Expert: Tom Carter ~ Travel China Expert - 4/5/2008

Question
I don't know if your expertise also includes knowledge of Visas.

If so, here is my question.

Say I want to travel to China for a week.  Ok?  So, I plan things out and get a visitation Visa or whatever they are called.

Ok, so I get on the airplane and fly to China.  I get there and find out that I like it and I want to stay.  So, I decide to just skip the return flight.  

That's settled, but...what about the Visa?  I know if I want to work, I have to get a work Visa.

My question to you is...can I change Visas when I get there?  

Or..do I have to just get a Work Visa?  I mean, I don't HAVE a job yet for them.  And probably wont unless I definitely know for sure I want to stay.

Just...I'm trying to find out on Visas.  

Thing is...I might consider staying.  It's gotta be REALLY bad to get me to come back here.  IF I come back, I have some...uh...really bad classes to look forward to.  I'm not doing this to get out of it.  Instead, I'm doing it to gain experience on Asian History, specifically China, and to learn their culture.  That way, when I do go to a university, I would like to get a degree in Asian history.  I would then have the knowledge and all I would need to do is apply it.

Thank you for any help you offer.
Evan

Answer
Evan,
Before you leave for China, visit your local Chinese consulate and request a 3-month tourist visa. Sometimes they only grant 1-month, but press them for 3.
Either way, when you arrive in China, your options are to either take a trip to Hong Kong every month to renew your visa (not suggested, as dealing with the HK visa office is an absolute nightmare), or contact a visa agency in Beijing to extend your visa for you. Here is a link to some ads: http://www.thebeijinger.com/index.php?a=5&b=201&c=
Such agencies can get you a one-year working visa with multiple re-entries for up to U.S. $500.
The normal way to go about this, however, is to just get a teaching job; the school will handle and pay for your work visa.
Take care...
Tom Carter
http://www.tomcarter.org
Coming soon from Blacksmith Books and Tom Carter, CHINA: Portrait of a People.