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Changing a work visa into a student visa


Matthewkell

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Hey,

 

I can't seem to find any information about the process for this, every search I run only brings up results for the other way round, converting a student visa into a work visa. I'm currently teaching in China and I have been accepted to do a master's degree at a Chinese University. How easy is it to change the visa around? Would I have to take a trip to Hong Kong or is it a simple matter of turning up at the PSB with my admission letter and release letter?

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I wanted to do this in 2013 (go from work to study) and it seemed possible. However, because I had already 'changed' visa within China once already (from tourist L to Work Z) I couldnt do it again. I had to go to HK and start from scratch.

 

My current employer also presumed that I could change from 'study to work' because they had people in the past go from 'work to study'.

 

I can't provide the details your looking for but it does at least seem possible just to change. At the PSB they have a 'questions' counter where you can go seek advice (in Beijing anyway) so I'd suggest going there. At the same time, why not contact your University about this? They will have dealt with a lot of different situations in the past.

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I don't know if this means anything, but...

 

I am on a marriage permit (2 year residence permit). I went to the PSB in Hangzhou to ask if I had to leave to change to a student visa and they said no, that I could change it here.

 

I remember reading something, and someone might have to confirm this, that changing from one kind of residence permit to another is usually not a huge issue. Work to Study, Marriage to Study, etc.. The only one that creates a problem is going from anything to a work visa. 

 

Someone else with more knowledge can confirm whether that is correct or not though.

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Thanks for your responses everyone.

 

That's right, by work visa I mean residency permit for work.

 

So it does seem hopeful, from what you've said... I have a friend who used to work at the British consulate in Chongqing and he said he was 90% sure that I'd have to go to Hong Kong, but I guess he probably got more enquiries from people wanting to change tourist visas to work visas or student visas to work visas which seems to be a far more common scenario.

 

Anyway the University has been a little vague on this, the guy from the international admissions office says it's the responsibility of another teacher and I got the impression that he didn't actually know for certain but was avoiding saying that outright. He suggested I come visit the school and they can help me with all the paperwork, and then I can try the PSB. I guess that'll be my next step, still got a fair bit of time to work this out.

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OK, but when you change your status, I think your residence permit will be cancelled (from the work visa) to a new residence permit based on your student visa...at least, that was the way it used to be - but that was almost 10 years ago.  Has it changed?  Sorry if I am hijacking this thread but it seemed to add to the topic.

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Yes, I believe that is still the case, when you quit your job your residency permit should be cancelled if your employer is legit, however it can then be converted to a 30 day humanitarian visa. Whether the humanitarian visa can be converted to a student visa is a different story though, I suspect no....

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For working visa different city different way to get the resident permit to working ,some of city can finished in hk ,but for some of other city need go back to your own country to finished working visa.

denpend on where your company located,and also depend on local police station rules about working visa.

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