I've been offered some music gigs with pay in Yunnan, however I'm currently here on a spousal visa. I've played for money in Xiamen and Guangzhou w/o ever having a problem, but I at least I had a work visa in those years as a teacher at international schools. Does anyone know of foreigners getting busted for gigs without a visa? If so, how was it resolved?

Yes, in Dali. A lot of my friends got in trouble in Dali. You need a special Visa as a performer. The PSB doesn't care if you have a work visa for another job.

So be careful. Most bar managers will not bother to use their connections to keep you out of trouble. Some even throw you right under the bus.

Unless you have a work visa for the place you plan on working, the music venue, then you may as well do it on a spouse, travel, business visa etc.

A work visa doesn't entitle you to work carte blanche, only for your place of employment ie. The company who sponcors your work visa.

Being an English teacher with a work visa doesn't mean you can legally work as a musician, baker or candlestick maker when it suits. It also doesn't mean you are free to do classes at other schools on the side.

The short answer for your question is you're probably already in as good of a position to do what you want to do, there is nothing more a work visa would protect you from in this case. You take your chances make sure you're paid accordingly.

Chances of it going tits up? Slim most likely.

As was mentioned, there is a completely different visa category for visiting performances and artists.

That said, I suspect that it is techically even impossible for one person to hold multiple concurrent China visas/RPs. At least I've never heard of such case.

So if you have a visa or RP for being here already, it could be that even if you were insert-a-mega-star-of-your-choice, you could not get that another visa for your gig.

I would definitely go straight to the source and confirm your options from Entry & Exit. Perhaps they can give you a special permission to proceed with your gigs.

Imagine for example, that Adele or whoever would decide to immigrate to China (on whatever visa/RP), much to China to brag about, and then never be able to perform here.

Thanks guys! Yes, I had heard rumors of problems in Dali.

We'll see what happens, and I'll let y'all know.