Wednesday, 8 June 2011

Actually if you speak directly with the entry and exit bureau in Beijing they will tell you that in fact you can legally obtain a valid Z visa in China without leaving and if you call over to SAFEA they will confirm it too. Several areas of China are legally permitted to issue valid Z visas in China without leaving. There are variables as I said. With a green card though and after coming and going from China since 1988, I guess I still just don't know the score. I guess I am really without a clue because in 2009 I ran a corporate training firm legally and we had no trouble obtaining legal Z visas for our staff in our city and at that time, none of them were required to leave China. Just for kicks I called the HR manager over at a friend's firm in the CBD and none of their staff had to leave China or go to HK for a Z visa. Medicals were done at the Vista Clinic or the Beijing United Family Hospital and they were all good to go.
Having once been a FT myself I had no problem obtaining a Z visa from a 2-year multi entry F visa that was issued in Shanghai. But that was a few years ago.

In some places in China it is legal to teach on an L visa which is later upgraded to a Z visa. I cannot recall the province name but it starts with a G. It may be Guizhou.

You might also need to understand that in China there are vast differences in how government works from Autonomous regions
(自治区; zìzhìqū)

Direct-controlled municipalities
(直辖市; zhíxiáshì)

and....

Special administrative regions
(特别行政区; tèbiéxíngzhèngqū)
(not in mainland China)

Each of them tend to do as they please with regard to the issuance of visas and the types of visas that get the job done, and those that do not as a matter of convenience.

In China there is breaking the rules, and then there is guanxi.

My green card did not come easy but it is 100% legal and time tested.