Question Residence Permit (Need help!)

[marvinfreericks]

Hey guys!

 

Does anybody know how long it takes to get the residence permit in China (Nankai University, Tianjin) after applying for it?

 

Because I am applying for the X1 visa, but I heard it is only single-entry and that you have to apply for the residence permit within 30 days. But the problem is that I have to fly back to Germany two weeks after arriving in China and I am not sure if I can reenter with the X1 visa then....

So that is why I would be interested to find out how long it takes to get the residence permit.

 

I would be very thankful if somebody can help me with that!

 

Thank you so much and best regards,

 

Marvin

[DavyJonesLocker]

Is very hard to know. The passport gets sent off with all the forms and you just have to wait until it comes back. Mine was pretty quick but I think 2 weeks is really pushing it. 

Possible but even if you don't get the X1 visa on time you can't travel anyway as you will have no passport.

 

Edit: yes it's single entry 30day stay

[marvinfreericks]

@DavyJonesLocker Thanks for your response! Yeah that would definitely be the worst case, because then I could not fly back to Germany and already paid the money for the whole flight.

 

Do you think it's maybe possible to use a tourist visa for the first two weeks and then make use of the X1 visa after returning to China? Or does it not make sense in this situation?

[AaronUK]

 

I would suggest while there are somethings you can do to try and speed up your application like immediately gathering required medical checks police registration certificate/ other documents on day one.. you will still be processing at peak time since it’s when all of the other students and language teachers will arrive.

 

Not sure if you are allowed to hold more than one visa at a time

[DavyJonesLocker]

5 hours ago, marvinfreericks said:

 

Do you think it's maybe possible to use a tourist visa for the first two weeks and then make use of the X1 visa after returning to China? Or does it not make sense in this situation?

 

Well logically you would think it's possible as certainly people do come on tourist visa and then convert to x2.(not sure about x1, no personal experience).

However China being China the reality of the situation is that they just look at a rule book and follow it blindly. I have been in this situation more than once where the rule makes no sense and you point it out only to be met with "but this is the procedure" and God forbid a bit of lateral thinking might occur.

 

I'd suggest you speak to the university and if possible the actually people who send off your application. Perhaps you can come on a tourist visa and convert or maybe you can come 2 weeks earlier.

Unfortunately the "too much work I can't be bothered" attitude might be the deciding factor so a bit of persuasion might be required on your part.

 

 

[m000gle]

In my personal experience and based on the time frames almost universally quoted in school registration information, the X1 visa to Residence Permit processing takes around two weeks.  I have also heard of anywhere between one and three weeks being common depending on luck and peak season or holidays slowing things down.

 

Touching down, registering, and successfully converting to your (single entry) X1 visa into a (multiple entry) residence permit within two weeks of arrival will be next to impossible.  Don't count on it.  Also:

• You cannot re-enter on a single entry, 30-day X1 visa.
• You cannot possess two visas simultaneously, as an individual passport holder, nor would the school likely register a long-term student on such a visa, nor would you likely be able to apply for your X1 visa while back in Germany as the school registration deadlines would be expiring.

One thing which might be worth trying is applying for a dual/multiple entry X1 visa.  This is certainly not standard, but it is technically an option on the visa application form, something the Consulate may be agreeable to if you explain the situation (perhaps depending on your reason to fly back to Germany, and whether they consider it valid), and it is something several visa information websites seem to indicate is possible.  You would probably still need to initiate the Residence Permit conversion within 30 days of your first entry, but you could theoretically exit and re-enter any time up to that point.

 

Note: With Mid-Autumn Festival having official holidays from September 22-24, 2018, and the National Day Holiday running from October 1-7, your window between any second entry on a dual entry X1 visa and the deadline to initiate the Residence Permit conversion process might be no more than a few days.