Release Letter - Is This Normal?

So, I have decided to move to a new school. The owner of my current one is not happy to say the least but this new one has better pay and benefits. Plus, I get to go farther south where it's not as cold as last year's winter.

Anyway, I was told that my release letter would be sent withing 5 days of my departure. I leave June 25th and my visa expires July 31. I had requested for them to just hand me the copies and I would hand deliver them to my new school. No dice on this. I think I have enough time to get these documents, though.

My question is simple. Is this the usual practice? Perhaps nothing is usual in China but I was curious if anyone might have had similar experiences.

I am a little gun shy since I had soooooo much problems geeting the letter from my employer last year  .

You should have it in your hot little hands before you depart.

My last school waited until the 11th hour.

They will also need to cancel your FEC and you will need that documentation from the PSB along with their chop.

Be sure to ask your new school about which forms and chops you need.

Do you have a trusted Chinese friend to help you navigate the red tape?

No that is not normal. And if it happens as you have described you are going to have problems at the other end.  I am assuming by your mention of being further south that you are moving to a new province.  The only time I have done this I was lucky enough to be changing schools in the same province but even then with full cooperation from both the universities involved the minimum time frame for the whole process of getting a new FEC for the new school and then getting the residency permit is up to a couple of weeks. One office needs to issue the new FEC before you can get the new Residency permit. Your new school can begin the process of applying for the new FEC before you move to the school (that is not uncommon) but I think they are going to need the letter of Release before they can do this. So even you taking it with you when you move is possibly going to be too late.  What you need to find out first is what the process is for the Province that you are moving to and what the new school needs you to give them  and when they need it, so that they will be in the position to at least submit your passport for the new Residency permit on the day the old one expires at the latest.  They will know or be able to find out what you need... Then you will need to gently negotiate with / pressure your current school to give you what you need, when you need it.

I have notified my new employer what has happened along with my flight information. They may be able to push the knife in a little deeper. My only leverage seems to be to threaten to walk and that will probably not be too effective. Besides, I would be out my 10,000 RMB end of year money.   

Plus, I would not have my letter. I have talked with other expats and have found the same story that I am getting here. Get the letter before you leave. Some have told me that their old employer have even faxed a copy to the new employer and, then, provided an official one to the employer when they left. 

My last school gave me the letter and I personally had to take it to my line manager, who was a foreigner, to fill in the 'job performance' box which apparantly can be done in English.  Anyway, they also scanned it for me so I could email it ahead of the hard copy, so yeah, a little fishy.

On the other hand, we all know how most things are often done at the last possible minute here with no malice intended, so....

OK, my latest update................

The school came out with an "official" policy on this that included the item about mailing the release letter to my new school.

I also received a reply from my new school. I had told them what was going on. The new FAO (who is Chinese) thinks this is fishy also  . She asked me if I would like her to call my FAO about this?     Hell, yes I do! Perhaps she can get through where mere laowais fear to tread  .

I'll let you all know if anything new happens.

She asked me if I would like her to call my FAO about this? 

She asked!? 

OK, my new employer talked with this crazy school. My crazy FAO said that they never give the letter of release directly to the FT. Instead, they mail it directly to the new school where the FT plans to work.

Any ideas on how to proceed? 

I thought I would give this one more shot before dropping the matter.

My old school wrote this "policy" that I believe was in direct retaliation to me leaving. Anyhow, this included the mailing of the release letter to my new school. I rewrote it and mailed it to them to consider. Of course, this was rejected by the owner.

I have a little over 60 days until I am gone. Hopefully, I haven't made things worse. I do hate to be in the same boat as last year waiting for them to mail a document that takes 15 minutes to produce.