Deciding to take a teaching job in China immerses one in
a sea of bureaucratic issues, not the least of which
will be your visa status. Since it will constitute
your right to be in the country and to work legally,
it is often foremost on the minds of most people
choosing to make the move; the FAQest of them
all.
Unaccustomed as we many are to
securing, renewing, and expiring by document - you
have probably always been a citizen of your own
country - here are the details you'll need to get a
visa that will allow you to live in China and teach
English.
Z |
Work
Visa |
Ren Zi |
L |
Tourist
Visa |
Liu Xin |
D |
Resident
Visa |
Din Ju |
F |
Short-term Student
or Business Assignment Visa |
Fan Wen |
G |
Transit
Visa |
Gwo Jin |
X |
Long-term Student
Visa |
Liu Xue |
The Procedure
The Z Visa
Known commonly as the Work Visa for teaching in China. This
is what you will need to be safely working as a recognized
teacher in China. The requirements are first an invitation
from your school, a copy of your diploma, a locally obtained
health check for absence of HIV and drug use as well as
TB. Your school will process these forms. You will either
be delivered the Z Visa before arriving or you can arrive on
a Tourist Visa and then they'll give it to you when they
meet you. Its almost always good for an entire year. Getting
the Z Visa, that's STEP#1
The Z
Visa starts ticking from the day you have it in your hand and
are in China. But, its only step #1. STEP#2
is the Resident Permit.
The
Resident Permit is the true meat & potatoes of
teaching English in China. Known also as the Green Book it is
applied for after you've gotten the Z Visa. It too is good
for a year. The expiration date of the Resident Permit will
demarcates your annual period as a Foreign Teacher.
The Z
Visa serves just to get you into the country and working. It
is the expiration date of the Permit that defines when you
have to leave. You are allowed to stay beyond the Z Visa's
dates, but not past the Resident Permit's. It supercedes
your visa; this is somewhat contradictory, so some
explanation here.
Imagine
you arrived on January 15th with your Z Visa. Therefore, when
January 15th rolls around again, your visa's expired and its
time to go. But, your school didn't receive your Resident
Permit until March 15th. Despite your visa's having expired,
it's the date of the Resident Permit which the PSB will look
at. You'll still be legal. But, once that Z Visa does expire,
begin to carry your Resident Permit with you. This Green
Book, your Resident Permit, is transferable, should you
change schools. The Resident Permit and Z Visa also can be
issued in different forms, as a single-entry or a multiple
re-entry.
The Issues
The key issues regarding Z Visas
& Resident Permits for teaching English in China revolve
around an enduring debate: whether one can skip the delay of
securing an invitation and getting the the Z Visa applied for
first, OR if one should just arrive as a tourist with a
Tourist visa, then scout around and see what jobs are where
and which place you'd like to live before settling
down.
The
main merit of this landing-first method is manifest: it allows you
to check the merchandise & investigate your surroundings
before legally committing yourself to dwelling in and drawing
from one particular corner of China for the next year.
The
complications are more subtle. Remember, you're on a Tourist
Visa. Even if you find your ideal school quickly, you won't
have the right to start working until your Z Visa's
been processed. While they are processing that, you are on
the ground not working. And Tourist Visas are good for as few
as 30 to only 90 days. Its likely that your Tourist Visa
could expire before you get that Z Visa. If so, you'd have to
leave for Hong Kong or Macao, reapply for a new Tourist Visa
and return to continue your wait for your Z Visa. Even after
that, your school might not be allowed to flip the Tourist
Visa you have into your new Z Visa, which could send you to
HK again.
If you're
interested in surveying, travel first as travel. Then, make
your arrangements and pre-arrange the Z Visa. There is an
enduring and earnest segment of the teachers here who have
taken the other course. Its doable, but perilous. You'll be
pressured soothingly to start working on that Tourist
Visa. That's done, but its illegal. Such teachers would be at
the mercy of their employer, a situation not missed by those
who can utilize weakness.
Wouldn't
it be better to start off with everything clear? Then, you
could start asking for them to make it a choice multiple
re-entry Z. Arriving with the Z Visa in hand can do that for
you.
The Other Visas
The Z Visa & Resident Permit formula is the basic
recipie for teaching in China. What about the others?
How are these visas used in teaching in and living in
China? Let's look.
Z |
Working Visa |
Ren
Zi |
L |
Tourist Visa |
Liu
Xin |
D |
Resident
Visas: usually for foreigners not working in
China, often family of expats working in China |
Din
Ju |
F |
Short-term
Student or Business Assignment Visas: An
"F" Visa is issued for study stays of
less than (6) months. Staying in China longer than
6 months requires a notarized health certificate. |
Fan
Wen |
G |
Transit Visas:
For transit via the airport no Visa is required
provided continuing to a third country within (24)
hours with confirmed onward tickets and documents
for the next country of destination. Passports are
kept by the authorities during the transit stop
and hotel stays outside the airport are allowed. |
Gwo
Jin |
X |
Long-term
Student Visas are issued for a stays over (6)
months and must include the "Physical
Examination Record for Foreigner" form.
An original "JW202 or JW201" form issued
by the "Ministry of Education of China"
and a "Notice of Admission" from the
host University is required for both Visas. |
Liu
Xue |
|