Convert Tourist Visa to Study Visa

[Johnny20270]

I'm looking into doing an MBA in Beijing, but would also like to earn some money teaching ESL. I will most likely go on a student visa. I read every where that if you are on student visa, you can't work and vice versa. Any experience from anybody?

 

 

 

What people "can't do" and "actually do" are very different. I know several people now working here as language teachers who are on student visas. Mind you I use that term "language teacher" very loosely as they have no experience nor qualification for teaching English and all are non native English speakers. <= by this I mean they still can get work given many look for native English speakers

[MBAchina]

Great! Thanks for the info, Johnny20270. So it is not like they say that some agencies from the gov would go to work places checking people's passport or even on the street to check what type of visa one has?

 

Sometimes what you read on website is very different from reality, that's why I wanted to know from people that are actually in the place, because I am still in Canada!

 

Thanks!

[edelweis]

Visa crackdown in Beijing?

100-Day crackdown on Foreigners Working Illegally in Beijing

URGENT: 2:30 police appointment for teaching English on an F-Visa

Urgent heads up to people living in Harbin

Illegal foreign teachers arrested in Shenzhen

 

If you work illegally, you might escape detection, or you might get caught in one of those police operations.

 

[ChTTay]

If you're on a student visa, I'm fairly sure you can now work part time under a certain number of hours and as long as you have your schools permisson. This was brought in when all the visas changed a year or so ago. I've not read too much about this since then though so it would be worth looking into it further.

 

If it turns out you can't legally work on a student visa, even part time, but you still want to. I would lean towards 'tutoring' rather than working a school. Schools get raided but it's unlikely someone will follow you to someone apartment. Not impossible though.

[andrea74]

Hi everyone,

 

I am going one year to Peking university this september. As I wish to go to china one month earlier to travel, i will need to enter with an L visa, does anyone has updates concerning this topic ?

Is it still posible to transform a L visa into a resident permit ? (my university told me yes but the embassy in my country told me no...)

If yes, for those who went through, how difficult it is ?

 

Thanks a lot for your answers  

[onebir]

If you're on a student visa, I'm fairly sure you can now work part time under a certain number of hours and as long as you have your schools permisson. This was brought in when all the visas changed a year or so ago. I've not read too much about this since then though so it would be worth looking into it further.

 

 

I think there was a National Congress (?) resolution to enact legislation allowing this, but not sure the actual legislation has been passed.

 

[roddy]

Re working on a student visa - as I understand it it's allowed for in national law, but how it's handled by local authorities and universities is what really matters. Might be worth giving this a bump and seeing if there's any more up to date info. 

http://www.chinese-forums.com/index.php?/topic/44386-part-time-work-on-an-x1-student-visa/

[Frantisek]

Hello,

 

I got accepted to Yunnan normal university today, because I am self funding student and its too late for them to give me X visa, and told me to apply for L visa and than it would be changed to X. No problem with that so far I was assured that there will be no problem with changing to X. But now I am dealing with L visa and the biggest problem I see is with return flight I do not thing that it will be possible only book it and do not pay it so si it possible to book flight not to my home country ( Czech Republic) from which I am going to China but lets say that is much cheeper to closer country will it be enough ? 

 

Second question under L visa there are 2 options 

1) traveling - so I have to state where I will go, and hotels etc 

2) short visit of a friend - I need his or her invitation letter and his personal info, and fotocopy of his passport etc 

 

What from these two is much more better for me please? 

 

Thank you 

[Deepamar]

@ka1976 even I am accepted at the Tongji and I am starting at 8th of September

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[onebir]

 

Second question under L visa there are 2 options 

1) traveling - so I have to state where I will go, and hotels etc 

2) short visit of a friend - I need his or her invitation letter and his personal info, and fotocopy of his passport etc

 

2: ask the university to provide the invitation letter. Then you shouldn't need to show the ticket etc.

[Frantisek]

@onebir

 

thank you Ill try but they are not responding they are maybe on hollyday or something like that 

[jayfuentes]

I would want to enroll in a university but i applied late and the school can't issue me the admission documents and JW202 required to secure the student visa in my home country.

After much reading, i understand it is possible to use a tourist (L) visa to enter China and apply for its conversion to a resident permit (RP). Anybody with experience in the conversion? what are the chances of it being denied?

On the alternative, I am looking into securing a 1 year, multiple entry visa from the Philippines. It would be more expensive given i would need to exit and re-enter china several times, but i'm willing to shoulder the costs. 

Would appreciate any comment on above options.

[ChTTay]

If the school says they can convert it then I'd trust them. If they haven't said anything ... Ask them.

When I was at Tsinghua they could convert an L to the X visa / RP. This was as long as the L hadn't been converted from anything else prior, it was the first visa they had entered China with.

[jayfuentes]

thank you @ChTTay.

 

The school said its possible though not guaranteed. They will help me though so hopefully that ups the chances of approval.

[Guest]

For those asking about working on an X1/2 visa:

 

A bit late to the party, but I was a student at Fuzhou University last year on an X2 visa. I looked into the law at the time and asked the PSB about it - unless if it's changed (since Feb 2016), the law states that international students cannot have part-time work in China unless they have written permission from their university. I can't remember if this letter alone is authority enough - you might have to take it to the local PSB in order to be granted that 'right' - I'm afraid I can't remember.