Visa questions

Hi Guy,

China is not the China of ten years ago.  If you come here, you had best recognize that it is new, modern and follows set laws.  Any ideas toward bending or breaking existing laws should be the furthest from your mind right now.  China will not accept this kind of behavior.



Let's see what I can do for you...

1. Is there any program/school in Dalian that offer only weekend class that he can sign up?

There probably are.  Dalian is a reasonably sized city. However, would weekend classes be enough to qualify for an educational visas, I do not know. I would guess not.  You would need to enroll in a school program that would fill out the paperwork for a student visa or support you filling it out.  You will need to do some research on local schools to find out.

2. Can he apply for the a program there, pay for the school but not attending?

Maybe, but I would doubt it.  China is a nation of business-savvy nerds.  They would "smell" this out in a heartbeat.  i would not advise any creative escapades along these lines.  You could risk all kinds of complications.

3. Is there any teaching English job that only requires a few hours a week? It can be free. He doesn't need to be paid. He only needs visa sponsor.

Also unlikely.  To teach English you will NEED to obtain a Z-visa.  That requires a university degree, a ESl certificate, two years of work experience, and a school that is willing to sponsor you.  Any school willing to do this will expect work or labor for their effort.

4. Any other suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

There are other legal options.  You should look into them.

[1] Get a ten year visitor visa. Come but don't work. The requirement would be that you would have a multi-entry requirement. Today, most visitor visas are of short duration, however longer duration visas are available, but are granted on a conditional basis upon interview.  Go ahead and try to get one.  There is nothing preventing you doing this but fear.

[2] Set up a business within China.  You can do this by setting up a WOFE. You don't even need to make any money, but you will have to pay your yearly taxes.  You would need to set up an office in China, and do all the paperwork.  With this in place, you can come into china on a working visa (not a Z-visa).

[3] All Z-visas' require sponsorship.  If you are going to be legal in china under a Z-visa you will need to work.  Some schools will provide you with a Z-visa with only a 20 hour to 30 hour work week.  However, you will be locked into a two year contract.  i would not advise you breaking it. If you want to come to china YOU WILL NEED TO work. China is a nation of hard working nerds, they just cannot understand non-working folk.  Everyone's parents works. Everyone works or studies. It's the Chinese way.

[4] Go to school. Find a school that offer night classes.  One parent can be with the child during the day and then go to school at night.  The visa will allow for this.

Best of luck.

Thanks for the reply. Don't get us wrong. Breaking or bending the law has never been in our thoughts. I'm looking for the easiest way to bring us to China, legally. And I understand everyone works hard in China. It's full-time job for my husband to stay home and take care of our kid. That's why I was asking for a way that he wouldn't have to work another full-time on top of that. Your answers are greatly appreciated though.
Here are my follow-up questions I hope you guys can help out.
1. Could you plz help to give info of private schools in Dalian so that we can contact them. I did a little search but couldn't find much.
2. My husband has a master degree and he's been volunteering teaching English to ESL students here for more than 8 years now but he doesn't have any certificate. Is it easy to him to find a job that could get him a working visa?
3. List of English schools in Dalian?
4. There are some private schools advertising "visa program" that only requires 2 days/week and they'll help with X2 visa (that's mandarin school is an example). Is that legitimate?

Well, I will try to help you two guys out. 

1. Could you plz help to give info of private schools in Dalian so that we can contact them. I did a little search but couldn't find much.

Well I cannot help you in this.  I would suggest however, that you use google translate to translate "private English language school in dalian" and put it in the Baidu search engine.  The Google search engine is good, but has MANY limitations. Specifically it is near useless for Chinese searches.

2. My husband has a master degree and he's been volunteering teaching English to ESL students here for more than 8 years now but he doesn't have any certificate. Is it easy to him to find a job that could get him a working visa?

It would be pretty easy.  You just need to show PROOF that he has a Masters, and PROOF that he has been teaching.  he WILL NEED to get a TSOL or ESL certificate.  This is not hard to do and will take around 50 to 80 hours of education.  I did mine over a three week period.  You CANNOT get a Z-visa without it.

3. List of English schools in Dalian?

Again, use Baidu search engine.  Don't use Google.

4. There are some private schools advertising "visa program" that only requires 2 days/week and they'll help with X2 visa (that's mandarin school is an example). Is that legitimate?

It probably is.  You will need to communicate with them directly and discuss your situation and what you can do for them. I m sure that you two should be able to work something out.  However, take especial note that the "bait and switch" of getting an English teacher into China and then completely changing the agreement and situation is a common occurrence  It has even happened to me.

In my case, back in 2011, I was promised a 20,000RMB/month position with free room and board. When I arrived, they picked me up and drove me to a very rural school in a small town.  i was under lock and key and escorted about. (For my own safety, don't you know.). I was paid 3,000 RMB/month and worked 12 hour days with  tuesday's off. My first Tuesday, I left and met up with my (to be) wife.

I am NOT the only one to have had this happen to them.  Be careful.

To protect yourselves, do not agree to anything until you meet them in person.  Also have a backup plan.  That means two or more job opportunities. Because it is a common enough event.

I hope that I was able to help.  Good luck.