[jimbo]

Originally Posted by thetokyoproject

you;ve had 3 good years in hk..isn;t that enough?

why's it so important to stay in hk where you are barely making ends meet?

if your career is important to you, surely london has better opportunites and money!

3 Years? where did you get that idea from?

Ummm nope make it 10 months, I have family ties here and am setting up a business but of course it needs cold hard cash.

I'm getting there albeit slowly and who says I'm also barely making ends meet?

[sunniefaith]

jimbo, so sorry to hear of your situation.I'm arriving in about 4 weeks to start work. I've been researching for Masters program at HKU for both my husband and me. I do realise that it cost heaps and heaps more to do a MBA as compared to the other Masters programs. You might want to consider other study options other than a MBA. What about getting a job teaching English at some language school to buy you more time?

[jimbo]

Well I tried again at Immigration and brought my mother along!
They still refused so I now have to Leave by the 30th for definate.

If I can find somebody willing to sponsor me then I have to leave the country anyway as its going to take 4-6 weeks for them to agree to a work permit.

I've got a few Language centres to call so maybe I might get something.

[sunniefaith]

Isn't there like someone up there in immigration that you can speak to? If your parents are locals, wouldn't it be easy for you to get residency?

[dylonchua]

may be is not the end, it's just a new beginning, 3 weeks more, be positive. wish u good luck

[greentea]

Jimbo,

Can you study a Chinese (Cantonese) course instead of MBA course to get a student visa? I think doing a Master degree costs so much.

Anyway, wish you all luck.

[automatic]

Would it help getting a new blank passport and use it to re-enter on a tourist visa?

Not sure it would help, but just an idea.

[jimbo]

I'm not going to risk the replacement passport stunt to be honest as I think my cards are now marked.

I had a somewhat heated disagreement with the immigration officer today because they say on the tourist landing card it clearly states

'You are not allowed to engage in any employment whether paid or unpaid as a tourist'

I said to them that 'seeking employment and asking for a potential employer to sponsor me for a work permit cannot be classified as employment and how did they come to that conclusion? Thousands of people do it and you're saying its 'Illegal'?

She just said to me, 'sorry but we can't extend your stay'

sunniefaith

Yes residency is the next option and in the past immigration kept on stating that my parents need to produce a marriage certificate, In the old days they had a village wedding with the full ceremony etc but no certificate was issued. This is common in the new territories in the old days.

Thus in the past this was the issue we had, Now we are told today that a copy of my birth certifcate and my mother and deceased fathers details are enough. My Birth certificate is back in U.K thus I need to make a trip back to get it.

Due to the incompetance of immigration I'm still not confidant that I will get citizenship even if I do provide relevant paperwork.

[jayinhongkong]

That sucks Jimbo! You could try going up to Macau and just state that you needed to play a little baccarat before leaving. It probably doesn't help that you pissed immigration off though mate...lol

Technically you're NOT supposed to look for work on a tourist visa but a lot of people do do this...it's discouraged but it isn't illegal per se.

[jimbo]

Originally Posted by jayinhongkong

That sucks Jimbo! You could try going up to Macau and just state that you needed to play a little baccarat before leaving. It probably doesn't help that you pissed immigration off though mate...lol

Technically you're NOT supposed to look for work on a tourist visa but a lot of people do do this...it's discouraged but it isn't illegal per se.

I might still try the stunt though, book the ticket back and head off to macau if they question me on my return I'll just say I was visting friends before heading back to u.k and show them my plane ticket to heathrow.

Two different immigration officials both said 'its illegal' and of course I know they're wrong or maybe its there poor english vocab skills?