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Visas

All You Need to Know about Chinese Visas, Including the LATEST New Rules

In early 2007 the Chinese government brought out new laws concerning the conversion of tourist (F) visas and business (L) visas to working (Z) visas. As a result, you may hear different stories from different schools regarding the visa application process (some schools don’t even know the new laws themselves!)

So read on to hear the latest…

Before 2007

Most schools were using the following method to get working (Z) visas for their teachers:

The teacher applied for a tourist (F) visa or business (L) visa in his/her home country
The teacher flew to China
The teacher underwent a compulsory medical examination at the local hospital.
On receipt of the medical examination result from the hospital and the resume and all related documents from the teacher, the school converted the teacher’s tourist visa or business visa to a working (Z) visa WHILE THE TEACHER WAS STILL IN CHINA.

New Law

NB: Tourist (F) visas and business (L) visas CAN NO LONGER BE CONVERTED TO WORKING (Z) visas.? This means that if you have a tourist or business visa but want a working visa, YOU WILL HAVE TO LEAVE THE COUNTRY FIRST (most teachers take the train or fly to Hong Kong, Vietnam, or the USSR).

Therefore schools now have only two options when providing a working (Z) visa to their teachers:

Option A

1. The teacher applies for a tourist (F) or business (L) visa in his/her home country

  1. The teacher flies to China
  2. The teacher undergoes a compulsory medical examination at the local hospital
  3. The school simultaneously applies for a working (Z) visa for the teacher. For this the school needs:
  4. the medical examination result from the hospital
  5. the teacher’s resume, passport and passport photos
  6. the teacher’s graduation certificates (high school, college, university, TEFL/TESOL etc.)
  7. Once the working visa is ready the teacher travels to Hong Kong (or any other nearby country) where the Chinese consulate puts the working (Z) visa into the teacher’s passport.
  8. The teacher travels back to China and gives the passport to the school, which then applies for the teacher’s Alien Employment Permit (a little red passport-sized book).

Timeframes: Stages 1 to 5 must be completed within 3 months of the teacher arriving in China (because tourist visas usually only last up to 3 months)
Stage 6 is usually completed within 1 month of the teacher returning to China.

Option B

  1. While still in his/her home country the teacher faxes the school a copy of his/her:
  2. Passport
  3. Resume (including address and phone number of family home)
  4. Graduation certificates (high school, college, university, TEFL/TESOL etc.)
  5. Once the working visa is ready the school sends the teacher (by post or courier) a document informing the local Chinese consulate to issue the teacher with a working (Z) visa.
  6. the teacher makes a trip to the Chinese consulate and gets the working (Z) visa stamped into his/her passport
  7. the teacher flies to China
  8. the teacher undergoes a medical examination at the local hospital
  9. on receipt of the medical examination result the school applies for the teacher’s Alien Employment Permit (a little red passport-sized book).

Timeframes: Stages 1 to 4 typically takes about 1 to 2 months. Stages 5 and 6 are usually completed within 1 month.
Schools tend to choose Option A over Option B when they need the teacher to begin teaching within a month or two of the teacher being offered a position (since Option B can take up to 2 months for the teacher to arrive in China).

Exceptions to the Rule
Not everyone teaching in China is on a working (Z) visa.
Tourist (F) Visas:
Some teachers are working on tourist visas. Since normal tourist visas only last up to 3 months (including visa extensions) this necessitates frequent trips to neighboring countries to get new tourist visas.
However, some teachers have been lucky enough to get 1-year tourist visas while still in their home country (apparently they cost US$100 and a determined attitude while explaining how one is planning to travel the entire country from north to south and east to west).
Business (L) Visas:
Some teachers are on business visas instead of working visas.
Business visas can only be applied for if you are in possession of a letter from a Chinese company inviting you to come over on business.
Business visas come in all sizes (you get 3-,6-,and 12-month business visas).
Some teachers start out on 3-month business visas and then get them converted to working visas by their schools.
6-month business visas are suitable for those on short-term contracts, or for those on 1-year contracts who are happy to make one trip to a neighboring country when their first 6 months is up.
12-month business visas are obviously the most convenient (especially since they are usually multi-entry). However, you need to have an invitation from a pretty reputable Chinese company (or Western company with Chinese partners) to be able to apply for this visa.