z visa issue

[zeichen]

I am a US citizen currently living in Thailand.  I have lived in Thailand for many years. I am on what is called a Non O marriage visa extended yearly for marriage.

 

Here is the problem. When the school that I will work for in China filled out the invitation letter, they wrote USA as my address.  They are claiming that the ministry of foreign affairs in Beijing wouldn't permit to have Thailand as the address because I am from the US. 

 

I worked in China in 2013 and got my visa here in aug. 2013 right here in Thailand then. The school is stating that the rules have changed but I cannot find anything on the Ministry of foreign affairs website.

 

I am not sure if they are covering their mistake or if it isn't possible to get my Chinese Z visa processed here in Thailand.

 

I went to the Chinese consulate here in Thailand and they said no problem. So I don't understand why my school in Beijing is saying that they cannot put Thailand on the invitation letter.

 

Does anyone know who to contact or a web link.

 

I really don't want to have to fly back to the US to get my visa processed as I haven't lived there in over 15 years.

[kdavid]

I cannot find anything on the Ministry of foreign affairs website.

 

 

Good luck with this. Cut your losses and forget contacting someone there.

 

If the consulate in Bangkok can do it, then no problem.

 

Can you have someone in the States mail the documents to you in Thailand?

 

Also, you may consider telling the school that this is a deal breaker to see if they'll reship the documents to you. If they're keen on you coming, they can resend the documents.

 

Visas are a hassle, and the rules do indeed change at the drop of a hat. This is a tough situation. Best to make lemonade.

 

Edit: On second thought, I'm pretty sure you can only have your visa issued in the country to which the documents are issued. In other words, if the documents already processed have a US address on them, then they'll need to be processed in the States. You should clarify this with a Chinese consulate.

[zhouhaochen]

They might be right, I know a lot of people who had to fly to their home country to apply for a work visa, so it does not necessarily is a mistake on their part.

However, there is no consistency with Chinese visas in anything and if an embassy says they can do it, then go and do it via them. I am sure your school will support you as long as it works (they can re-issue the documents quite easily assuming they are a legitimate school with the appropriate stamps).

[zeichen]

Ok, there seems to be some misunderstanding.

 

I am in Thailand on a Non-O visa with a 1 year extension. The Chinese consulate here says that I can process my visa here in Thailand. That I don't have to do it in the US, if I get my papers sent here.

 

When I submitted my documents to Beijing I have my Thai address on them.  Someone put a US address on my invitation letter.

 

Now the school is saying that the Ministry of Foreign affairs forced them to because I don't have a work visa in Thailand. Stating that I would have to get my visa in the US if I didn't have a work visa.

 

Now the school wants scans of my current visa in Thailand to bring to the Ministry of Foreign affairs.

 

I just want to get the invitation letter from them with a Thai address, then I can bring it here and get my visa processed.

 

The school is claiming that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs refuses to do it because I am not on a work visa in Thailand.

 

Personally, I think that the school is making it up. I don't see how the Ministry of Foreign Affairs would know what A NON O visa is.  Besides they are claiming it is a short time temporary visa, which it is not.  I am married to a Thai National and have lived in Thailand for more than 10 years.

 

I just don't know if I should spend the money to get my visa processed in the US, since the school refuses to get the invitation letter for me in Thailand. If it is true and they cannot, I have no option. I just don't think that is true.

[roddy]

Maybe they Googled this, and saw '90 days' - it's hardly long-term. Unfortunately you fit a profile of someone who's been hanging around Thailand without a (legit) job and doing lots of border runs / extensions, and those aren't the kind of people China is encouraging at the moment. Not necessarily fair, but....

 

You could maybe try submitting extra documentation - letter explaining the situation, marriage certificate, rental agreements showing you've been in one place long term, financial support, I don't know. It might help, it might not. We've seen similar things recently with different provinces refusing to issue invitation letters for Hong Kong. 

 

Also - this does vary by province. Somewhere in more need of teachers might not be so strict. 

[zeichen]

100% of what you wrote is assumption and completely wrong. Really  I fit a profile doing lots of border runs. With one visa in my passport that has been renewed at immigration for more than 10 years? That fits your profile? LOL

 

1st of all. I am on a Non-o visa which is extended at immigration for 1 year at a time.  I do not fit any profile that you claim, In order to extend any visa you need to either have money in the bank of excess 15k usd or a salary of 1,500 $ a month.

 

There are 2 types of visas for people my age. Non-O and Non B. O is for family related purposes and B for work related purposes. They are both a 90 day visa which are then extended. Thailand doesn't offer a 1 year visa unless you are retired. 

 

2nd. The visa status and a work permit are 2 separate entities and I have had work permits and legal jobs in Thailand for more than 10 years.  You can have a job and a work permit with a Non-O visa.  My extension is based on marriage though which would qualify for any criteria that China would place about resident status.

 

It would be pretty stupid of me to currently have a job if I was about to fly out of the country in 10 days. So no I don't have a job or a work permit currently in Thailand.  You can work in Thailand only with a work permit. Your visa status either Non-O or Non-B is irrelevant. If you have a non B which is first granted for work purposes but you don't have a work permit that is illegal. They are not linked.

 

Again. My question is in regards to Beijing Foreign Affairs asking for any proof of anything to issue the invitation letter.  There is nothing on their website that says you have to prove residency in a 3rd party country.  I have never heard of anyone having to submit visa pages or any other documentation at foreign affairs to get the invitation letter.

 

I know of dozens of teachers living here in Thailand that get their Chinese visas right here in Thailand and not one of them has ever had to issue any proof of anything for their invitation letter.

 

The consulates issue the visas not the municipality offices. The consulate here in Thailand looked at my passport and saw my visa status here and said "Yes, you can get your visa issued here when you have the Chinese work permit paper and the letter of invitation that says Thailand as the address.

 

So my question is the Foreign affairs office really denying an invitation letter to Thailand or is my school making that up?

[roddy]

I'm not, believe it or not, assuming anything - but I'll wager it's what some clerk in Beijing or wherever is assuming.

 

There's no reason for the school to make it up. They want teachers. 

[zeichen]

How are admins allowed to be trolls and totally useless.  You actually have no knowledge about the topic, yet feel the need to spread false information and ASSUMPTIONS.

 

Can you please ban me permanently or delete me from this useless forum.

 

You are a bunch of fuckwits who don't know jack shit. 

[889]

We're just trying to help you by explaining the sort of logic Chinese bureaucrats often use.

For example, they may be looking for your "permanent home address." Even though you have in fact lived in Thailand for ten years, they see a one-year visa with no right of permanent residence. So, the logic goes, how can you have a "permanent home address" there?

Another possibility: Someone filled out the form that way, whether by intent or mistake, and they aren't going to be bothered to change it.

Seriously, if you've been dealing with Thai Immigration for ten years, you ought to realise that sometimes there's just no good answer to why you're being given a run-around of some sort when others haven't. You just have to deal with it.

[Flickserve]

How are admins allowed to be trolls and totally useless. You actually have no knowledge about the topic, yet feel the need to spread false information and ASSUMPTIONS.

Can you please ban me permanently or delete me from this useless forum.

You are a bunch of fuckwits who don't know jack shit.

If that's your reaction, probably it's best off you give up on China. It would be one of you fighting a whole imperfect system. You'll quite possibly end up being more embittered by the whole experience.

[ChTTay]

Crazy reaction to good advice.

As above, I would think twice about China if an Internet forum can set you off.