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Post by alexis on Jul 7, 2004 5:03:07 GMT 7
The boland school tells me that a one way ticket to china is no problem and that we will not have any problems with the authorities? Is this true? Also, they told me to get an L visa and that my new employer would handle getting it converted. Is this true? Thanks, Alexis
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Post by burlives on Jul 7, 2004 9:50:02 GMT 7
The boland school tells me that a one way ticket to china is no problem and that we will not have any problems with the authorities? Is this true? Also, they told me to get an L visa and that my new employer would handle getting it converted. Is this true? Thanks, Alexis On my most recent journey back to here from the home country I came on a one-way ticket through Shanghai. (Among other things, it's a little more convenient when your initial China destination may not be your final China departure point and you have one of those tickets that is cheaper for allowing date but not location alterations.) How I'm getting home is anyone's guess but no-one even murmured as I passed through various home and China Customs. I have once arrived on an L and had it converted. All other times I had appropriate Z visas. To have a Z, you need an employer -- they send you documents which you use to get your own visa. I guess if your future employer is not yet fixed, then you pretty much have to have some other kind of visa, right? |
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Post by Raoul Duke on Jul 7, 2004 11:55:33 GMT 7
Alexis, coming in on a one-way is typical and no problem. There's a story around that China requires proof of exit transportation but this appears to be either a myth or out-of-date.
Having the Z upon entry is better, but coming in on an L and then upgrading is common. Ask your employer if you'll have to travel to Hong Kong in order to convert the visas....if so, find out what they pay for and when. Staying in Hong Kong can be VERY expensive.
Definitely DO get the Z visa. It's required to get a residence permit ("green card"). Without the green card (at least in progress) YOU ARE AN ILLEGAL MIGRANT WORKER IN AN AUTHORITARIAN COUNTRY. Don't go there. Any employer who tells you something different is LYING to you in order to save money.
If you have Z visas and residence permits, your children up to 18 will be eligible for them too. Bear in mind that your employer will pay for visas for EMPLOYEES. That means they'll cover yours, and your husband's if he's working there too, but it's extremely unlikely they'll pay for the kids'. You will have to cover these costs, which also includes a mandatory health check at the local designated inspection center. These costs are high...your employer should be able to tell you the current cost in your specific city.
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Post by slim on Jul 7, 2004 13:01:19 GMT 7
Definitely DO get the Z visa. It's required to get a residence permit ("green card"). Without the green card (at least in progress) YOU ARE AN ILLEGAL MIGRANT WORKER IN AN AUTHORITARIAN COUNTRY. Don't go there. Any employer who tells you something different is LYING to you in order to save money. What's the worst they can do then? In three years I've yet to meet or hear of anyone that has been in some kind of visa trouble, and if they were it was easily fixed. Is there a link with all the official facts about Chinese visas and penalties? Just the other day I met the PSB, I have a Z visa but nothing else, and they didn't seem to give a flying m'kay. I'm beginning to wonder that the PSB don't give a damn about visas and stuff, they're just there to make sure that foreigners don't walk around the country wearing M'kay China t-shirts. |
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Post by Raoul Duke on Jul 7, 2004 13:29:00 GMT 7
99.9% of the time you're absolutely right. But if you really piss someone off and they decide to throw the book at you, they have the means to do so here. If you're illegal you have no recourse or defense whatsoever. Being illegal leads to heavy fines, possible imprisonment, deportation, being barred from returning to China. Plus of course the forcible sodomy.  |
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