PaulMurphy, you would need your employer's assistance to convert F visa into Z visa. You can not just ask for converting it. Although I am not in the field of language teaching, I don't think the employers would care which type of visa you are traveling with. Nor I think they would help you converting F visa to Z visa.

Paul,
I know it can be done. A friend of mine followed the route you described (as will I - with the help of him and his wife). You can just head over and find a job, then with the work info apply for the Z visa. You might need to fly to HK to change it and fly back, or there are companies you can pay to take care of it for you ($800 range, I think). I prefer this route (I'll probably just head to HK for a couple days and make a fun trip of it myself) because as you say, you can better choose the job you want and not get stuck with some BS contract at a place you won't like.

Paul and Jeff:
We are the couple that Jeff mentioned. It is not that difficult to convert F visa to a working visa when u get a teaching job. But the thing is that not all the teaching firms or schools have the right to hire foreignors. That means that they can't help you to apply for a working visa. So when u come over, you have to look for a teaching job at big teaching firms or standard school organizations which can help you to apply a Z-visa.

It will be not that hard to find a teaching english job. Since you hold F-visa when u enter into China, which will be valid for 1 year. You can find teaching job easily at small firms which they will not ask for anything, as long as you are native English speaker, at same time you can apply for a job at big firms or schools, then u can convert you visa before your F-visa expires.

I have a soon expiring 6 months F visa...any way I can get a 6 months extension without having to go to HK?

You don't need to go to HK to extend your F-visa. You can just go to the visa center in Wusong road. You can get 3 months extention there for 4 times, so totally you can get another 1 year extention here.

call:63577925-2 to find out what documents you need for extension.

Great, thanks... another quick question: I didn't sign up at the local police station when I arrived almost 6 months ago. Will I be fined when I go get my extension?

I don't know!:( Maybe you have to call that place to find out what documents you need for extention. If they do ask for the yellow paper from police station, then u are screwed!

which district u live at? You can find someone who have connection with police office to go there with you, to get a yellowpaper without be fined.

What a hassle... Because I have an F visa -which I got in HK without asking for it- I need to go the the visa center with a letter from the employer stating that I work for them in Shanghai... but I don't work in Shanghai... Add to this a RMB500 penalty for not having signed-in when I arrived in Shanghai... Looks like it will just be simpler -if much costlier- to do a round trip to HK and renew my visa there. Oh well!

The Bee - Yes, it is must easier to just do a round trip to HK and renew visa. But, do remember to register to the local police station when you come back again to get that small yellow paper.

Okido

Could you sent the doc to me

Thanks jchusin
okido,

Could you sent the doc to me

Thanks jchusin
okido,

jchusin wrote:Could you sent the doc to me

Thanks jchusin
okido,

jchusin - please give me your email address by sending an email to 13916833945@tom.com so that I can send you the file. I tried to send the file as attachment in this website but had never succeeded.

Okido

okido,
Hi would you please email your power point explaination to me
cheers
christine_mingling@yahoo.com.au

Hi can someone please explain to me the process of registering at the local police station? where abouts can you find information covering this? also what is the yellow piece of paper that everyone is talking about?

cheers

Hi, Christine - The file will be sent to your yahoo address as requested.

The process of registering to the local police station is just as it is said - go to the local police station with your passport after you arrive in Shanghai no more than 48 hours. Then, the police station will issue a temporary residence permit with the validation period same as the days of stay your visa allow. That is the yellow piece of paper. You would not notice this procedure if you have come to Shanghai before but stayed at a hotel, or, you had not applied for visa extention. If it's the former case, the hotel was taking care of it. IF you just come for short term stay and never consider applying visa extention or change your visa type, then you can forget about it even you do not stay at a hotel. But, if you do need to go thru those process, DO remember to ask a friend to take you to the local police station and obtain that piece of paper. If you don't have that piece of paper, late for registering, you will have two options when you do need to apply for visa extention: 1. leave china and come back again and do the registering; 2. pay the fine which is counted by the number of days you are late for rigestering.

Clear now?

Okido

okido,

Thanks for your explaination.crystal clear:)

cheers

Hi Okido
Could you please also forward your powerpoint chart to my email address: rusty@gawab.com

Thanks in advance and more power...

HI, I need information regarding my tourist L Visa, Im a Filipino citizen and I need to extend my L Visa, or convert it to a longer stay. Can anybody know any information regarding this issue, I will appreciate any information, you can e-mail me at rusty@gawab.com ar reply to this post. Thanks. and have a good day.

Rusty,
File sent to your email address.

Okido

Hi CAn you send it to me also? thanks desa_lynn@yahoo.com

Len_soccer,
I would not hold me breath waiting for an answer if I was you....
You are responding to a 4 year old post

Yet his prayer is answered. Sorry everyone. I've been away for a long long time.

The PPT is here for download -
http://www.fileqube.com/shared/jFEnGYIA65654

Please be reminded that there is no longer a residence booklet. Residence permit, Z visa all become a sticker with multiple entry valid till your work permit expires.