Living in China on 10-Year Tourist Visa vs Other Options

[j.k.j.D.D.]

Hello,

 

I was recently granted a 10 year tourist visa with 60 days per stay. I plan to stay in China longer however, and was wondering if there would be any issues with this as long as I exit every 60 days and re-enter?

 

I am looking into eventually opening a company within China and being able to get visas this way, and I was wondering if anyone knows how much capital would be required now? Before I heard it was 10,000 USD or so, but now it's changed so that there's no minimum? If so, I would be very interested in this option eventually.

 

Does anyone have any insight or advice on this?

[anonymoose]

Not really sure what you're asking here, but if you want to start a business, then you shouldn't be on a tourist visa.

[roddy]

You may run into some questions at some point about what you're actually doing in China - but I think if you have a plausible story and can demonstrate you're drawing on funds from home rather than working illegally, I don't think it'll be a problem.

 

As for capital requirements to start a business - I suspect that varies according to where you are and what kind of business it is. 

 

I actually don't think a tourist visa would be a problem while doing the preparatory groundwork for starting a business. A business visa might be the correct one, but I don't think there's any point in the process where they actually check that, and unless the local authorities actively want rid of you...

[vellocet]

The 10 year tourist visa is a new thing, and people haven't had time to abuse it yet.  So, nobody knows how the government will deal with it.  I have a buddy whose spousal visa finally ran out (after divorce) and he was scrambling for a new visa.  He went home and came back with a tourist visa, intending to live and work in China.  His plan is to go to Taiwan every two months and renew.  I'll keep an eye on the situation and let everyone know how it turns out, and how long it takes for them to deny him entry.

[j.k.j.D.D.]

Thanks for the replies! I am thinking I will stay on this visa maybe 4-6 months, then after I submit the paperwork and things for starting a business hopefully I can get a work visa at that point.

 

Vellocet, I am glad to hear some others are doing something similar. I was thinking of maybe going to Mongolia or something and re-entering from there a few times. Please keep us posted!

[vellocet]

It's not really a "glad" thing.  The visa is being abused, and it won't take them long to figure out if you're living and working in China.  He WILL eventually be denied entry, even with a valid visa in his passport.  It happened a lot recently in Thailand.  For tourist visas you have to demonstrate how you're going to support yourself while in China, a hotel address, etc.  The paperwork for a business takes 4-6 months already, so get cracking.  The registered capital for a business is 100,000 yuan and up depending on the type, paid in foreign currency transferred from abroad to a Chinese bank.

[j.k.j.D.D.]

Did I say I was going to be working in China while on a tourist visa? No.

 

Check out the following link, and it says that none is required: http://www.pathtochina.com/reg_wfoe.htm

 

[since March 1, 2014] No. minimum registered capital is required for WFOEs with scope of business of consulting, Trading, retailing, information technology etc. in China. There are minimum registered capital still required for some industries for instance: Banking, Forwarding etc.

 

No need to preach to me about this, as I lived in China for over 4 years previously and never "abused" my visas.

[vellocet]

Yeah, that's the central government's law.  Every city will be different with regard to registered capital.  If you can find a place to register a business with zero capital then post here when you finish.  The only place I know that even comes close is that Shanghai development zone.  Apparently they really trimmed the bureaucracy there and have people to actually help you instead of get in your way.