Visa Law Confusion!

[benjj]

Hello everyone/anyone,

This is my 1st time on here, and I hope there is someone out there who has a quick solution to my problems!

Basically, I have been accepted to study Chinese at Shanghai Jiaotong University for next academic year (sept '10). I have also applied to Fudan University, an institution I would rather go to. However, Fudan are slower in sending me the relevant JW202 and acceptance forms, and do not expect them until next month at the earliest. I want to be in Shanghai in early June to stay with my girlfriend. I have 3 main questions:

1. So, assuming Fudan don't get back to me in time, what can I do to spend the summer in China before term commences? Can I just apply for the Visa with the documents that Jiaotong sent me, then simply register at Fudan instead (assuming they accept me)? Or is this not possible and is the listed institution on the Visa application going to prohibit me from attending any other university?

2. Or, can I apply for a tourist Visa, wait for the acceptance from Fudan, and then apply for a Student X Visa when I am actually in China?

3. Does a Student Visa allow me to spend the summer in China before term actually commences?

Every site seems to tell me conflicting information, so I would really appreciate any help/advice on these issues

Thanks very much!

[lordnikon]

The real problem is that X visa must be converted into resident permit within 30 days of arrival in china and the school usually will help you do this but if you arrive early they may refuse to do it until the official registration period. The admission letter they send you usually has a 3 to 4 day window which they expect you to arrive and register, the school may register you early or they may refuse it is up to them, so you are taking risk with that because if you dont convert your visa within 30 days you will have serious problems.

if you enter on L visa you could possibly have them convert it to X visa but again it is up to the school and they will probably refuse, the JW202 form usually list which country you should apply for visa and if it lists your home country you wont be able to use it to apply for visa in china or hong kong

[benjj]

thanks lordnikon for replying

I have been doing some research... i believe i can get a 90 day L visa, then leave around september time to Hong Kong where I will be able to convert it to an X-Visa (I have arranged to pick up the relevant application documents directly from them). I can then come back to China, and can apply for residency with the university.

Does this sound correct to you?

[lordnikon]

you should not have too much trouble doing this, the one thing you must becareful is that the docs to apply for x visa must state you can apply in hong kong or else when you go to hong kong they can not give you visa

[jbradfor]

I've never applied for an X visa, so I'm curious: in what part of the application process would one physically have to be in ones home country, assuming one has family (e.g. parents) or friends willing to help with the paperwork? The physical can be obtained before leaving for Shanghai, does one need to apply / interview in person?

[fanglu]

Only that you need to give your passport to the consulate that is issuing the visa, which might be hard if you were in another country (and so technically supposed to have your passport with you there).

[jbradfor]

Only that you need to give your passport to the consulate that is issuing the visa, which might be hard if you were in another country (and so technically supposed to have your passport with you there).

Mail it to your parents, who mail it / bring it to consulate. And just try not to get in trouble for 2 weeks

I guess the other issue is that when you submit your passport, you will have an "enter China" stamp in your passport without the corresponding "exit China" stamp. Will they notice? I have at least one "enter" stamp in my passport without the corresponding "exit" stamp, but not from China.

Hummmm. When you get your X visa I presume they will invalidate your L visa, so when you leave China will they notice that you are leaving on an invalided visa? Yeah, probably.

OK, OK, it does seem a bit risky.

You could partially get around some of those issues by getting your X visa while you are in Hong Kong, but then you'd be "stuck" there for 2 weeks. ["stuck" in quotation marks as it's a really nice place to be stuck!]