I've just been told by an admin officer at a prospective employer in Beijing (a school) that visa transfer between here and there is less complex than I was led to believe, and a Criminal Record Clearance only involves a trip to the local PSB.
To say I am skeptical is an understatement. I have been filling in forms all week to get clearance from England for a 1000 yuan + fee.
Is she right? Should I continue with my current process to dot i's and cross t's?
There seems to be a dearth of easily available unambiguous information out there. Even previous threads I've looked at seem to give conflicting advice. Any help will be much appreciated!
@amjec
Regrettably, you're looking for comfort where none exists. You're assuming China has a standardized rule of law that is applied nationally - however laws are subject to local interpretation and rigorousness.
As you're applying for Beijing - then you're mostly in luck - the laws that Beijing promulgates are reasonably consistent and flexible if one errs by accident (and apologizes profusely, along with a written letter of apology - in both chinese and one's mother tongue).
If there's a mistake - just blame the school, apologize profusely, pay the nominal fine (which your school should front) and move forwards.
Best of luck living in the PM2.5 center of mass...
@laotou
Many thanks for the full and frank answer! I thought I was expecting too much of an easy life. I'm still undecided as to whether to go as there are a good few options here, albeit for less dosh, but obviously the easier the prevailing hoops are to jump through, the better able I am to make a decision.
The school itself have been ultra efficient in giving me information so far (something I am definitely not used to!) and the lady I've been talking to seems very clued up on the whole process, but it is completely at odds with other advice. How I long for bog standard, annoyingly consistent British bureaucracy in this instance!
One question! Why would you want to leave beautiful Yunnan (where you can breathe) to the polluted hell that is Beijing (where you can't)?
I've just done this, but the other way round. Boy, am I glad to be out of that hell hole!
PS Good luck with your visa! :P
@mPrin
Two reasons - a) To use a football analogy, it's nice to be courted and valued by a glamourous'big city club' and b) money (although that is much the weaker of the two reasons).
As I said, I haven't made my mind up yet, but regardless, as an unashamed city boy, the charms of beautiful Yunnan are a bit wasted on me! I love to see neon lights and pretty women walking down the street. Mountains and trees don't do much for the speed of the beat of my heart. Sad but true!
