Foundation School - Release Letter

I do sympathise with you but remember that you do have the option of applying for a new z visa once you are back in your home country for vacation as long as you can take the paperwork you need with you - and the only paperwork that you need is paperwork that you can get from your new employer. Because you are already leaving the country you don't "need" the release letter. The way that you were going to do it and to transfer from one employer to another is one option that you had but it is not your only option and with the hassle and stress it is creating for you in your position I would actually be inclined to give up on it as a viable option and simply get your new employer to give you the paperwork to apply for the new Z visa from the country you are going to be visiting (I think from what you have said your home country but if it was another country then as long as the paperwork named that as the country then you would have been ok).

I have decided that the true measure of a good school comes when you leave. My current school gave me the paperwork I needed to transfer the FEC and then RP 3 days after I told them I was leaving - which was around 6 weeks before the end of my contract.

That is a good point teacheraus.

Unfortunately, I would need to be gone for three months to come back on a z visa. This is how I understand the process. Correct me if I have misstated something.

Either way, I still have three weeks to get this done. So, my first option is to do this. I look at this as the path to the least resistance. If all else fails, then I will consider your option.

Thanks for the info. This has indeed been an eye opener for me! 

Ok, just a little update. My new school had a problem with the form that my old employer had filled out. Here is what they had told them:

Please according to what Dalian State Administration of Foreign Experts Affairs required, change the school name into your school above the contacted person. Please seal on it , if you leader is back. Thank you for your understanding and cooperation. I really appreciate.

Then, I got the following reply to my inquiries as to why this was taking so long:

Sorry to keep you waiting for my reply.
I prepared your release letter ready long time ago, but your new school said that it's not good enough for their Foreign Affairs Bureau there, I cannot use the paper with the title of our college's name on it, and  I also need to use the standard release form which they gave me this week.
But the problem is that our president Charlie won't be at college for two weeks, he's on the business trip at this moment, it also means that I can't get the stamp on your release letter.
 

I just plan on waiting this out. Worse case scenario is that I go back home. I seriously doubt that this will happen, though.

This is China............

I do sympathise with you but remember that you do have the option of applying for a new z visa once you are back in your home country for vacation as long as you can take the paperwork you need with you - and the only paperwork that you need is paperwork that you can get from your new employer.

Making things muckier than ever, my new employer has informed me that even though I am leaving China and applying for the Z from abroad, I still have to provide a release letter from my last SAFEA employer. Yup, it's been 3 years, there have been staff changes at that college and almost no one there remembers me, but I had to go to them and find someone who spoke English who could help me get a standard release letter. And, as Mac Attack relates, the old letter on college letterhead that I got 3 years ago is no longer valid, it has to be the new standard form.  What would I do if I had been away from Dalian for 5 or more years? This release letter business has not been thought through very well.

OK, I finally got my release letter!

I called them the other day after three months of wrangling and gave them a drop dead date of this Friday (Sept. 2nd). The person that I talked with told me that they would try to get this done but I told her that trying was not good enough. She needed to get this done ASAP.

Then, I followed it up with the following e-mail:

As mentioned in my phone call today, please send the release letter immediately to my new school. E-mail the details to me when this has been done. If my new employer does not receive this by Friday (Sept 2nd), I will file a formal complaint with the authorities.

Also, since I can not start my new job until this letter has been received, I am still technically under contract with your organization. Because of this, I fully expect to continue to receive my monthly salary until this letter has been received.

I got a text from the girl within 5 hours of sending this message saying that it was being sent via EMS with the tracking number. I consider myself to be a very patient guy but, sometimes, you need to take a harder stand.

Also, I talked with my new school. They had receive a copy of the release letter and it was perfect. This is one less thing to worry about, for sure. 

 

OK, I finally got my release letter!

I called them the other day after three months of wrangling and gave them a drop dead date of this Friday (Sept. 2nd). The person that I talked with told me that they would try to get this done but I told her that trying was not good enough. She needed to get this done ASAP.

Then, I followed it up with the following e-mail:

Quote

As mentioned in my phone call today, please send the release letter immediately to my new school. E-mail the details to me when this has been done. If my new employer does not receive this by Friday (Sept 2nd), I will file a formal complaint with the authorities.

Also, since I can not start my new job until this letter has been received, I am still technically under contract with your organization. Because of this, I fully expect to continue to receive my monthly salary until this letter has been received.

I got a text from the girl within 5 hours of sending this message saying that it was being sent via EMS with the tracking number. I consider myself to be a very patient guy but, sometimes, you need to take a harder stand.

Also, I talked with my new school. They had receive a copy of the release letter and it was perfect. This is one less thing to worry about, for sure. 

It's amazing how quickly a Chinese company can get things done when it means doing nothing results in more money coming out of their pocket.

Indeed.
Well done, Mac Attack!
Sometimes with these schools you really have to stand up for yourself and fight until you get what you are entitled to. Your approach to this was spot on...absolutely brilliant.