Summit said they hope to be able to do visas 'next semester' (it of course says on their website that they can provide visa).
Mei's mandarin said that 'due to the train station attacks' they can only arrange the student visa once you're in km and had a 'psb interview'.
Sounds to me like not enough guanxi/money/prestige for them to have the ability to issue the JW202 visa form.
I would prefer this, actually; getting a tourist visa and taking care of it all after arriving in Kunming, but according to the embassy website, you have to jump through major hoops these days to get a 30-day tourist visa. You have to have an invitation letter with the person's ID, bank account balance, proof that you have a job in your home country AND that they let you go on vacation, tickets/reservations to/from China...
College of Eastern Languages, said that it'd take 'at least one month' to issue the JW202 visa form.
Sounds like Truthspeak for 'we're trying to apply/pay for the certification to be able to invite students, hope to get it next month (and everything happens how/when planned in China), so just pay now and maybe it'll work out'.
So I wanted to ask if anybody has a recent experience of coming on a student visa to a private school (as opposed to university) to study Chinese, and there being a month delay between applying and them sending the visa form.
Thank you,
jdd
The laws always change, and no one really knows for sure. But I can say that, legal or not, it is completely normal to come on a tourist visa, and switch it once you get here. In fact, I do not know anyone who has done it otherwise, whether for school or work. You might also want to talk to Huayang school, which is Go Kunming's winner for best new Chinese school. They may be able to help where others cannot.
Yep everybody I know came on tourist visa then applied for student visa :)
The requirement for an interview with PSB before a visa is issued has been around for a while and they are strict about it now. For those who read chinese...
www.gov.cn/zwgk/2013-07/22/content_2452453.htm
So coming on a tourist visa and switching to a student visa once here is the best way to go.
[PS we have an EDIT button!!]
Thank you.
I'm definitely considering the tourist option.
I'll make another post about that, see if those new regulations are for real.
jdd
Tourist visa you need a return ticket, health check, and invite from a Chinese citizen. I offer student visas, as long as you have health check, And local crim history report I can apply for a jw202 form for you( American only) It takes 15 to 30 days to arrive.
My brother is visiting from UK in a couple of weeks on a tourist visa. He needed a return ticket and an invite but not a health check.
Wow, invites just for tourist visa. Return ticket I understand as many countries have that requirement, but invite harkens back to the closed China days
Go to Forever Bright, in Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon, Hong Kong - these guys are the cleverest of many clever tourist/visa agencies that I've visited in Hong Kong - they've been at it for many years & do a land -office business.
