# Changing Visa from Z to Q1



## stephenpaiva (Feb 21, 2016)

Hi there, I am new and looking for some answers. Hope you guys can help.

Firstly, I'm from the UK, degree holder, CELTA qualified teacher.
I have a working visa close to expiring, I left my last school 2 months ago, after giving them my 1 month notice, so everything was above board but they screwed me over with the release letter. I've fought about it with them but they refused to give it.

Anyway, I have been in China for 4 years on a working visa and residence permits but that is ending now. I am looking to apply for the Q1 spousal/family visa. I am going back to the UK to handle my visa process and am looking for some answers. First, when I apply for the new visa the supporting documents I need are as follows; 
1) Invitation letter from spouse (My wife)
2) Mine and my spouses original and copy of marriage documents - These are the red books, right?
3) A copy of my spouses National ID card
4) Original and copy of Birth certificate of our daughter 
5) Original and copy of my spouses Hukou

Is that right? Is there anything I am missing?
Second, I want to know if I will need the release letter also? I think that because I am changing visa it should be ok. Is that right?

Any help would and extra advice would help.

Thank you


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## stephenpaiva (Feb 21, 2016)

stephenpaiva said:


> Hi there, I am new and looking for some answers. Hope you guys can help.
> 
> Firstly, I'm from the UK, degree holder, CELTA qualified teacher.
> I have a working visa close to expiring, I left my last school 2 months ago, after giving them my 1 month notice, so everything was above board but they screwed me over with the release letter. I've fought about it with them but they refused to give it.
> ...


On an addition; Would I be able to do this in a neighbouring country, say korea? I also wouldn't mind opting for the 1 year L visa.
Thanks for the help again


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## Eric in china (Jul 8, 2014)

You only need go to your wife's hometown and apply for the visa there. Why go all the way back to the UK for this?

The documents you mention are correct but if you are still in China with a valid visa then you will not need a letter of invitation. I have a Q visa but still have to leave China every 180 days, I usually fly to Hong Kong and come back the next day.


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## stephenpaiva (Feb 21, 2016)

The reason I ask if I need to go back to change the visa is because I don't have the release letter for my z visa so I am wondering if it will be problematic. 
If I am able to get the release letter, which is a long shot, I just go to my wifes hometown and change to the Q visa? How does the process work? I just bring the documents mentioned and they can do it there at the local PSB?
If I am unable to obtain said release letter, I was thinking it would be problematic in which case I would leave the country and come back on the one year L visa.


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## Eric in china (Jul 8, 2014)

You do not need a release letter, you are married to a Chinese national and therefore entitled to ask for a Q visa. But this can only be done in the place where she holds a hukou. If you are not in her hometown now then speak to the local PSB, your wife will help I am sure and they will give you the info you need.

I have been here 22 years and many employers have tried silly tricks, my wife effs em every time.


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## stephenpaiva (Feb 21, 2016)

That is very useful to know. Are you 100% sure that I don't need the release letter to change from Z to Q visa? And I can do this within China? Not having to leave? 
I have seen in a few places that the release letter is needed when changing from Z visa to Q visa. I would hope that I don't need it as it would save a lot of trouble.


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## Eric in china (Jul 8, 2014)

stephenpaiva said:


> That is very useful to know. Are you 100% sure that I don't need the release letter to change from Z to Q visa? And I can do this within China? Not having to leave?
> I have seen in a few places that the release letter is needed when changing from Z visa to Q visa. I would hope that I don't need it as it would save a lot of trouble.


Each province is different and interpretates the rules from Beijing differently so I cannot be 100% positive on this but if your wife's hometown is different to where you are working then it is worth a trip to see ah.

But the basic law is you are married to a mainland Chinese and therefore entitled to a Q visa, working or not does not matter. And it is not Q1 mine is Q2.


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## Zhongshan Billy (May 18, 2014)

Follow Eric's advice and go to her province where her hokou is registered and apply there. If your visa is due to run out soon the you may have to change your plans.

I had one problem with a Visa when my first six months visa needed renewing and my wife was told she needed to return to her Province and get her paperwork changed. This was going to take at least three or four days as it took a day each way for travel. My visa was going to expire in two days. 
I was told I needed to leave China and return. So off I went to Macau and applied for a 14 day visa. Spent the night there and returned to China. My wife returned with her amended paperwork and all was accepted at our local PSB.

That was 6 years ago. So my advice to add to Eric's is do not leave things too late before you try at the PSB.

Zhongshan Billy


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## stephenpaiva (Feb 21, 2016)

Zhongshan Billy said:


> Follow Eric's advice and go to her province where her hokou is registered and apply there. If your visa is due to run out soon the you may have to change your plans.
> 
> I had one problem with a Visa when my first six months visa needed renewing and my wife was told she needed to return to her Province and get her paperwork changed. This was going to take at least three or four days as it took a day each way for travel. My visa was going to expire in two days.
> I was told I needed to leave China and return. So off I went to Macau and applied for a 14 day visa. Spent the night there and returned to China. My wife returned with her amended paperwork and all was accepted at our local PSB.
> ...



