Re: Visa at a Yunnan border?
Slabo, did you get you bike back? Or does this adventure involve an act of motorcycle liberation?
As for your visa question, you've left a lot to our imagination regarding your current status. If you are on a tourist or business visa, and need a new one, I don't think slipping across some sleepy southwestern border is a good idea. There is no such thing as an instant visa at the border, at least not that I know of. You need to go someplace like HK where expats go for new visas. If you are on a residence permit, why would you need to exit?
What gives? You've been in China for years. Why visa problems now?
cheers
Re: Visa at a Yunnan border?
You got me, I was planning to ride undetected to the border, and wait for cover of darkness. The I would inflate enough balloons to lift me and the bike across the border. I would use the throttle for steering in mid-air(I learned a few tricks from the dvds jape sent me.). Then I would ... enough with that..
When that fails, plan B is to ride to a border, get a visa, cross over and find a Chinese immigration office on the other side, then cross back into China same day if possible. I think only Vietnam doesn't issue visa's at the border, or maybe it needs 3 working days. Also no bikes can cross into Vietnam. But that's no problem, I can get a visa to Vietnam from the consulate here in Kunming, and the bike can stay somewhere on the Chinese side at some police station.
I have a Z (work permit) visa. Jeff, as I explained to you over beers in Kunmign, the company I'm no longer working for the company I worked for when I first came to China. I've chosen to stay in Kunming instead, and make my (read our) living here. The problem is this : to transfer from Z to any other visa, you must exit China first. I know about going to HK, but I thought if I could do the same while having fun:: road trip!!!
No instand visas? I asked down at the local PSB here in Kunming, I asked him where the closest Chinese consolates are. He doesn't know!!
Sorry I wasn't clear in my original post.
Re: Visa at a Yunnan border?
Hi slabo,
let me try to understand:
1. your Z-Visa (this anning company thing), which was transfered into a residence permit is due.
2. you want to apply a new Visa?
3. You are aware that you cant get a new Z-Visa/residence permit without all the work contract/permit...stuff?
4. You will to apply tourist or business visa
Chinese consultes are in the repective capitals and sometimes bigger cities. Details here:
http://www.chinese-embassy.info/asia/
To ride Laos seems the best option, otherwise Hanoi.
You will need to check more on what Visas available there. Some countries/agents can get
you Business (F) Visas for 1 year with 180days each stay. These ones are expensive and only
few agents can get you that stuff.
Normal multiple entry tourist visas usually are for 3 or 6 months with 30days each entry.
Re: Visa at a Yunnan border?
Oops, seems I still left out some details. Yes, my Z-visa expires soon. Can't and don't want to renew my contract, how to get a Z-visa without contract?? Yes, that what I definitely want to do. 3) i definately did not know about.
I thought maybe China offers visa on arrival(return in my case), at the border same as if going into Laos.
Re: Visa at a Yunnan border?
When I had to exchange my visa, I got it done in Singapore. You could probably also do it in Malaysia. Not sure about Laos, Cambodia and Thailand though.
C
Re: Visa at a Yunnan border?
Slabo,
It is far better for you to either 1) keep some kind of relationship with your existing company, so you can have a new Z visa/residence permit, or 2) find a new company or "company of convenience" that will give you a contract and sponsor you for the Z visa/residence permit. Otherwise, you are no different from the foreigners knocking around in China on tourist or business visas, always having to make visa runs and lacking any status in China. There is a third option, but you'll need to discuss that with Chen, if you catch my drift. In other words, there are provisions for foreign spouses to have renewable one-year visas; technically they are tourist visas and do not allow you to work, but they enable you to do things like drivers licenses, have children, get a mortgage, go into debt, lose your freedom, etc. A fourth option is to have your GF form a company, and hire you as an employee, thereby qualifying you for the Z/residence permit. Options three and four are probably interconnected.
Good luck!
Re: Visa at a Yunnan border?
Aren't there outrageous fees, forms and firey hoops to jump through in order to be a company that's authorized to sponsor a laowai?
CC
Re: Visa at a Yunnan border?
Dear CrazyKarl,
There are several routes with formation of a company. A Chinese company with no foreign participation is easy to set up, and generally requires registration of as little as 100k RMB in capital, sometimes even less in less developed areas with incentives. Setting up a Chinese company takes less than one month and a few thousand RMB in fees; it goes faster if you use an agent. I'm currently employed by such a company, and likely will switch in the coming year to a new one.
Starting a Sino-foreign JV is a whole nother ball game, with much higher registered capital requirements, much tougher regulatory hurdles and much stricter management by tax authorities, etc.
Another catch is that China, facing huge unemployment among its own young people, is erecting new barriers to the hiring of foreigners. Currently a recruit must demonstrate at least 2 years of relevant work experience, not just a relevant diploma, and be at least 25 years old. Someone like Slabo who has been gainfully employed by Chinese and/or foreign and/or JV firms here and meets the age requirement should have little problem.
Seems easiest right now would be to negotiate something with your previous employer to keep you "on the payroll", so to speak, while you make other arrangements. That's what I meant by "company of convenience."
cheers
Re: Visa at a Yunnan border?
Eventually, Chen and I will setup a company and I will be hired to sweep the floor or something, but that's sometime down the road. For now I just need to get by for a year. I'm still on good terms with my old company, but they can't help me out this time, they're having problems of their own.
Just waiting for andre to explain his #3 point. That's new to me. Otherwise, seems I'm heading for HK this time.
Re: Visa at a Yunnan border?
Dear Slabo,
Andre's point 3 is correct. Here's the sequence: Work Permit ==> Police Registration form of Temporary Residence ==> PSB Entry/Exit Administration for Z Visa/Residence Permit (which are the same thing). Everything starts with the work permit 就业证, which is issued by the labor bureau upon review of your employment contract and other documents.
Can you find another friendly company that will "hire" you for a year?
Re: Visa at a Yunnan border?
Quote:
Originally Posted by
slabo
Just waiting for andre to explain his #3 point. That's new to me. Otherwise, seems I'm heading for HK this time.
Hi Slabo,
in general you have 4 options:
1. continoue your work permit and the related residence permit (Z-visa)
--> you mention that does not work
1.a find another company to hire you, at least on paper. You need the process euphonius refers to:
--> Employment contract with company in China --> work permit --> residence permit and you are safe one year again
Maybe your parttime teacher employment can help with this?
2. Spouse Visa --> not yet
3. Business / Tourist Visa
3.a check the embassies in Vietnam/Laos what can they provide. Check travel agents in Hanoi/Vientaine what they can get there.
3.b check agents in HK/Singapore/... what they can do. Lots of resources on the internet. A while ago I heard good things about EMOO.net in Shanghai. Not sure whats actual status, as that changes like the weather.
I'm back in KMG on Sunday, lets have a chat then.
