I have a question. On a Z visa, you have to turn it into a permanent residence permit within 30 days? If one comes to China (married to a Chinese national) on an L visa that is valid for 24 months with multiple re-entry and then applies for a permanent residence permit can't you legally work at that point? Either way the Z visa expires in 30 days right? Net result is you end up with a residence permit. Just curious.

the reason I ask is I am in the country on an L visa that has a 24 month duration with multiple re-entry (I am married to a Chinese national). But I now want to work. I have a residence permit. Do I need a work permit? Do I go to the PSB to get one? I have found a perspective employeer so not quite sure what to do.

rickpeck wrote:the reason I ask is I am in the country on an L visa that has a 24 month duration with multiple re-entry (I am married to a Chinese national). But I now want to work. I have a residence permit. Do I need a work permit? Do I go to the PSB to get one? I have found a perspective employeer so not quite sure what to do.

Just to get this straight, do you have a L visa (which is a tourist visa afaik) or a residence permit?
Anyway, if you want to work legaly, you need a working permit.

rickpeck wrote:the reason I ask is I am in the country on an L visa that has a 24 month duration with multiple re-entry (I am married to a Chinese national). But I now want to work. I have a residence permit. Do I need a work permit? Do I go to the PSB to get one? I have found a perspective employeer so not quite sure what to do.

Your perspective employer should handle the conversion of an L Visa to a Z Visa. You will need to provide the necessary documents plus the Chinese Visa photos for them to process. They will also need to apply for your permanent residence permit.

I am in the process of getting a permanent residence permit. My wife has been dealing with getting it for me. We went to do some paperwork, she did all of the talking, I just stood there. I say "have a residence permit" because she said it was done for all intents and purposes. I currently have an L visa that has a duration of 24 months with multiple re-entries. I am considering looking for work so I thought I would look into what it took to get a work permit. I guess I need to find an employer first! lol. Although I do have an offer for work but it's just a consideration at this point.

Maybe i am mistaken but from my understanding you usually come into the country on a l visa which is vaild for up to 60 days (this can have multiple reentries but have to leave mainland every 60 days). This needs to be changed into a residence permit when you get here (which is then vaild for multiple re-entries).
You can get a permanent residence permit after 5 years living pretty much full time in china under certain circumstances (i have heard they are hard to get).
If you are here on a family residence permit i dont think you can work. I think you have toget that permit cancelled and apply for a new visa if you want to work (not sure if you can do this in china or weaher you have to leave the country and come back),

ehh...hell dealing with this is like dealing with the DMV in the US. My wife says not to worry, she will take care of everything. I am sure it entails a gratuity to someone, somewhere. I travel back to the US often so I am content with the L visa I am on. The most I have stayed in China is about 30 days or so. I go back once a month to visit my kids and stay gone about two weeks. I have thought about getting a job as it gets kind of boring at times in this town. It was fun at first but anyway... I need something to do and she works from home so I need a break.

rickpeck wrote:I currently have an L visa that has a duration of 24 months with multiple re-entries. I am considering looking for work so I thought I would look into what it took to get a work permit. I guess I need to find an employer first! lol. Although I do have an offer for work but it's just a consideration at this point.

Yes, do look for a job that will provide a Z Visa. They should take care of the legalities for you.

Good Luck.

Why not just set up a business and sponsor yourself. Problem solved.

js.2011.04 wrote:

rickpeck wrote:I currently have an L visa that has a duration of 24 months with multiple re-entries. I am considering looking for work so I thought I would look into what it took to get a work permit. I guess I need to find an employer first! lol. Although I do have an offer for work but it's just a consideration at this point.

Yes, do look for a job that will provide a Z Visa. They should take care of the legalities for you.

Good Luck.

Petty Rant for the 2,305th time...

QUIT REFERRING TO A WORK PERMIT AND AND A RESIDENCE PERMIT AS A "Z" VISA!!!!

A Z is the one time 30 day Visa that allows you to enter China to complete the Physicals and the Paperwork to be granted a Work Permit....which then allows you to get a Residence Permit.

(Rant over....Now back to our regularly scheduled programming...)

yes lol, i agree...water is a vital ingredient in beer. the thing is, i have had chinese company tell me i must have a z visa then apply for a work permit, then i had one tell me they will get me a work permit. my wife says do neither one just find a job and work. she is somewhere in the process of obtaining a residence permit for me. the physical, was something else though...she took me to a place that looked rather ghetto, the nurse asked me in chinese if i had brought my own needles, like seriously?! but anyway the reason for the post was to ascertain others take on the process as it seems to change or at least there are a variety of "allowable" methods. oh btw are you a home brewer?

p1atl10 wrote:

js.2011.04 wrote:

rickpeck wrote:I currently have an L visa that has a duration of 24 months with multiple re-entries. I am considering looking for work so I thought I would look into what it took to get a work permit. I guess I need to find an employer first! lol. Although I do have an offer for work but it's just a consideration at this point.

Yes, do look for a job that will provide a Z Visa. They should take care of the legalities for you.

Good Luck.

Petty Rant for the 2,305th time...

QUIT REFERRING TO A WORK PERMIT AND AND A RESIDENCE PERMIT AS A "Z" VISA!!!!

A Z is the one time 30 day Visa that allows you to enter China to complete the Physicals and the Paperwork to be granted a Work Permit....which then allows you to get a Residence Permit.

(Rant over....Now back to our regularly scheduled programming...)

Oops Sorry. My experience with a Z visa was a year long with multiple entries. My employer got that for me as well as the work permit and the permanent residence permit.

rickpeck wrote:yes lol, i agree...water is a vital ingredient in beer. the thing is, i have had chinese company tell me i must have a z visa then apply for a work permit, then i had one tell me they will get me a work permit. my wife says do neither one just find a job and work. she is somewhere in the process of obtaining a residence permit for me. the physical, was something else though...she took me to a place that looked rather ghetto, the nurse asked me in chinese if i had brought my own needles, like seriously?! but anyway the reason for the post was to ascertain others take on the process as it seems to change or at least there are a variety of "allowable" methods. oh btw are you a home brewer?

RickPeck.....my little rant was not directed at you.

BTW...Your wife is giving you slightly illegal advice. Her Residence Permit is tied to her Work Permit. Your Residence Permit will be tied to her Residence Permit as her spouse.

All RP's are tied to a WP.

If you get a job in China, legally you will need a Work Permit and your own RP tied to THAT WP.

Whether you need to leave the country and come back in on a Z to start your process depends on the company that hires you. Amount of employees, capitalization, allowed numer of foreing employess, guanxie, etc

Bottom line....It is illegal for you to work in China on your accompanying Spouse Residence Permit.

p1atl10 i took no offense to it all...I am certain this topic has been over done. I do feel as my wife's advice is contrary to the law as far as my research goes. But she is adamant that it can be fixed. Her dad in connected but her parents live in the north, perhaps he can make something happen here in Shanghai, I dunno... She is not after me to work but I need to do something. I have seen about all of the city I care to see and i am developing carpal tunnel from the xbox. so back to your signature line, I take it you like beer?

Beer is proof that God Loves us....and wants us to be happy!

(With apologies to Benjamin Franklin!)

ahh....beer so many good flavors and styles out there.