Residence permit and VISA - Travelling outside China

[Andy72]

Soon I'll go home for a brief visit and I started having small doubts about the residence permit and VISA: I got residence permit valid until April 2011, and in 2 weeks I will go back to Italy for 1 week.

Is it correct that I do not need to apply for a new single entry VISA  for my way back to China?
When I moved here to work they told me to make a single entry business (Z type) VISA.

I really hope I can avoid the fight to enter the Chinese embassy!

Thx

Andy

[Aussie Mike]

If you have a "Z" visa, no problem as it's a multiple entry visa.
"L" and "F" will have the number of allowed entries printed on the visa and you are likely to have to leave every 2-3 months.
Remember, that if you have a single entry visa, you have already used it up...  .

[Andy72]

That is the weird stuff that is making me a little nervous:

I got the residence permit valid until April 2011 and according to some sites this is enough for traveling out of China and then entering again.

Z business VISA, according to regulation, is a single entry VISA, by definition, because it is necessary to get a residence permit related to the work employer.

That is why I was thinking that the permit should be enough, but I was looking for confirmation by experts ;-)

The Italian embassy in China said that the permit should be valid, but to contact the Chiense embassy to be sure. Cintacting the Chinese embassy in Italy and getting straightforward answers is always a mess, so I guess I will check and do what hte majority of people does :-)

Thanks!

Andy

[Aussie Mike]

When you applied to come to China, you would have got a single entry from your country which your company or school should have taken to the PSB within 30 days to get your residency. This is your "Z" visa. If you did not take it to the PSB then you are illegal and will have all sorts or problems when leaving and will face a 5,000 rmb fine which will need to be paid before you are able to leave. This can also make it difficult to return.

Check your passport, if you have 2 visa stickers one is your original which will be for no more than 2 months, the 2nd will be for the whole year. Then you are OK. s

If you only have 1 visa sticker for 2 months or so, then you are screwed.  Sounds like you have the 1 year visa which is OK because they will not and can not issue a visa for more than 2 months for your first visit to China.  They will issue a dual entry "L" visa which you need to leave after 2 months then return or a multiple "F" visa where you need to leave every 3 months.

Yes, people, there are exceptions but you will need to go through various channels to get them.

[Andy72]

I explain myself bad probably, but I am the first case.
got the Z and then the second sticker, the proper residence permit.

but the italian embassy in shanghai could not give me a straightforward answer, while the logic would say that once getting the residence permit i don't need new VISA.. they said to contact this or that..

i decided already to not bother going to hte chinese embassy in Milano for this, but have the extra working papers and show my nice residence permit!

yeah, a friend tolf me of the F and L types.

i was quite lucky the company did all the necessary papers and i am 100% legal.
just difficult to get the extra info.. :-)

thx man!!!
always super useful Mike!!

take care

Andy