Z visa expired

[Khaoula]

Hello,

 

I am from Morocco and was working in China on a Z visa which my company could renew in my second year working with them. At the end of the second year, I decided not to renew the contract with the same school (discriminatory treatment). However, my visa was not canceled and I stayed until my visa and residence permit expired since the company refused to get me a release letter. I am back to my home country and signed a new contract with a different company in the same city. I started the application process from the beginning and I was wondering if I still have a chance to get my work permit approved and get a new Z visa even though I had one before which was expired and which I did not renew. I never overstayed my previous visas and my criminal background is clean (if that's how you say it. Thank you in advance for your responses ^_^

[anonymoose]

If the company can get you all the papers to apply for a visa, it shouldn't be a problem. But they might need to get a reference from your previous company.

[NinjaTurtle]

Khaoula,

 

Yes, you have to get a new visa, work permit, and criminal background check. You do not need a letter of release from your previous employer, such a letter is only used if you change jobs while still in China.

 

There is no penalty for getting a visa, going to China, leaving China before the visa expires, and then letting the visa expire after you leave China.

[Khaoula]

Thank you for your helpful responses. Is a stamped and signed reference letter from a previous employer here in Morocco would be valid? I can't get my previous employer in China to write me a reference letter. I however have a signed and stamped one from a previous employer here in Morocco. 

 

Also, what if my visa was in fact canceled but residence permit wasn't, would that be an obstacle for my next visa application? I am sure my visa wasn't canceled but I am asking just in case ^_^

 

One more question, how long would it take to get that work permit notification letter after the company uploads all of my documents? Thank you a lot in advance ^_^

[DavyJonesLocker]

5 hours ago, NinjaTurtle said:

Yes, you have to get a new visa, work permit, and criminal background check.

 

 

No not always , depends on category of Z visa they are applying for.

 

[NinjaTurtle]

51 minutes ago, DavyJonesLocker said:

No not always , depends on category of Z visa they are applying for.

 

Oh. Good to know. Thanks. Do you know which category is which?

[DavyJonesLocker]

8 minutes ago, NinjaTurtle said:

 

Oh. Good to know. Thanks. Do you know which category is which?

 

Well I'm category A , I didn't have to leave the country to transfer from student visa to work visa not need s police report. Documents were a lot less although trying to prove more than 10 years employment record was hard as Europe only need to keep 5 years and do many companies fail these days so my previous employers were gone. 

[Khaoula]

what if my visa was in fact canceled but residence permit wasn't, would that be an obstacle for my next visa application? I am sure my visa wasn't canceled but I am asking just in case ^_^ and how long would it take to get that work permit notification letter after the company uploads all of my documents? Thank you a lot in advance! 

[NinjaTurtle]

One time in China I quit my job and started working at another job. At that time, my previous employer asked me to return my certificate of residence (the little book). I returned it to my previous employer. I do not know what would have happened if I had not returned the certificate of residence.

[mungouk]

There is a common misunderstanding about the Z-Visa. 

Unlike many other countries, the purpose of the Z-visa is only to get you into the country.  After that you "convert" the Z-visa into a residence permit, which is a full-page sticker in your passport (which looks like a work visa from many other countries.)

 

The expiry date on your visa tells you how long you have to enter the country and convert it into a residence permit. 

The  expiry date of your residence permit is shown on the sticker in your passport.  This is what counts in terms of how long you can work in China.

What allows you to stay and work in China is the Residence Permit. Once you have this, your Z-visa ceases to exist. It's no longer relevant.

If I understand correctly, then this:

if you wanted to leave China when your work permit ended (or close to that), and then re-enter China later, then you would need to apply for another Z-visa for the next job. 

 

 

[Khaoula]

I am very aware the the Z visa only allows you to enter the country for 90 days, which you need to be converted into a residence permit. However, this wasn't the issue for me. I was asking if it would be possible to apply for a new z visa and have it approved even though I had one before which I couldn't renew. 

[mungouk]

OK @Khaoula thanks for your clarification.

 

Your question appears to be "I was wondering if I still have a chance to get my work permit approved and get a new Z visa even though I had one before which was expired and which I did not renew."

 

My very limited understanding is "Yes. Why would your new work permit/Z-visa, for a new job, not be approved?".

 

 

 

[Khaoula]

@mungouk exactly ? I wonder if there are any possible reasons your work permit would be denied if you have all the documents required and have a clean criminal record knowing you had worked before in China and left before your residence permit expired. I am asking to see if anyone knows any possible reasons as to why a work permit would be denied to avoid any mistakes that would affect my visa application ^_^