A Hard Rain's Gonna Fall... (THE VISA NIGHTMARE!)

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Re: A Hard Rain's Gonna Fall... (THE VISA NIGHTMARE!)
« Reply #450 on: April 01, 2009, 08:09:58 PM »
In the next 2 weeks I plan to go consult a lawyer on these types of questions.  It occurs to me I could be making more money by working way less if not for that documents I need.  Conventional wisdom holds it that you need a type-Z to be safe here, but I wonder.

I'll get back to y'all...
And there is no liar like the indignant man... -Nietszche

Nothing is so fatiguing as the eternal hanging on of an uncompleted task. -William James

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Raoul F. Duke

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Re: A Hard Rain's Gonna Fall... (THE VISA NIGHTMARE!)
« Reply #451 on: April 01, 2009, 09:36:30 PM »
I hope a lawyer is the right person to consult. The reality seems to be that much comes down to simply the mood of a PSB bureaucrat at the time you encounter them, as much as it does the actual laws. My fear is that a lawyer may be happy to charge you some healthy fees to tell you things that will have little meaning at a police station.

I think we'd all like to be free of the Residence Permit leash, but the powers that be have gone to great lengths to make it nigh impossible for us to do that. Keeping the resident foreigner population firmly under control is a very high priority for these folks, and if you've met a few resident foreigners in China you kinda have to concede that there is some justification for this. aoaoaoaoao

But if anyone finds that loophole, by all means please spread the word...
"Vicodin and dumplings...it's a great combination!" (Anthony Bourdain, in Harbin)

"Here in China we aren't just teaching...
we're building the corrupt, incompetent, baijiu-swilling buttheads of tomorrow!" (Raoul F. Duke)

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icebear

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Re: A Hard Rain's Gonna Fall... (THE VISA NIGHTMARE!)
« Reply #452 on: April 05, 2009, 12:57:06 PM »
FYI the same day I posted my questions above on converting/extending to a 6 or 12 month F in Beijing (which used to be very easy/reliable/'cheap' before the Olympics) I also sent out a rash of emails to the usual visa agents/consultants in Beijing, including a few I or friends have used successfully both before and after the Olympics. There seems to be a fairly tight consensus among them all on what is and isn't currently possible - I've summarized below.

Z/Residence Permit to F conversion - not possible in country. In one case I was forwarded to one agent in Guangzhou, who said he could do it for 7000 RMB, but I assume he just crosses into HK with it and applies like normal, so not worthwhile at all since you could have a nice HK trip for that price and get the visa!

L to F conversion - possible, only for a 6 month F, average cost around 5000 RMB

F to F extension - possible in either 6 or 12 months, multiple entry, cost ranges from about 2000-4000 RMB. All agents stated that it would be cheapest and most reliable for me to either fly in through HK and get a new F there or get a new one abroad before entering (but apparently in HK 1-2 month Fs are as easy as ever?). I assume that F-extensions are the easiest from their perspective of greasing the wheels, which you could argue either validates or arouses suspicion about their claims.

Just FYI, can't claim its tried and true, but as I said this is from a wide sample of agents in Beijing, some of which I know to be legit (as far as that word goes in this indurtry, at least!).

FINALLY - what none of them answered - when applying for a new visa (F, for example) while I still have a valid Residence Permit do I need a release letter from my last employer or not? I did not need one when I did the same in the summer of 2007 in HK (although I had it on hand, just in case), but there seems to be a lot of hearsay out there on this point. I guess the safe bet is just asking my old employer to forward me a release letter I can carry with me when I apply...

EDIT: Hope this post conforms to the forum/post rules, if not I'll post my actual results when I go through with whatever plan I settle on come May/June.

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Raoul F. Duke

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Re: A Hard Rain's Gonna Fall... (THE VISA NIGHTMARE!)
« Reply #453 on: April 05, 2009, 11:31:40 PM »
Good info, Icebear...thanks. bjbjbjbjbj

I'd only add, for those newer to all this...

