Upgrading a visa from tourist visa to business visa

Hello,

Today I am in Dong Xing. I want to visit Kunming. But first:

I have a tourist visa (L) double entry now. I want a business visa (F). I guess I need an invitation letter in order to change visa type from tourist to business. (The passport is Swedish by the way),

Where can I get an invitation letter?

Should I go to Guangzhou, Shenzhen or Hong Kong and talk to some agency?

Or should I try to approach some company?

What is best practice here?

Constructive advice appreciated.

TeraLa

@TeraLa
It's difficult and complicated to change a tourist visa into a business visa - not impossible - just difficult, complicated, and you'll have to pay a penalty/fee for the conversion.

It's NOT difficult to extend your tourist visa - just visit the Visa Office (also called Entry/Exit office) in any city, to request a tourist visa extension - they'll usually extend for 2 weeks to up to 3 months (maximum).

Converting a tourist visa into a business visa requires an employer/employment letter and a host of other documents that would need to be authenticated (notarized and then authenticated by city, state, and national government agencies), to include your college diploma, criminal background check, and a health check for communicable diseases (STDs) and general health.

If you want to stay and work in Kunming - you can check out various English language (or other language) schools - but you'll still be required to provide the above documentation before you're allowed to work here. You MIGHT be able to exit into an adjacent country (Thailand, Malaysia, Vietnam, Burma, Laos, Cambodia, and maybe even Hong Kong), while you're collecting the documents, but you absolutely cannot work legally without those docs.

An alternative - if you're trying to buy/sell products/services in China for a foreign or offshore company - you can explore the Representative Office path - but you'll have to pay to be seconded under your own or an existing representative office - all the usual visa fees plus the rep office administrative fee.

If that's your path - then contact <longdragon> on this website.

Once you're seconded under the rep office and you have your work visa documents in order, you can look for gainful employment (if you qualify) - but you'll need to convert and transfer your visa to the new company (which they'll pay for).

The government will issue you a temporary work visa - and once you're in-country - you'll need to apply to convert the temporary work visa into the semi-permanent work visa (typically year to year for newbies).

Hope that's helpful.

Hi Michael,

Insightful post.

My primary goal at the moment is just to be able to stay here longer. I have some basic funds coming in at the moment so I am not panicking about making money. I just want to stay.

I like cycling and swimming, I don't drink or smoke and I just go cycling and swimming every day. Apart from that I am interested in computer science and creativity.

So you're saying a college diploma is a requirement for business visa? Is that a fact? Because I don't have a college diploma so I can perhaps rule out business visa if that's the case.

Or is there an agency to go to that can just take care of everything?

Normally I would do the paperwork myself but this is my first time in the region although I have lived in Asia for 5 years already.

Not sure what the path is. I will probably try to follow a path which allows me to stay longer in this region.

I enjoy the cooler weather here compared to South East Asia and the cycling and swimming has also been rather good so far. The GFW has not been quite as bad as I was concerned it might be either.

So extending the tourist visa... Is that something I could do indefinitely? Crossing over to South East Asia, picking up a tourist visa, then coming back here and extend it?
Or will they limit the number of tourist visas issued?

What factors do they take into consideration at the entry/exit office when they decide if they will extend for 2 weeks or 3 months?

And do they have one of these offices in every town even a small town like this?

There is an exit crossing to Vietnam in this small town by the way.

Also, is there really no way to get an F or X visa or whatever they are called here?

And furthermore, do you think I should stay here in this small town and try to do research on the Internet or head over to a big town like Guangzhou or Shenzhen as soon as possible and try to find agencies or companies that can help me face to face?

Tourist visas can allegedly be extended a maximum of 3 times (a seemingly arbitrary number) before you must exit and re-enter again.

As an alternative you may wish to apply for a language school as a student - they will help you get a student visa - but again - you may need to exit/enter.

If you're a habitual border crosser on tourist visas - this will eventually and probably rather quickly attract the attention of the public security - however on that note, tourist visas are issued with multiple entries and there's technically no reason why public security would deny a seemingly prolific traveler - although it does carry the appearance of a trafficker of illegal things.

A student visa does not require a university diploma, but incurs a cost with which

I'm unfamiliar, however this website has quite a few language schools which teach Mandarin - feel free to contact them for cost information. Without a university diploma, a student visa is probably the best solution for a longer term visit.

I don't think a degree is necessary for a business visa, but an invitation letter is.

You can get an invitation letter from a private or government company or local government Ministry. Your best bet is getting it from your own government. The Zimbabwean embassy can provide an invitation letter for a Chinese business visa - Sweden may do the same. If not try getting in touch with the British - Chinese business council in Wuhan, I remember meeting one of their representatives who told me they do something similar however it was many a year ago and I don't know if it was just for Brits.

Rather than changing visas what you will more likely do is run down your current tourist visa and then get a new business visa in HK.

From what I gather of your purpose of being in China, you are a tourist who wants to make it an extended stay. So you should get tourist visa, and renew or go get a new visa when you need.

You don't qualify for legit business visa (unless you are invited to do some business or technology exchange with a specific entity here), and if any agency or such provides you business visa on fake grounds, and they get caught, you could go down with them.

And note that according to China's immigration laws, being employed on business visa is not allowed, any more than it is allowed on tourist visa.

@ Michael, what you state are the requirements for a work permit. The poster wants a business visa even though they won't be here for business.

@ TeraLa. There are agents who can get you a business visa a dodgy way but they charge upwards of 6000 RMB! Try end extend your tourist visa. You should be able to extend it one inside China.

How about getting a student visa? Study here for six months.

Hi @Liumingke1234,

What is the price for a student visa? I guess I would have to pay some enrollment fee as well? Would I also actually have to take classes?

I think maybe I can do a business visa. I will try to find out what the best option is. I want to stay here.

Of course you would have to attend classes duh. The school can make all the arrangements. I don't know the price of a student visa. sorry.