X1 Visa Issue

[sarthakm]

Hello all

This is Sarthak from India. I'm planning to come to China this coming September for Chinese Language Program. Now I have applied to two of the universities for which one I have recieved both of the original documents. I wish to apply for the X1 visa on the basis of this X University.

Please tell me if I am wrong , I have recieved the scanned copies of the university B as far now and scanned copy is not acceptable for the VISA and my courier contain the original copies is stuck somewhere from the last two months.

Is it possible I get my X1 Visa on the base of University A but go to the University B as they have already approved my admission. Please tell me asap as I don't have much time left with me.

[ILikeBigWalls]

I am looking at my X1 visa I used to enter China one year ago in order to study in Shanghai.  It doesn't mention the name of the university or even the city that the university is in.  The X1 visa gets you into China but within 30 days (after arrival) you need to apply for a residence permit.  My residence permit also doesn't mention the university but it does say issued in Shanghai.

 

I hesitate to make promises but I think you can do what you are suggesting.  However, when you go to apply for the residence you will absolutely need to show the original letter of invitation.  In my case, it is printed on very unusual paper, very difficult to replicate.  It would be best to apply for the residence permit with the letter from the university you actually will attend.  They let you keep the original but they do keep a copy.  Hopefully, the letter arrives before you leave for China because if you ask the university for a new one after you get there they might give you a hard time.  

[m000gle]

While the visa sticker itself doesn't list the name of the university, and an X1/X2 visa is indeed merely used for initial entry and legal status during the first 30 days' residence permit processing, the visa and subsequent residency are very much connected with the institution one will attend.  This is not unlike how a Z visa and residency are connected to one's employer, even if transferring schools is often a much more straightforward task.

 

I won't say that it's impossible to enter on an X1/X2 visa affiliated with one institution, only to promptly switch schools, register with them, and have them sponsor your residence permit application.  I'm sure it's been done before, and it will almost certainly be done again; and, assuming the second school is aware of your plans in advance and okay with registering you upon arrival, the process might not be so bad.

 

That said, I would still consider it a bad idea to be planning such a scenario from the outset, given that how complicates your arrival and a registration process which can already feel quite complex.  Anything outside of the standard operating procedure increases the odds of something going wrong and is, in my opinion, best avoided where possible.