New visa rules as of 2013-09-01

Kris N Serial expat

270POSTS

13 years ago

There was a lot of talk about new visa regulations coming into effect in China on this forum.
So I did a little homework since Sept 01 and it seems the new rules affect mainly 3rd world countries.
It seems countries NOT affected by the new changes are USA, Canada, New Zealand, UK, Germany, Italy and Australia.

I also found an agent to help me work through my next visa application. I still need to do a little homework before I use their services... but so far it looks good.

Kris de tabarnak

The Shenzhen expat guide

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Kris N Serial expat

270POSTS

13 years ago

Anytime...

Get some sleep Berry, you are posting after midnight !

Kris...

berrylew Contributor

153POSTS

13 years ago

Kris N wrote:
Anytime...

Get some sleep Berry, you are posting after midnight !

Kris...

OK,I will go to bed earlier tonight.

Berry

boby sweet Member

1POSTS

13 years ago

it pretty funny how visa rules changes in china but still you can pull through with money and the right agent and most definitely stay out of trouble

jamjpa New member

5POSTS

13 years ago

I have heard that visa changes have not affected Americans. But for Residency Permits at some Provinces are now requiring an FBI background check

Kris N Serial expat

270POSTS

13 years ago

It's always been the case in Shenzhen anyone applying for a work visa had to get a criminal background check. Maybe this practice is being adopted by more and more provinces.

Kris...

jamjpa New member

5POSTS

13 years ago

When I came last year, the criminal background check was just local. I went to my local Police Department and the process took less than 10 minutes. The FBI check will take 2 months. It's going to be a problem.

Kris N Serial expat

270POSTS

13 years ago

jamjpa wrote:
When I came last year, the criminal background check was just local. I went to my local Police Department and the process took less than 10 minutes. The FBI check will take 2 months. It's going to be a problem.

I meant the criminal background check had to be done in the US for a Foreign Expert Certificate. In the state of Washington it can be done on line and its instantaneous. In Pennsylvania it takes 1~2 weeks to get the report.
As far as I know all criminal report requests went through the FBI databases of each state. Maybe now it will be a national search instead of a state search. But I doubt it'll take 2 months.
Either way it will be longer... something for Americans to consider when re-applying for foreign expert certificates.
There is also another way around it. At the Foreign Experts Bureau a foreigner may sign a sort of affidavit stating they've never committed a crime. The company hiring them must then write a letter to corroborate the foreigner's affidavit.

Kris