Z visa - got work permit but not residency

[JACKIE2019]

Hello! 

We came from the UK two months ago with an invitation letter for Z visa as a family (husband, wife and three kids) .. My husband is an English teacher, he got the work permit the first week we arrived but it's been 8 weeks since we applied for the residency and it's not ready, the immigration office Said they will call when ready, I have a feeling it will be refused, if that happen.. What's our options? Do we need to go to HK and apply again for a different city (we are currently in GZ) ? Or we can apply same city but different school.? 

 

Are the success rates in applying via HK high or low? 

 

Thanks 

[roddy]

Why do you think it'll be refused? I'd just assume it's a slow office. What does your employer say?

[ChTTay]

If you got the Z visa in your home country then came over here on it then it seems highly unlikely they’d reject you now. They’ve already let you in! 

 

If they did you’d just have to go back to your home country in all likelihood. 

 

8 weeks might seem like a lot but it’s not that outrageous here, especially if you’re waiting on everyone’s passports. I assume they won’t call you but they will call your husbands employer. For all you know the employer said they’d applied for the residence permit then actually did it a week later. 

 

One time I was trapped in HK for 10 days because the visa office decided to send all those who could issue the paper work I needed on training. I heard it was just a show of power to all the schools (it was that time of year) but who knows. 

 

Key thing is they already looked at all your stuff before they even gave you the Z visa. No reason they’d give that then just decide to deny you when you’re in country ... unless there is something you haven’t mentioned 

[889]

"I have a feeling it will be refused, if that happen.. What's our options? . . . Or we can apply same city but different school?"

 

I'm going to make a wild guess and read between the lines: now that they're there they sense there's something dodgy about that school and are worried.

[JACKIE2019]

The school says the PSB just said not ready and we will call once ready.. 

 

I went myself to PSB and got the same answer. We can't book our August tickets for the holidays until w have our passport back. 

 

Let's hope we get them back after the Chinese holidays.

 

If we are denied, can we go to HK and apply for a different school or we need to go back to the UK?

 

[889]

As said, unless there's something dodgy about the school (or you!), they aren't going to be denied.

 

[roddy]

And IF you are, what happens next will depend on the reason. 

 

Are there other teachers at the school? Have they had the same delays? Has the school employed foreigners before?

[ChTTay]

3 hours ago, JACKIE2019 said:

f we are denied, can we go to HK and apply for a different school or we need to go back to the UK?

Did you see my answer ?  You’d 90% have to go to the U.K. However, if you got denied then maybe it wouldn’t be worth trying again as there must be some big issue. Big enough that you’d get a Z visa then all of a sudden not get a RP. 

 

As I and others have said, you’re already in. China can be slow sometimes. 

[889]

"And IF you are, what happens next will depend on the reason."

 

But if they do reject your papers, they're not going to tell you why. You'll have to guess.

[ChTTay]

6 hours ago, 889 said:

But if they do reject your papers, they're not going to tell you why. You'll have to guess.

That’s more the case for a Z visa right? Usually if you get one, you end of with a RP. Don’t they do most of the key checks for the visa anyway? 

 

I’ve had schools I’ve worked for tell teachers why they haven’t succeeded transferring a visa (like L to z). I guess it might depends on who you know ... 

[889]

Of course I'm talking about the general way the Chinese bureaucracy deals with you when they say "No." Can't speak specifically of those not getting a RP after getting a work permit: it's too rare.

 

And while the OP might hear through the grapevine what the problem was -- if the family's still around in China -- her contacts at the school are unlikely to tell her if the school was judged dodgy in some respect.

[JACKIE2019]

The school is not saying much to us, all they say immigration officer will call us when ready, I've started to suspect the Chinese authority are not happy with the school hence they are giving us hard time getting the residency. We will have to wait and see , I'll keep you all updated.

[roddy]

How's the school generally? Is it a place you WANT work, now you've been there a while, or would you be happier trying somewhere new? 

[JACKIE2019]

Hi Roddy! I think my husband would like to look for another place to be honest, it's an Ok school... He has his work permit but it's linked to this school. We are giving it 3 more weeks and if no residency is issued, we will apply for another school. We will just need to get our passports back, go to the UK or HK and look for another job in a different city.

[Baby Charlie]

Its not that easy as your spouse will be breaking a contract and his employer will need to cancel all of his government stuff. Many employers can be vengeful when teachers do this and will not life a finger to help that employee transition into a new job.  Also, to get  new job he will need a letter of release and a reference letter, which once again, may not be so easy to obtain. Is there anything specific that is becoming problematic at this job? Just quitting and going to HK or back home, it time consuming and expensive! Just something to consider!

[DavyJonesLocker]

On 4/30/2019 at 10:20 PM, ChTTay said:

For all you know the employer said they’d applied for the residence permit then actually did it a week later. 

 

I would say this is the most likely reason,no need to jump to conclusions just yet. Remember it's China. The process usually is ....

Employer gives the task to some junior who send it in. The relevant government bureau returns it saying  you filled out section C wrong. Employer corrects it and returns . Bureau then says section A is incorrect. 

 

Any normal person would think "well why didn't you just tell me that initially"

 

My partner went to renew her ID card and hukou  when we moved house , local police said we needed 3 copies of something or other , they won't provide a copying service . Looked for a place to print it out , found one a mile away. Returned to which the same officer said " this section incorrect".

 As a result , raised voices , squabbling , angry faces..... I sat their browsing the web on my phone haha.

 

In all the years I have been here the lack of efficiency is still baffling to me. 

 

[JACKIE2019]

@Baby Charlie is the release letter required even if residecy is not issued? What happen if they refuse to give this letter? Can he get another job in china or there is so way without this release letter. 

 

We will consider changing jobs if residency is not ready by mid July which is the time for our summer holiday (it would have been 4 months by then if the residency is not out )

 

@DavyJonesLocker

They applied the same day they said they will which was mid March because we went with them to the immigration office.

[DavyJonesLocker]

1 hour ago, JACKIE2019 said:

 

 

@DavyJonesLocker

They applied the same day they said they will which was mid March because we went with them to the immigration office.

 

Yes but you wouldn't know if an unforseen delay was happening during that time. My work visa took months on end because of all the messing around. 

All I'm suggesting is that it's China so a lot of potential variability needs to be factored in.

If there was a big problem with the school I'd hazard a guess that you would have a rejection pretty much straight away. 

[JACKIE2019]

Update - after 12 weeks witing we got our residency but only for three months!!!! I have no.idea why and my husband's employer is not giving any answers except that we will extend the residency before it expires till the end of his contract... My clues what's going on? 

The employer said they applied for a whole year but the PSB decided to give it only for three months. 

 

 

[roddy]

Thanks for the update!

 

My assumption would be the PSB isn't happy with the school for some reason. Could be completely unrelated to you, you're just an unwitting bystander. Make friends with some well-informed folk in the administration and you'll get the gossip sooner or later. 

 

It MAY be worth a trip to the PSB yourself. Act like you assume there's a problem with you and that you want to sort it out, they might let the real reason slip. More likely to be a long afternoon with little reward though.