Applying visa procedure to work in Shanghai for Singaporean

[YY]

Hihi, i need some help over here!

 

I had my COC and all my education cert authenticated at Ministry of Foreign Affair and China Visa center in Singapore. However, I understand all non chinese document had to be translated. Thus can someone help to answer me on the following?

 

1) to I need to get all the authenticated cert to Translate again? in SG or China?
2) Do Embassy of China need to authentic the translated cert? in SG or China?
 

 

Appreciated!!

[yueni]

1 hour ago, YY said:

1) to I need to get all the authenticated cert to Translate again? in SG or China?

 

I don't understand this question. Does this mean do you need to get all your certificates translated? Look up the visa requirements. It will tell you what needs to be translated and what doesn't. You can get them translated anywhere that is convenient for you. When I got mine done, I had my graduate degree diploma and my resume translated and 

 

 

1 hour ago, YY said:

2) Do Embassy of China need to authentic the translated cert? in SG or China?

 

Are you asking if the Chinese Embassy needs to authenticate the translated certificates? Check the visa requirements. It will tell you. Different visas have different requirements, and you didn't tell us what visa you are applying for, and your questions are not clear. If the Chinese Embassy needs to authenticate it, it would obviously have to be the one in Singapore, since China doesn't need to have an embassy on domestic soil. I believe in Singapore they would want the certification done by a notary public or a barrister (not too sure what the procedures are like in SG, since I haven't been back in ages.) I got mine done by a notary in the US, where I was based.

[YY]

Oh apologies, thank you for replying me and allow me to make myself clearer.

 

I am a singaporean and i had gotten a job in shanghai, and now i am in the midst of apply for Z visa. I had gotten my education certificate and COC authenticate by Singapore China Visa Center and Singapore Ministry of Foriegn Affair. 

 

Now i have a problem is that it was stated that all document submitted to China need to be translated into chinese particularly for Degree Cert and COC on their visa requirement (all my cert is issued in Singapore). So i am not sure if both of the document needs to be translated and authentic by China Embassy before submission to get me 工作许可证?

Previously, i made a phone call to Singapore Embassy of China, it was said that they cease the service for authenticating of translated copy. And Visa application center in Singapore do not have such service.

 

And one of the agency told me the translating and authentication needs to be done in china, but when i talk to china embassy in china, they told me that it has to be done in Singapore. So whose right and whose wrong? 

 

Or Singapore issued degree cert and COC, after authenticated by both MFA and China Visa Center i can submit it straight?

[roddy]

Have you got any assistance from your employer? Normally you'd hope they've gone through the process before and would have a better idea than you. 

[YY]

Hi Roddy,

 

I had spoken to my company HR, she says it was done in Singapore, so yes, here comes the confusing part...

 

I am just wondering who exactly is the one the can do the translation and get the document to authorize and use for work permit application in China. :{ Or rather who can i approach with such matters?

 

 

[yueni]

Doubling up on Roddy's question. Are you applying for all of this on your own, or is your employer assisting you?

 

I will add a caveat and say that it is not always the case that your employer knows what they are doing. Mine didn't, and gave me conflicting information. I went to: http://www.visaforchina.com.sg/SGP_EN/ and initiated the visa application walk-through and got the following requirements for the Z visa.  Nowhere does it ask for a certified and/or authenticated translation of your certifications. However, I believe that those are required for one of the supporting documents, probably the Employment Invitation Letter (in 2016, it was the 聘用意向书) not sure what that will be for 2018 with all the changes going through right now.

 

Quote

1. Basic Documents

(1) Passport 
Original passport with at least six months of remaining validity and with blank visa pages, a colored photocopy of the passport's data page and the photo page if it is separate.

(2) Visa Application Form and Photo
One completed Visa Application Form with a recent 6 momths colour passport photo (bare-head, full face) against a white background (size: 48mm x 33mm) attached. If the accompanying children on the same passport are also on the tour, their photos should be stuck on the Application Form, and related illustration is required.

There are two ways to prepare your application form. You may complete an Online Application Form (where a Visa Centre provides such service),  print it out and sign it; or, you can download the application form  from our website and fill it out manually and sign it.

Please remember to bring the completed form to the Visa Centre to submit your application.

(3) Proof of legal stay or residence status (applicable to those not applying for the visa in their country of citizenship)
Non-Singapore citizens shall provide documents that entitle them to reside for an extended period of time in Singapore provide original and photocopy (Re-entry permit, WP, EP, STP, DP or SVP). Temporary visitors to Singapore should apply for a Chinese visa in their own country. For the special cases, consular officer has the rights to make the final decision on whether issuing a visa or not.

(4) Photocopy of previous Chinese passports or previous Chinese visas (applicable for those who were Chinese citizens and have obtained foreign citizenship).

If you are applying for a Chinese visa for the first time, you should provide the last Chinese passport held and a photocopy of its data page.

