Going to Aus. for 12 days - have 'Residence Permit' but no valid Visa to get back....

[Chinese Learner]

Hi,

I am studying beginners Mandarin at Beijing Film Academy. I came into Beijing on an F Visa that I obtained in Hong Kong.

This Visa expired on 3 April 2008.

I converted this to a 'Residence Permit For Foreigners In The People's Republic Of China' which expires at the end of July. So I have a valid 'Residence Permit' but no valid 'Visa' in my passport now.

I need to go to Australia for 12 days next week.

Question 1. -> Will I be let back into China with no valid Visa in my passport in 12 days time even though I have a 'Residence Permit'?

Question 2. -> Do I have to apply for a new visa to get back into China once I get to Australia?

Question 3. -> Where can I go to find out this information?

Thanks!!

[Shadowdh]

Question 1. -> Will I be let back into China with no valid Visa in my passport in 12 days time even though I have a 'Residence Permit'?

I have a residents permit... and I have returned to the UK and come back twice with no problems and no visa... but I did have an x visa that was converted so am not sure if its the same for an f conversion...

Question 2. -> Do I have to apply for a new visa to get back into China once I get to Australia?

I did not...

Question 3. -> Where can I go to find out this information?

You can try the website of the embassy... ie I check the UK one you could check the Aussie one...

[Senzhi]

Your Residence Permit is your 'visa' and should be glued in your passport as any other visa. If not, I think there's some terminology confusion on what you refer to as a 'Residence Permit'.

A Residence Permit gives unlimited entries and exits, as long as the permit is not expired by itself.

To make matters easy for you: the last visa/permit in your passport is the only valid one, inlcuding the number of entries and expiration dates.

Hope that clarifies it a little.

[Chinese Learner]

Thanks - Yes it is glued to my passport and looks like a visa.

Everything is fine then - thank you both!

[roddy]

Interesting though that you went from F visa to residence permit. I guess it makes a bit of sense - less hassle than going F > X to > Resident permit, but I didn't realize it was possible. Are you sure you didn't get an X visa in your passport as part of the process?

[Chinese Learner]

No - I had a look through all my passport - they just gave me a 'residence permit' that expires at the end of July but no additional 'new' visa.

[roddy]

Ah well, add that to the list of random things that can happen then . .

[Senzhi]

nteresting though that you went from F visa to residence permit. I guess it makes a bit of sense - less hassle than going F > X to > Resident permit, but I didn't realize it was possible. Are you sure you didn't get an X visa in your passport as part of the process?

I also originally went from an F visa to a Residence Permit. From L to Residence via F.

I guess anything is possible with the right guanxi.

[Chinese Learner]

I hope that they haven't changed the rules or anything!!!

I really don't fancy getting to immigration in China and then having the officer not let me in because I don't have a 'valid visa' in my passport regardless of the fact that I do have a 'residence permit'!

Fingers crossed and all that!!

[Senzhi]

There shouldn't be any problems with a valid residence permit.

Rules change, and quickly, but that is mainly for L, F and X visas. A residence permit is what is says: a permit that allows you, as a foreigner, to reside (= live and work) in China.

[Rincewind]

I've been in and out of China four times so far with only my Residency Permit. Last time was in October. No problems at all.

Just to add to the confusion - my visas go Z then L then Permit.

[cdn_in_bj]

As others have stated, your residence permit services as a multiple entrance visa.

As for me, F -> Z -> residence permit ("by the book", you could say)

[msittig]

This thread made me run and grab my passport. Looking through my last four years of visas, I see:

L -> F -> Z -> Z -> L -> L -> L -> L -> L -> L -> RP -> RP -> RP

I didn't even realize that 1) I once had a (30 day) F visa, and 2) my last three "work visas" have actually just been residence permits with a "Purpose of Residence" filled in as 就业 ("Employment"). Are people still getting Z visas?

With regards to the original poster, my hunch is that it's not a coincidence that your magical residence permit expires 8 days before the start of the Olympics...

[roddy]

L -> L -> L -> L -> L -> L ->

No officer, of course I wasn't working. . . .

Anyway, while we're playing this game, I'd be Z>Z>F>Z>F>F>F(? would need to actually count)>X>RP

2) my last three "work visas" have actually just been residence permits with a "Purpose of Residence" filled in as 就业 ("Employment"). Are people still getting Z visas?

I suspect if you come in on an L or F visa and end up working or studying you'll just go to a residence permit now. Insert standard 'but who the hell knows' boilerplate here.