Tourist or Student?

[wushucrab836]

I am going to China this summer to travel in Hefei, Shanghai, and Beijing for a month and a half. I something similar last year and I applied for a tourist visa with no problem. However, this year I hope to enter a one year language program after the summer and stay in China for the 2013-14 academic year.

In this scenario, is it possible to apply for a tourist visa, go to china, and then once I enroll in a university switch my visa to a student visa while in China? If anyone has had a similar experience to this or can offer some feedback I'd greatly appreciate the advice. What do you recommend? Thank you!

[gamerfu]

I know Taiwan they will not let you be a tourist then become a student. For Taiwan, I had to apply at the Taiwan embassy in my country then show proof of school documentation. The embassy told me that Taiwan would make me fly back to my country and change my visa status from tourist to student, if I planed to stay.

[abcdefg]

In this scenario, is it possible to apply for a tourist visa, go to china, and then once I enroll in a university switch my visa to a student visa while in China?

It's commonly done on the mainland, at least switching between tourist and student at a private school. I've done it several times. No personal experience with universities here.

[Ludens]

I've done this this year, came on a 90 days tourist visa and got it changed to a student visa at a Beijing university.

[wushucrab836]

Ok, thank you for the input. I guess I could try to get my admissions notice first, I'm just worried that not all schools will be able to do the same as Beijing University.

[Kanjiology]

I got it done here at Tianjin, came with a tourist visa and the university gave me the paper work to get a student visa, very smooth process and takes about a week to get your student visa.

[roddy]

Didn't someone write up a sticky about this a while back?

[Saxondale]

Make sure you get confirmation from the University that they can do this for you. My university won't change a tourist visa into a student one.

[Kobayashi]

I heard that it is possible to study Chinese with a tourist visa as well. Is that correct?

[abcdefg]

I heard that it is possible to study Chinese with a tourist visa as well. Is that correct?

#9 -- In a private school you can.

[zhouhaochen]

Like anything in China, it depends on the university/private school (and the province they are in). Some universities and private schools can do it, others not. So make sure you check with your program before going.

Also, of course be prepared that by the time you want to actually do it, everything might have changed

But HK is a great city and always worth a trip

[tominchina]

Yes no problem to change from tourist to student visa at a Univeristy but a lot depends on the region you will be studying in! If you already have your admission letter then changing it is not a 'problem' but it will still take some mafan of required 'documentation' make sure you bring everything the foreign student office tells you to bring and 'more' almost every time I go they ask for something slightly different and I have to return home make a copy and bring it back. Be forewarned.