The Hong Kong Visa Topic

[Kiwi63]

Well anything could happen. The China mail system ain't that reliable and if it's lost or stolen you have a BIG problem. Try booking a flight, train or hotel in China without a passport and see how you get on.

[abcdefg]

As a practical matter, I never mail my passport, even back home in the US. I always us an express service with tracking, such as UPS or FedEx.

[ChTTay]

Agree with abcdefg, I would consider sending my passport down to HK or back to the UK but only with FedEx/UPS/DHL. You would also have to consider who you are sending it to and how they will send it back to you.

Anyway, if anyone has done this or so,ething similar please let us know on thos thread.

[MeiMay]

I was actually thinking of courier service, I wasn't thinking of just using China Mail... though that said, China mail has been 100% reliable for me with international parcels and letters. I don't know, maybe they handle international mail better than domestic, maybe I was lucky... Haha. But point taken, if I consider this route I will use a courier, but then it doesn't cost that much to take the trip down there myself, so maybe it's better to go there yourself after all But many people do it though, and it seems like some schools do it too to extend your visa, they mail your passport for you, so I don't think it can be altogether unsafe.

[dyanisis]

Just tried calling sunshine visa in Wanchai, says number is no longer in service (no email address).

are they still open for business

 

anyone got an updated number for them, why would they change numbers

 

panic stations

 

I too extended in BEIJING last year and last week was only given 15 days in Hong Kong, but my flight is booked for june 28th, so looking for visa until then, I do have all the necessaries for the M visa,  letter, company licence ...blah de blah

 

but dont want to go to FBT or any others , just wanna deal with sunshine.

 

any ideas

[abcdefg]

#85 -- If you have the Chinese name of that agency, try doing a Baidu search for their current phone number. Very often the information on the Chinese-language website of businesses is more up to date than on the English-language website.

 

Also consider this: http://www.pccw.com/Customer+Service/Directory+Inquiries/Hong+Kong+Telephone+Numbers/?language=en_US

[ChTTay]

Do you mean Sunrise or Sunshine? Sunrise is the agency listed on the first post of this forum topic.

Agree with ABC about trying a Chinese search.

If they have shut down, why are you so against using a different agent? It seems a lot of people here have had success/no problems with other ones.

[Hyacinthe]

Hi everybody

I am flying next week from shanghai to HK to get my working visa done. I am wondering what kind of "proof of legal stay or residence status" should I bring? I arrived in china three months ago with a tourism visa, indeed I am registered to my local police station. Is my temporary registration form of temporary residence what they need? I heard crazy stuff as hotel vouchers in shanghai which does not make sense to me as I already have my own flat..

Any help?

Thank you so much!

[Anou]

I did a visa Z run in HK last month and I didn't need to bring the temporary registration form.  I believe the proof of legal stay is basically your valid visa that was issued in your passport, which allowed you to legally enter and stay in China. 

[Hyacinthe]

Alright thanks!

[crodriguezai]

As all the information I read here before going to Hong Kong was very helpful, I would like to share my experience:

 

Date of application:
 

May 2014

Nationality:
Spain

Visa applied for: 
Applied for Z, work visa, granted.

Consulate or Agency:
Consulate

Documents required:
 

 

- Passport

- Two photos

- "Alien Employment License of the People´s Republic of China". My employer got it for me in Shanghai, A company authorized to here foreing people has to apply for it, it takes 15 working days, more or less, and, according to my employer, the success rate is 70-80%

- "Invitation Letter from Duly Authorized Unit". After you get the previous document this one is easy to get. In my case it is issued by the municipality of Pudong New Area. Takes around 2 days. The invitation letter mentioned specifically Hong Kong.

- Residence permit in Hong Kong (the slip you are given when you enter Hong Kong)

- Copy of all the above

Cost / Service:
I paid 200HKD. The service took 4 days, no rush service available for Spain, and, according to the sings in the wall of the Consulate, there was not "Same day rush" for anybody.

Reason for application:
Employment

Previous Visa History:
One business visa (12 months, issued in Madrid), one extension of that visa (3 months, issued in Shanghai), one visa issued in Tokio to enter again in China in between those three months. One tourist visa (30 days, Madrid), one business visa (30 days, Madrid), one business visa (30 days, Hong Kong). This one was my last, I applied for that the month before.

Problems: 
Not really. I thought, as did my employer, that the Health Certificate was necessary, but they didn´t ask for it. As I noticed that after leaving the Consulate I came back the next day to try to give it to the same girl that took my application. She confirmed to me it was not necessary anymore.

Suggestions/comments:
As it happens when you search in internet for health problems, when you search in internet for visa problems you get really scared. The most confusing point was whether or not a foreinger can apply for a visa in Hong Kong. According to the Chinese Consulate in Hong Kong foreigners are invited to apply for the visa in their home country. Also says that you need a Hong Kong Residence Permit to apply for the visa. I think it is a matter of interpretation. The slip you are given when you enter Hong Kong is considered a Residence Permit. On the other hand, looks like Hong Kong is slowly being integrated in China, they don´t stamp anymore your passport and, as this may look like some conspiracy theory, youtube is starting to fail...

[Hyacinthe]

Thank you for this report!

I am flying tomorrow to get mine done. As you said all what we find on internet is really scary, and all the papers and documents I am bringing with me are heavier than my hiking shoes. I just don't get the success rate for the alien employment visa, is it 70 %chance to get the working visa once you have it?

Cheers

[crodriguezai]

Hello Hyacinthe, no, no, as I was told by my employer, the alien employment license is the most difficult document to get. Once you have it, the rest is very easy. I guess, it is because they work with quotas and you have to prove that you have 2 years of work experience (after graduation) and will make a good contribution to the Chinese dream.

