OK, so on that note I was wondering if you knew what I best consider doing. If I followed my sponsor's advice I could be turned back but on the other hand, she could be right. I just want to get it right first not that I am either rejected for a tourist visa or more likely, asked to leave the country again to apply for my work visa after having first entered the country on a tourist visa.

1. I hold multiple citizenships, but I would be using my Swiss passport in order to obtain my Chinese visa. If there is an issue about applying for a visa abroad (no matter if I go for the tourist visa first or the work visa) then I'll either get my passport fedexed to Switzerland, or better yet, I'll use my Australian passport and get it fedexed to Australia. I don't know the system in Switzerland or who would be willing to take care of things over there for me as I haven't lived there in many years. My family lives in Australia so that's where I would apply (by asking my parents to apply on my behalf if it comes to that). I will wait here in Thailand until I receive my passport complete with visa back. Although I was in Australia recently and I probably should have applied back then, it's a little too late now so fedexing my passport would be the only option if it comes to that.

2. I have an employer willing to sponsor me. I am an engineer so will be working for an agricultural/food processing company. I have met the boss numerous times and my sponsor, a good family friend has many times tried to reassure me about their ability to sponsor my visa. I won't start working for them unless (or until) I have a residence permit valid for work. Therefore I hope they can keep their promises.

3. I have read various reports on the internet about applying for visas, especially outside your home country. I heard that in the past month the Chinese Embassy in Bangkok has started to make life difficult for everyone, especially non-resident foreigners who want to apply for a simple tourist visa. Not only are hotel bookings and air tickets requested, but an invitation may be required too; the clerks may not want to issue a visa to a tourist or if so, will even in the case of a resident only issue a visa valid for the duration of the proposed stay, say 9 days rather than the full 30 days etc. All of this might only be temporary but it doesn't help if you want to go to China soon rather than in 3 or 6 months when things might go back to normal again.

4. My sponsor called up the Kunming PSB who told her that for me it's possible to arrive on a tourist visa and they would be willing to convert it to a residence permit valid for work. Hmm...not sure about that one, so who should I believe?

5. I agree. But it would be good if someone could share their experiences about my situation. Given the responses on this thread about going to Hong Kong to apply for a work visa not being a good idea, I wouldn't want to risk it either. Although I do have the email address of a good visa agent there and will send them an email to ask about what to do.

I thought you could get a tour to Mandalay via the Ruili checkpoint, but the cost of the permits is really high. I suppose as the country opens up more and more, the restrictions will start to disappear. I'm wondering just how dangerous the areas near the border are though. I believe the Burmese government previously didn't really want anyone crossing the border beyond a few hundred meters into the country and even then only for day trips (this includes Chinese visitors). My dad has however been able to cross this border with some Chinese business partners to view some growing sites located just beyond the border but in recent times no one (including his business associates) has returned there and I think they are contemplating moving the whole site either into Ruili or to Laos or Vietnam until the whole security and political/immigration situation gets sorted out.

A Chinese friend of mine went to Mandalay on a business sightseeing trip to explore opportunities there back in February or March but after he heard about the difficulties and expense in going overland via Ruili (effectively it was a no) he decided to fly from Kunming to Mandalay, where he encountered no difficulties at all.

I have been told by my sponsor that it is possible for me to arrive on a tourist visa and then convert it to a residence permit (for work purposes) in Kunming. I previously held a study residence permit but this permit expired today and I haven't been in Kunming (or anywhere else in China for that matter) since June.

I'm not sure who to believe since all the information I have been getting has been conflicting. I do know that it's not possible to change from a residence permit for study purposes to any other visa type or purpose of residence. However, my sponsor knows what she is doing and she telephoned the PSB in Kunming who confirmed the information I have mentioned above.

I don't know who's right, but there is an option to get a Z visa in other consulates/embassies. You have to get the paperwork sent there. I am either getting my residence permit (or Z visa) done in Bangkok or Kunming. If you couldn't get a work visa in another country, then there wouldn't be a supplementary visa form to fill out. There is no way any sane person would spend $1000 to go back to Europe or the USA just for a Chinese visa. If you have the right guanxi anything is possible anyway.

On another note, I was told by my sponsor that I could show up in Kunming on a tourist visa and the conversion to a work visa (i.e. residence permit) could be done there. My sponsor checked with the PSB and this is what they told her.

@TICexpats, I don't know why your friends "failed" to get a visa in the places you have outlined, but probably they didn't have all the documents they required. You need to have all the documents and your sponsor needs to send the paperwork to that specific consulate or embassy.

Logically, both sides would open and close at the same time, otherwise you would have a situation where people would get stuck in "no man's land". On Thaivisa.com, a British chap posted about how he got stuck in "no man's land" between Thailand and Malaysia. Not fun.