Paid 4-month internship in Beijing. Should I enter China as a HK resident with return home permit or with Canadian passport + visa?

[kaitagsd]

I'm first confused about visas: F and Z. I read some comments saying F is for non-paid, Z is for paid.

Next, I was born in Hong Kong with a 3-star HKID, but my return home permit has expired, so I would need to go to Hong Kong first, renew it, then go to Beijing. Afterwards, I'm supposed to get some work/residence-permit, but I'm not sure about the details either.

Or, as a Canadian citizen with a passport and all, I could apply for F or Z visa. Like I said, I'm confused as to which one to get.

And I'm also concerned about wait-times. My luck is bad, since my return home permit is expired, my Canadian passport is expiring in December (meaning I would need to renew my passport before applying for visa), and I don't know how long the visa process would take.

As such, it seems hard to book a flight ahead of time. Any help would be appreciated!

[brekk2]

Hi,

Have you tried to check the website of the government (check how long it takes to get a new Canadian passport) and of the embassy (check how long it would take to get your visa sorted) ?

I'm just asking because passport renewal takes 2 weeks and visa to China takes 4 days. If I ask for a fast-renewal for extra money, then passport is like 4 days and visa is like 1 day.

Also, you never know when you would need a passport, so if I were you, i would definitely renew it, no matter how you are going to travel this time.

I think once you know how long it takes to get your papers, it will be easier for you to decide which option is the best for you.