I just got back from my Z visa run to Hong Kong. I had heard that they refuse people a lot, sometimes many times, so I did all the prep work I could. That was mostly wasted energy. SO what I want to do here is post something that will be helpful to people who have to do this daunting task. I found almost nothing online that helped much. I hope people can find this.
There just wasn't any consistency to the reports I had heard from friends, co-workers, literature, and websites, including the website of the Chinese Embassy in Hong Kong. I was told I needed many things. I am not saying it's going to be the same for everyone. It may differ from country to country, person to person or even embassy worker to embassy worker. Here's a list of what I needed:
1. Original letter of invitation by the employer confirmed and stamped at the office of the Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in your city or the nearest city to your workplace.
2. Original Foreigners Employment Permit issued by the Chinese government authorities for Human Resources and Social Security.
3. One photo. The usual passport kind.
4. One application form filled out to the best of my abilities.
5. Photocopies of passport photo page, visa page, (if you have a current visa), and the little paper they put into your passport at Hong Kong Airport immigration.
6. Original passport(s), visa and that little paper.
7. $930 Hong Kong dollars. This was with the 300 extra for express service. Then it's finished next day. Otherwise it would have been $630 and it would have taken 4 days.
I am from Canada, and this was for my Z visa to work in China. I don't know if those make any difference, but the list of prices on the HK Chinese Embassy was totally wrong and they had express taking two days and rush taking one day but being more expensive. That too is wrong. Even the screen at the embassy with the price list on it didn't have any listing for the Z visa. They could have charged me whatever they felt like. And keep reading, you'll probably get the idea, like me, that anything can change before you even finish reading this. This is only a guideline for people who need to do this daunting task. I just want to help a little. Don't expect everything to be exactly the same for you.
Here's a list of the wrong things I heard from someplace or another.
1. You may use photocopies of the Employment Permit and Letter of Invitation as long as they're in colour. Not true. They needed the originals. In the attached list of what to bring, the one they gave me, it says you need photocopies as well. I didn't. I just handed the teller the originals. If they ask you to photocopy them, there is a machine there. It costs 2 bucks a copy but doesn't take the 2-dollar coins. Only one dollar coins. And the place where you are supposed to get change was occupied by a guy who really doesn't want to give change. He usually hides out of sight.
*My advice: Photocopy everything before you go.
2. You need special digital passport photos. I STILL have no idea what that means. I gave them a photo that had a back that peeled off so you could stick it on a application. No problems. People will tell you all kinds of things like it needs to be signed or stamped by the photographer, you need a red background, etc. Just get a normal passport photo with the normal rules. No smile, no glasses etc. If you don't have that, there's a photo booth near the photocopier. I didn't check how much it cost for photos.
*My advice: Bring lots. I had five photos, two from one passport photo session and three from a supposed "digital" photo session. They took the former. Just one.
3. You need the business licence of your employer. You need a signed contract from your employer. Even on the list they GAVE ME AT THE EMBASSY there are 4 things I didn't need and 8 if you count the photocopies. The foreign expert thing is now changed to a letter of invitation. Numbers 3, 4 and 5, especially 5, I have no idea what they even ARE, but I didn't have or need them. A letter from an offshore petroleum corporation?
*My advice: It doesn't hurt to have a contract. And, you know what, let your employer feel some of the pain, get them to give you the contract and business licences just in case. You never know, they could ask for them. I, however, didn't need them. There are only two important dox you need: the invitation letter and the foreign employment permit.
4. I was told to download the application from the website and fill it out in either Chinese or English IN TYPING. This was written on the website! Of course the document was in a form that made editing difficult, but I managed to get it done. It took some trial and error using different readers to open the document, but I proudly produced it when I got to the embassy and one of the two helpers there said, "No, that's the old one. Here, fill out THIS!" The new one is far more complicated and ambiguously worded. If you ask me, the one of the website is better. For example there is a question something like, "Where does the applicant reside at the time of the filing of this application?" I asked a Russian couple who were also pulling their hair out over this thing and they didn't know either. Permanent address, home address or where you're staying in HK? We both just put Hong Kong. It probably wasn't what they wanted but I don't think it was all that important. There was another space about dates of your intended visa or something like that. The one helper told me to list the dates, (and I had to fudge my address too, which was a hostel in Beijing and I forget the address), and address of my business visa. When I handed the thing in, the OTHER guy took it and told me I had to list dates and address where I'm going to live and work when I get the NEW visa. They even have a place on the form where you are supposed to list your family members. There is also no provision for a work visa on the app. so I had to choose between a single entry 3 month visa, a multiple entry 6 month, or multiple entry one year, none of which were relevant to my application. I checked 6 month multiple, which, on the price list should have been 500 plus 200 or 300 express or rush. But I got a bill of $930. Imagine my surprise!
*My advice: Bring addresses and names of employers and everybody you know and everywhere you've worked and/or lived, EVER, in English and Chinese just in case. Filling out this application is BY FAR the hardest part. But the two helpers were pretty good and their English was pretty good. Also, bring at least $1000 bucks HK.
