa run to Macau and brought an L visa. The Chinese managers then plotted with the lone hospital carrying out health examinations for visa purposes. They issued a fake report saying that the employee was suffering from a venereal disease and that he had to go back to his home country to be treated. Then they made a bigger conspiracy. All attempts to extend the L visa failed. The employee made a new visa run to Macau and was refused entry to this Special Administration Region of China. At his country's embassy in Beijing, he was informed that his contract with the company was terminated.

Back home, he retook the same health examination and it was negative.

By the way, telling lies seem to be a second nature for the Chinese, including their government. In 2007, when I applied for a Chinese visa, I remember there was a question asking the applicant if s/he was suffering from an infectious disease (Aids, syphilis,...). It was clearly mentioned on the form that suffering from such a disease was not a ground for visa refusal. Official lie! In reality, people suffering from such diseases could not get a Chinese visa and some were even deported from China. This information was hidden at the risk of China expats. GET THE APPROPRIATE VISA BEFORE LIVING FOR CHINA TO AVOID NIGHTMARES.

[roddy]

So it happened once, in one city?

[John J]

To the best of my knowledge, it also happened in Yunnan province. An African journalist teaching English in China was refused the work permit and residence permit because of his race and nationality. He was even suggested to get an American or Canadian passport in order to avoid any residence or work permit trouble in China. He ended up in jail before being deported from China. These are only few examples. There are many other similar experiences that remain unknown to the general public and to foreigners in China and abroad. So, if there is even one chance out of one million to fail to convert a short term visa into a long term one in China, I think it's careful and reasonable to get the appropriate documentation and authorization before leaving for China.

[Joy]

Hi John J and Roddy do you please tell me how much fees to pay for JW202 form for MBBS at Kunming Medical University? And what is the difference between JW202 and JW201? 

[roddy]

No idea. I wouldn't expect you to pay for it separately anyway, maybe as part of an application fee. JW201 is for self-supporting students, JW202 for scholarship students. 

[Kid_ku]

Hi John J wanted to ask,l got my pre-admission on the 24th of january 2018 around 14th of february 2018 was expecting to recieve my Jw202 but l didn't because the chinese where having they new years and had sent us a broadcast message saying that the admission letter and the Jw202 would be sent in about March an yet still its now much and there still saying there working on it,is the march intake process always like this or its just me being unlucky.

[Shelley]

6 hours ago, Kid_ku said:

sent in about March

I know nothing about this process but If its only "about March" I wouldn't start to worry yet as its not even half way through March yet.

 

This topic is about 3 years old. I would start a new topic and then you might get some up to date answers.

 

I hope this helps and that you find the help you need.

[Kid_ku]

Thank you shelley