extend stay by 2 weeks

Posted by osilen (445 days ago)

i have a 6 month, 60 day visa. is there a way to extend the stay by 2 weeks and not have to apply for a new visa and pay 800RMB for that?

(I am based in Shanghai)

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Posted by msnglnk (444 days ago)

what do you mean? how many entries does your visa allow? if you have a multiple entry visa that allows you to stay 60 days for each entry, than you have to leave and come back (exit/enter). most people go to h k or macau. you can go to the psb (visa office) and change your visa but it will cost money.

nothins free in this world my friend.

(I am based in Shanghai)

Posted by osilen (443 days ago)

i posted this in the 'Practical' section as well, and got an answer - 160RMB for extending a visa through the PSB and that costs 160RMB. which is alot more 'freer' than going through a visa company that wants 800RMB.

(I am based in Shanghai)

Posted by Meiguoren (443 days ago)

Osilen, be sure to take a Chinese speaking person with you when you go. I tried to do this last year and found the requirements mind-boggling, including proof of something like $500 U.S. in a bank account for each day I intended to overstay, marriage licenses and birth certificates for children, or some such. But I didn't have a Chinese speaker with me and so I wasn't ever QUITE sure if that was a real requirement or not. Some people say it's quite easy, and maybe my situation was more complicated with a family. Surely a letter from your employer would suffice on the financial accountability issue, and a mere passport for an adult.

(I am based in Guangzhou)

Posted by osilen (443 days ago)

sounds like one of those days, Meiguoren... I'm just here on a tourist visa, so I don't know if that makes is easier or harder..?!

(I am based in Shanghai)

Posted by msnglnk (443 days ago)

in my experience i found it doesn't matter what kind of visa you come here on. if you want to make changes of any kind to your current "status" (meaning change visa and/or extend current visa) you must present a "proof of residential alien registration." most commonly refered to as "the yellow paper" (sometimes may be blue or pink). if you don't present this to the psb (visa authority) there will be lots of "fun" stuff to follow. it ain't impossible to overcome it just causes a big headache.

anyhow if you came on tourist L visa its most likely you stayed in a hotel so the hotel would have given you this document. if not there is still another way around it....if you traveled by means of plane, train or bus (long distace coach) while in china, and you kept ticket stubs; you can use them.

the reason why you need these things is you will be fined for each week (usually 100rmb) you stayed as an unregistered alien. so if you stayed for 3 weeks the fine would be 300rmb.

i learned this the hard way. i've been here for many years (either as a student or teacher) and every school or company that sponsored me would do the registration thing for me. when i came to shanghai it was the first time i had to do the visa thing on my own so when the psb asked me for my "yellow" paper; i didn't know what they were talking about and i didn't have one. so in the end i paid a pretty huge fine.

you can also go to h k and come back again if you want to avoid the fine. but you just have to remember to register with your local police station within 72 hrs. the law says you have to do it within 24 hrs of arrival but the police will let 72 hrs slide.

(I am based in Shanghai)