 

Once you have the alien employment license and have gone to Hong Kong to get your visa, then you come back to China and have to apply for the residence permit, which is granted as long as you present a valid working contract.

 

Good luck with your visa!. Is there is any advice I forgot to mention before I, would tell you, as Sun Tzu said in "The Art of War", better arrive early to the battlefield, so you won´t be suprised.

[Hyacinthe]

Thank you ! Yes I already planned to be there around 7:30/8:00. The sooner it is done, and the quicker I'll be at turtle bay! And thank for all your great reports, I'll do my homework on Monday evening...fingers crossed I'll get it!!!

[Hyacinthe]

As all the information I read here before going to Hong Kong was very helpful, I would like to share my experience:

Date of application:

19 May 2014

Nationality:

French

Visa applied for:

Applied for Z, work visa. Should get it back on Thursday so I assume it's granted.

Consulate or Agency:

Consulate

Documents required:

- Passport

- Two photos

- "Alien Employment License of the People´s Republic of China".

- "Invitation Letter from Duly Authorized Unit". The invitation letter mentioned specifically Hong Kong.

- The tiny arrival slip that you receive when entering Hong Kong (they don't stamp passport anymore)

--> Copy of all the above

- round trip ticket (expl shanghai- HK, HK-SH)

- insurance certificate, I've got mine thanks to my Visa card. Covered from three months starting from the day I applied for my visa. Make sure you are insured for CHINA.

Cost / Service:

200HKD on Thursday. No express or rush service available.

Reason for application:

Employment

Previous Visa History:

One tourism visa (3months) / one student visa (190days) / one tourism visa (2month) / one extension of my tourism visa (1month)

Problems:

RELAX TAKE IT EASY. I stopped sleeping two days ago: useless. Everything went really smoothly as long as you have all your papers ready. I thought about doing it through FBT agency that would have cost me a fortune (the price they announce on the website and the one they will make you pay is different, they try to charge you for insurance/hotel booking in Hong Kong AND MAINLAND CHINA/round trip ticket...even if you already have all these papers).

I printed my insurance paper yesterday night in case of, good choice. Make copies of everything so you won't loose time there, same for the passport pictures.

Suggestions/comments:

Really no need for an agency. I arrived at the consulate (exit a1 on wan chai mtr station) at 7:50am and was one of the first on the queue, arriving early is definitely a great idea if you don't want to queue outside for ages(especially on Monday). I get out of the consulate at 9:20am which is pretty quick.

I had my medical check (+copy), temporary registration form in shanghai (+copy) a copy of my lease contract in shanghai and my booking in Hong Kong. I did not need it but never know...

I get all the documents thanks to an agency in shanghai paid by my company, so I won't be able to help if you have any questions concerning how to get the working permits, The invitation letter and so on.

Everyone was really helpful there, perfect English and so on. Also note that it was my first application for a working visa and that I did not do it in France, they did not even mentioned it. As long as your invitation letter says HK you are safe.

[waiguoren]

I'm a US citizen, under 30, with tons of L/X/F/Q visas going back to 2009. A Shanghai-based company is preparing to hire me and I want to know if applying for a Z visa in HK is advisable or if I should suck it up and fly back to the US to apply. Can anyone advise?

[ronaldmull]

Any agency which gives a M visa 90 days these days in Hong Kong?

[waiguoren]

Since no one is responding I'll try to contribute what I can.

 

I am a US citizen and I have been hired by a high school in Shanghai to teach mathematics. The job starts in August 2014, but the flood of paperwork has already started. To save time and money, I would strongly prefer to apply for the Z visa in Hong Kong. I see there are many stories of successful Z visa applications in HK.

 

On the other hand, the agent who found me the job is telling me that the school would prefer if I apply for the visa in the US instead of HK. Here is what he wrote:

 

目前到香港办签证，拒签率比较高了。我们有一个到海口的英国外教，在香港办理工作签证时被拒签，只能从香港回英国了。另外，我的两个外教的朋友也在香港被拒签了。学校还是认为你回美国办理签证会比较容易的，你如果还是想到香港去办，学校也同意。

 

My translation: Right now the rate of rejection for HK visa applications is rather high. We have a teacher from the UK who will teach in HaiKou (海口) but was rejected when he applied for a Z visa in HK. Now he has to return to the UK from HK. Also, the friend(s) of two of our foreign teachers had their visa applications rejected in HK. The school thinks things will be easier if you return to the US for your visa application, but the school will nevertheless approve if you decide to go to HK to apply.

 

 

----------------

I am particularly worried because I graduated from university in August 2012 and because most of my time post-graduation has been spent in China with no official employment. This is my first Z visa application and I have a long list of L/X/F/Q2 visas spanning multiple years. I'd like to save time and money by applying in Hong Kong, but I'm worried that a rejection in HK would increase the likelihood of a rejection in the US.

 

As I understand things, the two major prerequisites to receiving a Z visa are successful receipt of 1)來華就業許可證 2)外國專家證.  I was rejected for 1) in a different city a while back, though I don't expect this to influence my Shanghai application.

 

Has anyone on these forums ever been rejected for a Z visa anywhere?

[ChTTay]

I have little directly relative experience ...

It seems like, even if you find an American who recently got a Z in HK, your personal history is unlikely to match. Even if it did, he might have applied on a good day... There is no guarantee of anything.

Have you tried contacted a visa agent in HK directly and seeing what they say?

It doesn't seem likely the agent and your employer in China would gain anything from sending you back either. Perhaps the advice they are giving is good.

It all really depends on how much you want to risk. You could just go to HK and do it, if it goes through, no worries. But also be prepared to have to fly from HK to the US if you get rejected. That would also mean a change in some paperwork.

[waiguoren]

Yep, I agree. I am leaning toward applying in HK and taking  the risk. Will update accordingly.