So, are you thinking about relocating to China? Working in China? While hundreds of thousands of people travel to China every year, some with tourist visas and some with business visas, relocating to China to work is a whole different ballgame with many hoops and hurdles that must be endured before a work permit will be granted to you by the Chinese government. Playing the “work visa” game is much easier if you are coached by someone who knows how the game is played.
I traveled to China myself several times in the past using a business visa to gain entrance. In fact, I think I may have even used a tourist visa the first time I went (1994). It has been my experience that tourist visas and business visas were relatively easy to secure. In my case I consulted with a professional visa/passport service, and there are many of them you can find online, and was able to get a visa in relatively short order. There was of course a small fee to pay for this service but I think it was well worth it. All the necessary forms were provided to me with very clear instructions about how to fill the forms out and what documents, including photos, I would need to submit to get a visa. If I had questions I could call the folks I was working with, actually get to talk to a live knowledgeable person, and get all of my questions answered. No worries. Getting a work visa is a bit more complicated exercise and again I will reiterate, consult with someone who knows what he or she is doing.
In order to obtain an Alien Employment License (work visa) you will need to provide the following documentation with your application for the visa:
- Your passport information page;
- Detailed up-to-date Curriculum Vitae which should contain dates of employment with each employer, job responsibility and your educational background;
-
Original
educational certificates related the position the employee will fill; -
Original
reference letters issued by a former employer to prove employee has more than two years work experience; - 5 photos;
- Applicant’s Chinese name if you have it. If not you will need someone to translate your English name to Chinese;
- Any other documents requested by competent authorities.
Besides providing the above documents to the authorities you will need to provide a Medical Checkup Record (Foreigner Physical Examination Form). This form will need to be completed by your physician and an
original
copy of this form must accompany your application for the work visa. Among the many routine things your exam must include are height, weight, and blood pressure. You must also have a chest x-ray, a heart ECG test, and blood tests to check for HIV, syphilis and hepatitis b and hepatitis c. You will be required to provide
original
documentation of these tests and their results as well. Once the competent authorities have all of the above documentation it can take 2 weeks or more of processing time before your work visa may be issued.
I have set forth for you in a nutshell a description of what will be in store for you when you decide to apply for a Chinese work visa. Hiring an experienced person to assist you with this process will help you to avoid unnecessary delays and frustration.
Hawkeye in China
– LEX Smith