My query is for the changing of a work visa (Z) to Family reunion visa (Q1/2) I am wanting to know if a) I need to leave the country to do this and b) Do I need the release letter from my previous company


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## Zhongshan Billy (May 18, 2014)

The original reply from Eric was to go to your local PSB and ask them what is needed. They are the people who know what is required.

Many on here are from different provinces and each may have different ways of dealing with these matters and you may get conflicting answers.

Where you are going to apply is the PSB to ask.

Zhongshan Billy


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## Eric in china (Jul 8, 2014)

stephenpaiva said:


> My query is for the changing of a work visa (Z) to Family reunion visa (Q1/2) I am wanting to know if a) I need to leave the country to do this and b) Do I need the release letter from my previous company


You should not need any sort of letter to change your visa type. You have married a Chinese citizen and as such are entitled to a Q visa if you want one. A simple phone call from your wife to the PSB in her hometown will find all the answers you need.

As Billy said do not leave this too late as anything can go wrong.

If you go to her home town to make the visa expect to stay at least seven working days for the visa process. You can however make the Q visa in Hong Kong and get the passport back the next day but you have to pay for this service, any travel agent in Hong Kong will know how.

My first Q visa was issued by her home town PSB but they are very difficult people and do not like expats so they gave me a 6 month only Visa, after that expired I made a new one in Hong Kong valid for 2 years but still have to leave and re enter every 6 months. Not a big deal as I like to shop in Honkers.


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## Zhongshan Billy (May 18, 2014)

I last trip to the PSB to renew my stay ended with my previous two years residents permit being increased to three years. It could have possibly been for longer but my passport expires at the same time. I do not have to leave China at all in the coming three years. 

Zhongshan Billy


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## Wikendwarrior (Mar 30, 2016)

I'm not sure about the release letter, but I moved to China with Q1 visa, my wife is Chinese and we have two kids born outside of China. I applied for Q1 visa with marriage certificate, birth certificates for the kids and invitation letter from my mother in law. From the Chinese embassy they told me that all the original documents need to be legalized, have Chinese's embassy stamp on all the pages, otherwise they're not going to be valid in China they said. That took me couple of weeks extra and it cost me some extra money, but when we moved here in China with all these documents stamped plus my wife's household registration book (the red book) we were issued temporary residence permit for foreigners without any questions asked. So, my point is, to avoid troubles later it's good to ask do you also need all the document legalized (stamped) by the Chinese embassy in your country, maybe is different from country to country?


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## Zhongshan Billy (May 18, 2014)

Wikendwarrior said:


> I'm not sure about the release letter, but I moved to China with Q1 visa, my wife is Chinese and we have two kids born outside of China. I applied for Q1 visa with marriage certificate, birth certificates for the kids and invitation letter from my mother in law. From the Chinese embassy they told me that all the original documents need to be legalized, have Chinese's embassy stamp on all the pages, otherwise they're not going to be valid in China they said.


The UK Authorities will not legalize birth and marriage certificates as they insist that the original is a Certified Copy of the entry in the G R O register.

Zhongshan Billy


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## Wikendwarrior (Mar 30, 2016)

Zhongshan Billy said:


> The UK Authorities will not legalize birth and marriage certificates as they insist that the original is a Certified Copy of the entry in the G R O register.
> 
> Zhongshan Billy


I was talking about legalization in the Chinese embassy, that's what they told me from the Chinese embassy in my country, to bring them all the originals for legalization in the Chinese embassy so I can use them later in China.


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## Zhongshan Billy (May 18, 2014)

Wikendwarrior said:


> I was talking about legalization in the Chinese embassy, that's what they told me from the Chinese embassy in my country, to bring them all the originals for legalization in the Chinese embassy so I can use them later in China.


When I first came to China in 2009 I had to have my paperwork (other than birth/marriage) legalised at the UK legalisation dept in Milton Keynes. Then I had to take them to the Chinese Embassy in London to get the red stamp on them. 

I was explaining the situation in the UK

Zhongshan Billy


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## bean481 (Jun 10, 2014)

Dot the 'i's and cross the 't's. No short cuts.


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## Eric in china (Jul 8, 2014)

bean481 said:


> Dot the 'i's and cross the 't's. No short cuts.


Absolutely there are no short cuts. Out of interest is your visa Q1 or Q2, mine is Q2 but not sure what the difference is between 1 & 2?


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## Dazz (May 19, 2016)

You should be ok, as your wife in a Chinese national. I believe (if you degree and experience stack up) that a reasonable school (like the International ones) will have no issue hiring you (even without the letter they know how some of the people use this as a threat leverage) and then you will have no issues


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## Eric in china (Jul 8, 2014)

Eric in china said:


> Absolutely there are no short cuts. Out of interest is your visa Q1 or Q2, mine is Q2 but not sure what the difference is between 1 & 2?


I did some research and it seems a Q1 visa will allow you to stay for the duration of the visa, but a Q2 visa means you will have to do an exit/entry into the country every 180 days.


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