An L visa is a tourist visa. You can't work legally on it, and technically only allows one to stay in hotels, or sometimes with family.

An F visa is a business visa. In most cases it allows one to work for a foreign company and draw a foreign paycheck, although it's sometimes applied to other people coming to China to work on a short-term basis: speakers, consultants, visiting faculty, and so on. It technically allows one to reside only in hotels or in approved company-provided housing.

A Z visa is a work visa. It's really only a gateway to a Work Permit and Residence Permit; these are what give you the right to work for a Chinese organization, get paid in RMB, and live in a private apartment.
"Vicodin and dumplings...it's a great combination!" (Anthony Bourdain, in Harbin)

"Here in China we aren't just teaching...
we're building the corrupt, incompetent, baijiu-swilling buttheads of tomorrow!" (Raoul F. Duke)

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icebear

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Re: A Hard Rain's Gonna Fall... (THE VISA NIGHTMARE!)
« Reply #454 on: April 06, 2009, 03:41:55 AM »
Final point from the correspondence with the visa agents in Beijing - several mentioned that in the run up to this October (China's 60th  cecececece) they assume visa extensions, coversions, and even legitimate applications abroad will become increasingly more difficult as in the several months before the Olympics. So, anyone that is approaching limbo (a visa expiring in September, for example) might want to look into that 1 year extension sooner rather than later... had a few friends get burned on this when their visas expired during July 2008.

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Nolefan

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Re: A Hard Rain's Gonna Fall... (THE VISA NIGHTMARE!)
« Reply #455 on: April 07, 2009, 10:14:05 PM »

things are actually settling back in Beijing. here is the latest info from a trustworthy agent (remember amounts might vary according to nationality):

Quote
Cost for switch from L to F visa:
L to F, 6 months----4,000RMB.

Cost for F visa extension:
F extension for 12 months--1,200RMB
F extension for 6 months--800RMB
F extension for 3 months--650RMB

Time needed: 7 days

Anyone who needs the services above,plz contact me on:
Mobile: 150 010 28493
Office:5815 6222-116
Email/MSN: jinnanwang2008@hotmail.com

Echo Wang
alors régressons fatalement, eternellement. Des débutants, avec la peur comme exutoire à l'ignorance et Alzheimer en prof d'histoire de nos enfances!
- Random food, music and geek tales from the Catania, Sicily: http://ctvibe.com

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Raoul F. Duke

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Re: A Hard Rain's Gonna Fall... (THE VISA NIGHTMARE!)
« Reply #456 on: April 07, 2009, 10:19:07 PM »
Incroyable! aqaqaqaqaq

Don't suppose they can do Residence Permits, can they?
"Vicodin and dumplings...it's a great combination!" (Anthony Bourdain, in Harbin)

"Here in China we aren't just teaching...
we're building the corrupt, incompetent, baijiu-swilling buttheads of tomorrow!" (Raoul F. Duke)

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Nolefan

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Re: A Hard Rain's Gonna Fall... (THE VISA NIGHTMARE!)
« Reply #457 on: April 07, 2009, 10:22:19 PM »

those are trickier but they're also back on the market. cost close to 10K

alors régressons fatalement, eternellement. Des débutants, avec la peur comme exutoire à l'ignorance et Alzheimer en prof d'histoire de nos enfances!
- Random food, music and geek tales from the Catania, Sicily: http://ctvibe.com

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DaDan

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Re: A Hard Rain's Gonna Fall... (THE VISA NIGHTMARE!)
« Reply #458 on: April 07, 2009, 10:46:44 PM »
 
bfbfbfbfbf  bfbfbfbfbf bjbjbjbjbj  agagagagag  bjbjbjbjbj  bfbfbfbfbf  bfbfbfbfbf
me pappy sayd... 
Once ya get past the smell... ...:P ... `You got it licked...

