How Do I Change an L Visa to a Z Visa Out of China?
Of the many visas available to foreign visitors to China, the L visa--the tourist visa--is certainly the most commonly issued. Another type of Chinese visa is the Z visa, which permits you to enter China to work for a single company. If you need a Z visa, it's important to note that, as of August, 2010, it is not possible to convert an L visa to a Z visa within mainland China. Secondly, understand that the Z visa is an entry visa only--you must convert it to a Residence Permit within 30 days of your arrival.
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Things You'll Need
- Valid Passport
- Chinese Visa Notification form
- Chinese Work Permit
- Chinese Foreign Experts certificate
- Passport-size photos
- Registration Form of Temporary Residence
Instructions
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Prepare your documents. Obtain the following from your employer: Visa Notification form, Chinese Work Permit and Chinese Foreign Experts certificate. Check your passport to make sure it has at least six months validity remaining and at least two consecutive, blank visa pages. Visit a photo studio and have two 2-inch-by-2-inch passport photos taken.
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Ask your employer to provide you with a return plane ticket home. As of August, 2010, you must leave mainland China in order to get a Z visa--and, officially, return to your home country and apply there. If your employer is legitimate, they will surely know this.
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Make an appointment with a Chinese Embassy in your home country--or contact a visa agency. Visa agencies allow you to complete the visa process via certified mail in the event you live far from a Chinese Embassy--they deliver and retrieve your documents for you.
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Gather documents required for a Residence Permit within 30 days. Register with your local Police Security Bureau within 24 hours of returning to China and obtain a pink Registration Form of Temporary Residence. Get a comprehensive medical exam. Obtain an Employment Certificate and your original Foreign Experts certificate--the Chinese Embassy returns this to your employer after it processes your visa--from your employer.
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Apply for your Residence Permit. Visit your city's Exit-Entry Bureau and submit your documents. Wait at least seven working days, at which point an official will contact your employer's immigration representative to inform her your passport is ready to pick up.
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Tips & Warnings
As of August, 2010, it is possible to convert your L visa to a Z visa using at least one agency in Hong Kong. Call the agency at +852-2890-9698 to see if they can help you and, if so, book a flight or train ticket to Hong Kong before your L visa expires.
Depending on your work situation, it might be feasible to convert your L visa to an F visa--a business visa--in the event you can't return to your home country. Consult your employer's immigration associate to see if it's legal for you to work using a F visa.
Do not trust anyone who informs you they can convert your visa within China. Although "guanxi" relationships hold significant power within the country, it's well-known that it simply isn't possible to obtain a Z visa within the mainland any longer. Giving one of these individuals your passport or documents can put you--and your future in China--in jeopardy.
Do not, under any circumstances, overstay your visa, whether your have an L visa or a Z visa you haven't converted to a Residence Permit within the allotted time. As of August, 2010, fines are fixed at RMB500 (about US$75) per day--and you could be detained for overstays exceeding 10 days.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit china image by Luisafer from Fotolia.com