5. I was told I'd need the paper from airport immigration or they'd send me home. I copied it with my passport and visa at the embassy on the 2-dollar copier. They just kept the photocopy and stapled the original into my passport, so I still have it. They DO take your passport(s) for however long it takes them.
*My advice: If you are at a good hotel, copy there. The line-up for the copier at the embassy can be pretty long and competitive.
6. People told me you can get refused to any little thing. One guy told me that he had made it through the application process when his friend got refused for some reason. Then HE was refused by association! I didn't see any of that. The two guys who give out the numbers for the tellers are the ones who told us what to change or write or re-do. Most people go to them a few times before they get their numbers for the tellers, but once that happens, you have a pretty short wait. I'd say I waited 15 minutes. Then the teller asked me for the dox, I gave them, I wrote that I will be cancelling my business visa, signed something and that was that. I got the receipt and she said to bring that at 10 AM next day and I'd get my passports back with the new visa inside.
*My advice: They aren't actually the sticklers I'd heard they were. The applications they get are all full of mistakes. They don't need you to be 100% accurate. Just try your best and they'll get you through it. It's tough, but don't get angry with all the craziness. The workers BOTH admitted to me that their system and their website seriously needs to be updated. Imagine how crappy their jobs must be!
7. I was told to go on Sunday, apply Monday and HOPE it would get finished by Friday. They actually don't like when you apply on Monday. Tuesday or Wednesday are better. Check the hours on the website. I think THEY are correct. Apply at 9 AM, pick up next day at 10 AM. Pay for the express. It's cheaper than two more unnecessary days in Hong Kong. MUCH cheaper.
*My advice: Get out of there with as much of your faculties remaining intact as possible and have lunch at Churchill Pub. They have great fish and chips.
Here are the things the embassy officially requires. It was totally wrong for me, but if you're interested...
To Hong Kong by plane.
I'm making this for the purposes of some new teachers who will need to do this soon from Taiyuan, so you might want to skip ahead if you're not living in Taiyuan.
There are direct flights from Taiyuan to Hong Kong. There's one a day and it's not ridiculously early. Arrange a taxi for 6:00 or 6:30 and you'll be fine. From Number 5 School to the airport at that time it will only take about 15 minutes. You might have luck flagging one down at that time but it's safer to arrange it in advance. (Or in my case, I had a Chinese speaker to it for me.)
Terminal 2 booths 32-34 is where you'll check in. They don't even open until 6:30 and if you are checking baggage, they'll do that closer to 7:30. Don't bother with the self check-in machines, they don't work. If you want to do something while you wait to check in, there is one bank machine hidden over by the toilets on the back side of the island opposite counters 32-34. You can get Chinese money but not HK. There are good cash exchange places as soon as you get there. You can't miss them.
**Do NOT go to the café across from the toilets and the bank machine. They charged me 83 RMB for a coffee my first time in Taiyuan. That's $15 Canadian! Go to KFC. It's a little walk but the coffee tastes better and it's WAY cheaper. You can get a whole breakfast for 38 RMB.
To Hong Kong via Beijing by Train.
This is going to be more of a challenge than the direct flight. But you can save a few bucks.
First you need a train ticket from Taiyuan to Beijing. You can get one at the ticket office near the crazy 7-way intersection. It's easy to find after you've been there once. The ticket will be 105 RMB and you will need to show your passport. The trip is about 3 hours from Taiyuan train station to West Beijing Railway Station. To get to Taiyuan's train station, catch a cab at the crazy intersection and give yourself at least half an hour for the trip there. Taiyuan train station is easy to navigate. You will go through security, (you need your passport again), then go up to the 2nd floor. Find your train on any of the big boards and wait till it boards.
When you get to Beijing, you can catch a shuttle bus to the airport outside the South entrance near the road. There is a booth there where you pay. I think it cost me 60 RMB last time. This is going to take 2 hours or more so be sure you have a late enough flight. Beijing traffic is unpredictable.
Taking the subway is more predictable, but it's not nice if you are taking lots of luggage. It can be done in just over an hour if you're lucky. You can get a Beijing subway card at the glass booth in any station. You will use it again when you return, or if you want to visit Beijing again. Take line 9 toward the Military Museum and National Library. Get out three stops later at the stop before the library, Baishiqiao South. Transfer there to line 6 and go two stops to Chegongzuaang station. Transfer there to line 2 toward Jishuitan. Go six stops and get out at Dongzhimen station. From there you will see pink signs for the Airport Express. Follow them and buy a ticket. It's 25 RMB and takes about 30 minutes. Very dependable and cheap.
Your flight arrives safely in Hong Kong.
After going through customs and immigration, (and getting your little piece of paper), collect your luggage if you need to and follow the people out. You will arrive at the money changing area. They have good rates and they also sell train tickets to the city. Their line-ups are shorter so you might want to buy a ticket to Hong Kong Station from here. They are $100 HK. You will see, pretty much right in the center of the station, people buying their tickets and going to the waiting area. For the trains. There will be a red number telling you how long you need to wait till the next train shows up. They take 24 minutes.