If you have obtained Chinese visas before and apply for a Chinese visa with a renewed foreign passport that does not contain any Chinese visa, you should present the photocopy of the previous passport's data page and the photo page if it is separate, as well as the previous Chinese visa page (If your name on the current passport differs from that on the previous one, you must provide an official document of name change).

(5) For applicants who are French passport holders, please provide all the supporting documents accordingly as per required.

2. Supporting documents

One of the following documents:
(1) Approval documents for commercial performance issued by the Chinese Government Authorities for Cultural Affairs (original and photocopy) and approval of short-term employment for foreigners working in P.R China issued by Chinese Government authorities for Human Resources and Social Security ( original and photocopy) (less than 90 days)
(2) Notification  Letter of Foreigner’s work permit issued by Chinese Government Authorities for Human Resources and Social Security  or the state Bureau of Foreign Experts .(photocopy) 
(3) Registration Certificate of Resident Representative offices of enterprises of Foreign Countries (Regions) issued by Chinese Authorities of industrial and Commercial Administration (Photocopy).Approval letter of   Resident Representative offices of enterprise of foreign countries (Regions) issued by Bureau of the Commerce (Photocopy).
(4) Approval document for commercial performance issued by the Chinese Government Authorities for Cultural Affairs (original and photocopy) (more than 90 days)
(5) Letter of invitation to Foreigners for Offshore Petroleum Operations in China issued by China National offshore Oil Corporation (Original).

We kindly remind you that:
Holders of Z Visa shall, within 30 days from the date of their entry, apply to the exit/entry administrations of public security organs under local people’s governments at or above the county level in the proposed places of residence for foreigners’ residence permits.

3. Special notes

(1) Unless the original version is required in particular, the invitation letter may be in the form of fax, photocopy or computer printout.
(2) If necessary, the consular officer may require the applicant to provide other proof documents or supplementary materials, or require an interview with the applicant.
(3) The consular officer will decide on whether or not to issue the visa and on its validity, duration of stay and number of entries in light of specific conditions of the applicant.

 

 

The certified translations are for your work to apply to the Chinese Employment Bureau or whatever the government entity's name is for the 聘用意向书, so that they can send you that letter to take to the embassy to apply for your Z visa. My work translated my CV for me and sent me a certified copy to sign and attest myself. Double check with your work what is necessary for the letter, as it looks like the translated copies are for them, and indirectly, for your visa.

[YY]

Thanks Yueni for the explanation. The HR is actually assisting me. but i am not too sure how helpful it is cause a lot of thing i had to do it myself in the end because of her incapability. 

 

So the last message from her is that I can do the translation on my own, but just that the translated COC needs to be certified by Singapore Embassy of China which i am like question mark because Singapore embassy of china and visa center do not authenticate translated document. 

[roddy]

It may be worth consulting, or suggesting your HR person consults, an agency which deals with a higher volume of applications. I can't recommend any, but I'm sure there are plenty in Shanghai. Or actually, in Singapore - this one doesn't specify work visas, but maybe worth a call.

[leeovisa]

You can have your Degree certificate authenticated by Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Chinese embassy in Singapore. 

It only proves that the seal and the signature are true. They are NOT responsible for whether the content is true or not.

 

With the authenticated document, you can have it translated into Chinese. Because the Shanghai Labor Bureau needs to understand the content. 

[YY]

Thanks for all the reply.  What if my company just submit everything without the translation? Will China reject the application? 

[Flickserve]

1 hour ago, YY said:

Thanks for all the reply.  What if my company just submit everything without the translation? Will China reject the application? 

 

Maybe. Just put the responsibility on to your HR. She must have done it before for someone else. 

[yueni]

@Flickserve In my personal experience, while you can try and do this, Chinese HR isn't particularly competent. If it's for a larger company (Tencent, Alibaba, etc.) or a multinational, then they might be more reliable. But for smaller companies, that might not always be the case. The HR in my company was (and continues to be) incredibly incompetent in those respects, and I took on the onus of making sure we were on track for my visa in the beginning.

 

The foreigners in my company gang up together and we help each other out when we have to deal with visa renewals etc, and run into issues due to HR.

[Flickserve]

I had assumed it was a Singaporean company, not a Chinese company.

[YY]

Apparently my HR replied. these was indeed a change of policy in visa application in shanghai. (not too sure if this is really true, but if money can settle a problem, it is not a big problem after all.)

 

So after my company submitted all the COC and certificated that had gone through Singapore Law Academy, MFA and China Visa Center in Singapore authentication.... my COC got accepted but not my education cert. 

 

Apparently i did my degree in a private uni in singapore, so getting Singapore Law Academy and China Visa Center authentication isn't enough, you still need to get authentication from china from this website http://www.cscse.edu.cn/publish/portal0/tab38/info14966.htm

 

Hopefully this time round everything will go through smoothly~~

[roddy]

Thanks for keeping us up to date!