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Nolefan

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Re: A Hard Rain's Gonna Fall... (THE VISA NIGHTMARE!)
« Reply #459 on: April 14, 2009, 06:18:49 PM »
latest updates on prices:

Quote
Cost for switch from L to F,half an year---3,900RMB

Cost for F extension:
F to F, one year--1,200RMB
F to F, 6 months--800RMB
F to F, 3 months--650RMB

Cost for Switch from L to F,half an year---3,900RMB

Government fee depends on what entry you need and what nationality you are.

Above is not only for foreigners in beijing, but for foreigners all over china.

Anyone who need the service above, feel free to contact me on:
Mobile: 150 010 28493
Office: (010) 5815 6222-116(extension number)
Email/MSN: jinnanwang2008@hotmail.com
Add: Room 707-708, CYTS PLAZA, No.5 Dongzhimen South Avenue,Dongcheng District, Beijing

Echo Wang

alors régressons fatalement, eternellement. Des débutants, avec la peur comme exutoire à l'ignorance et Alzheimer en prof d'histoire de nos enfances!
- Random food, music and geek tales from the Catania, Sicily: http://ctvibe.com

Re: A Hard Rain's Gonna Fall... (THE VISA NIGHTMARE!)
« Reply #460 on: April 14, 2009, 06:25:47 PM »
What nationality is this for?

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DaDan

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Re: A Hard Rain's Gonna Fall... (THE VISA NIGHTMARE!)
« Reply #461 on: April 14, 2009, 06:42:35 PM »
I'll guess the answers to that are here;

Anyone who need the service above, feel free to contact me on:
Mobile: 150 010 28493
Office: (010) 5815 6222-116(extension number)
Email/MSN: jinnanwang2008@hotmail.com
Add: Room 707-708, CYTS PLAZA, No.5 Dongzhimen South Avenue,Dongcheng District, Beijing

Echo Wang
______________________* * * ________________________

me pappy sayd... 
Once ya get past the smell... ...:P ... `You got it licked...

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AMonk

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Re: A Hard Rain's Gonna Fall... (THE VISA NIGHTMARE!)
« Reply #462 on: April 14, 2009, 07:58:19 PM »
What nationality is this for?



Government fee depends on what entry you need and what nationality you are.

Above is not only for foreigners in beijing, but for foreigners all over china.




These would be the base rates, but subject to adjustment by The Authorities (based on what passport you hold).
Moderation....in most things...

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Mr Nobody

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Re: A Hard Rain's Gonna Fall... (THE VISA NIGHTMARE!)
« Reply #463 on: April 14, 2009, 10:16:23 PM »
I personally actually paid 800CNY for a one year F.

That was in Feb. I  have  a receipt.

Paid 400 for 11 month one for my daughter.
Just another roadkill on the information superhighway.

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Nolefan

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Re: A Hard Rain's Gonna Fall... (THE VISA NIGHTMARE!)
« Reply #464 on: April 15, 2009, 12:07:32 AM »

further updates just landed in my mailbox:

Quote
Subject: URGENT NOTICE FOR CHINA VISA FROM CHINESE GOVERNMENT!!!!!

Dear my friends,

We just got a urgent notice from PSB that all visa applied after 8:30am of tomorrow-15th of April will be only allowed to be valid till 30th of September,coz the 60 anniversity of China is on 1sth of Oct.

That means although your visa is extended for 6 months,it will be only valid till 30th of September,so you have to leave China on that day or before that, nobody knows when it will go back to normal after the national day celebration.

Cost for F extension:
F to F,one year---1200RMB
F to F,6 month---800RMB
F to F,3 month---650RMB

Cost for switch from L to F:
L to F,6 months---2800RMB

If you or your friends need handle visa recently,hurry up!!!

not sure if this is Beijing only but this lady has been reliable so far.

alors régressons fatalement, eternellement. Des débutants, avec la peur comme exutoire à l'ignorance et Alzheimer en prof d'histoire de nos enfances!
- Random food, music and geek tales from the Catania, Sicily: http://ctvibe.com