When you get to the last stop, (Hong Kong), get out and follow the signs for free hotel shuttle buses to the left. The buses go to lots of hotels. Most, in my opinion, are a bit pricey. But have I got a deal for you! I stayed at the Homy Inn North Point. The thing about these free shuttles is you can take them if you are not staying in the hotels where they stop. The lady at the money changing place told me what bus to take and where to get off. You might even ask the driver of the bus. Here are the routes they take.
For Homy Inn you take the H4 bus from here
You can start looking for the big green Homy Inn sign on the side of the building several stories up. It's actually easier to see from the other side of the street. The problem will be finding the door. It's easy to walk past even if you know where it is. There are usually people blocking it because there are bus stops just outside. So you need to look for the street level sign for the Sun Chiu Kee restaurant. This is right next door to the Homey. Reasonable prices and everything I tried there was great! I had spare rib with vegetable fried rice, (103 I think), chicken fried rice and chicken chow mien. All of them made me long for the Chinese food outside of China. lol Here is their card, your Hong Kong transit card and a map, which isn't very helpful, to the Homy Inn.
Another good landmark is Jen's bank, which is directly opposite the door. It's a barred door that kind of looks like a prison door. You go up a flight of stairs to the elevators. Use the one on the left. Don't mistake this for reception. I waited a while there for somebody but nobody came. Inside you will see the 2nd floor marked as reception. Even though it's sort of the third floor. I got my own room with air conditioning and a bathroom with shower for 140 Hong Kong dollars. That's roughly 35 bucks a night. It was well worth it! Especially when you start pricing hotels in the Wan Chai area or even farther away in Kowloon. It's clean, the people are helpful and nice and it's in a great location. The one quirk that they really should change is the bathroom doors. I actually saw some of them being thrown into the back of a truck so this problem might be solved soon. They look like glass closet doors. The sort of sliding, folding type. And they leave VERY little room to squeeze through. Other than that, though, I couldn't find a better place for the money.
Time to go to the Embassy.
Go out the door and turn left. Walk a few blocks to that B1 exit that leads from King's Road down into the subway. And it's WAAY down into the sub-subway. Follow the signs for Kenendy Town, not Chai Wan. Even though it sounds like Wan Chai, which is where we're going, it's not where we want to go. We want Kennedy Town for some reason. Get on the subway and you will be a quick 4 stops from Wan Chai Station. Again, I'm sorry about the photography but I work with what I have.
If you look really closely you can see North Point and Wan Chai. The "You are here" sign is over Wan Chai. I think the stops are Fortress Hill, Some other stop, Causeway Bay, then Wan Chai. Get out and go to exit A5 where we will begin an interesting walk around the second story walkways of Wan Chai.
This is your exit. It takes some time to get back up to ground level but if you go out the right exit you will be in an open air covered walkway. You stay on it for a while until you get to Immigration Tower and see this:
Turn right. Then you walk a little ways till you see this:
then this:
You want to go toward the ferry pier. Soon you will see this:
I think that says Exhibition Center. Go toward that. But when you get here, where you turn left for the Exhibition Center, don't turn left, turn right.
Then you come to this place where it says Ferry Pier. Go through this door.
If you turn left after this little tunnel, you come to here where you have the port view on your left and a coffee shop on your right.
If you turn right, you'll miss the view but you will get to this sign which has our goal building on it. (finally!)
Look to your right and you will see this building.
That's it! So you turn right, then right again through the sign that's impossible to read until you're right under it and now you're in the right building. You'll see a liquor store on your left. Might be handy on a day like today. Ignore anything you may have read, like the address posted on their website, that says they're on the 7th floor or you may get caught in the elevator trap. Go back down to GROUND LEVEL and you will see little signs pointing toward the embassy that say "visas this way" or something like that. Good luck!
After getting your visa applied for, (hopefully), just follow those pics in reverse till you come to A5 exit, go down and take the blue subway line back to North Point, follow the signs to Kennedy Town again and finally you are here:
You should be able to find your way back Homy from here. Tomorrow, this will be a whole lot easier. I hope you don't have to do it in a tropical storm like I did.
Farewell to Hong Kong.
When you've successfully gotten your visa permission in your passport, getting to the airport couldn't be any easier. Just go back to the Ibis Hotel. Remember where the H4 bus dropped you off? That's where you can catch it again. Free!
That takes you to Hong Kong Station. You need to go to a counter and pay. You can use your transit card if it still has 100 HK bucks or more on it. Or you can just pay in cash. Then go down the elevator to the train and you are back in the airport.
I hope this helps make the visa run a little less of an ordeal for you. I would recommend Kowloon Park and Victoria park for quiet walks. I liked Lockhart Street, (below the Wan Chai walkway), for pubs. Churchill's has good fish and chips. Everything is expensive but try to hit it at happy hour around 4. That'll save you some dough.
Good luck, folks!
P.S. Here's a map I got, guess where, which actually has the star in the wrong building. The embassy is not in the Hong Kong Exhibition Centre. I looked! It's in the China Resources Building. See the one to the right?
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