[mike2525]

the center probably screwed something up, you should be able to get one. Read about it yourself, ask the company for what immigration wants from them, get it sorted out yourself, and try again.

also, are you applying for a work visa or a change of stay?

[leghk]

If all else fails, your qualifications should allow you to get a work visa in China. There are lots of jobs in Shenzhen/Guangzhou. Although not perfect you should be able to meet up with your girlfriend regularly and gain some valuable experience.

Beware of the visa changes for China if you do consider this. Lots of schools are still saying enter on a tourist visa and change to work visa in China. This is no longer an option. As you are not an HKID card holder you may also have to return to UK to process visa.

Good luck.

[Hamton]

Sucks to hear that, kind of surprised you got it refused. I've seen plenty of fresh grad TEFL teachers with zero experience get visas to work as NETs.

I think your employer or whoever submitted the application, botched something up. They left out some required paperwork or didn't polish up your CV appropriately.

I almost had something similar happen -- I'm roughly your age with similar degree/experience levels and also in a similar relationship -- but I got the visa, though there was an enquiry from the immigration department a few weeks in, as my employer had left out some vital information... said information turned out to be... my CV and references!! Which I had of course fully provided months before, the company's HR girl had just been completely air-headed. But anyway, she faxed those through the next day, and two days later I had the work permit.

Odds are your refusal was due to your employer screwing up the paperwork or leaving something out.

Especially when you're working as a native English teacher, where the "why can't a local do your job?" bit is blazingly obvious.

[Hamton]

By the way, I'm not an English teacher. Though for native English teachers it should be even easier.

[longbeard]

Try getting an Lawyer to have things sorted with your Working Permit Application.. But the company alone should be the one to sort things out.

[Mattny81]

Originally Posted by turnjet

Another thought; what are the possibilities I can get a dependant visa being as my g/f and I have been together for almost four years.

After having a look at other threads like this, it seems highly unlikely if you arent' married.

We have lived together for over three of those years in England.

For one, leave HK for a day, 24 hours is usually on the safer side. then return... your passport will be stamped with a new date in which you are "allowed to stay".

were you and your GF living together while this time you went out? If so get proof, and go home, apply for common law marriage. Its an easy solution.

[Hamton]

I thought common law marriage wasn't recognised in Hong Kong?

Though I did hear of a few unmarried people getting dependant visas under exceptional circumstances... but I think those people had joint mortgages and children.

[turnjet]

Ho-hum, I really don't know what to do now. I'm off to Macau on Thursday to get my passport renewed. Me and my girlfriend have decided to get married as well!

Now, you say the company botched up, i'm now thinking i'm rushing into things. I've just emailed the company asking them if they sent all the relevant information (scans of CV, references, qualifications, etc). I also have another company who want me, but I told them I want the previous company as they've already took the step to sponsor me.

Should I now ask the new company to start the application process?

[Mattny81]

Originally Posted by turnjet

Ho-hum, I really don't know what to do now. I'm off to Macau on Thursday to get my passport renewed. Me and my girlfriend have decided to get married as well!

Now, you say the company botched up, i'm now thinking i'm rushing into things. I've just emailed the company asking them if they sent all the relevant information (scans of CV, references, qualifications, etc). I also have another company who want me, but I told them I want the previous company as they've already took the step to sponsor me.

Should I now ask the new company to start the application process?

I dunno, I was told by my future employer that they will help me write my letter to my visa and it will be no problem getting it.

Hamton... I've only noticed in forums that people say common law is not accepted. and Until someone can post the section of law or link to a government site, that states this I won't believe what they say. The Laws are still VERY simular to England. and I have done a lot of searching and come up with nothing... something to consider.

[Hamton]

Originally Posted by turnjet

Me and my girlfriend have decided to get married as well!

Now, you say the company botched up, i'm now thinking i'm rushing into things. I've just emailed the company asking them if they sent all the relevant information (scans of CV, references, qualifications, etc).

Try to see exactly what forms your company submitted for you. If possible, phone up immigration and ask if you were lacking any required documentation for your application (they say not to phone them, but sometimes a call seems to work).

A native English teacher with a degree and a TEFL really shouldn't have many problems getting a work permit. Unless perhaps there was something wrong with the employer.


As for marriage... well, it's up to you and your girlfriend. It would solve everything visa-wise.

I talked about getting married with my girlfriend during the visa process, as we weren't sure how it would go, but in the end the work permit came through quite quickly. But then we decided to get married anyway -- so a month later, we got married, and then decided to apply for a dependant visa for the hell of it.

Turns out it was a good move -- I ended up wanting to leave my job and had a better offer elsewhere, and had fortunately switched from my work permit to a dependant visa, so it was easy to make the change. That's the nice thing about not being tied down to a job because of the work permit.


Except of course, when you suddenly get married, after having lived together for a few years beforehand, it's quite strange. Nothing had really changed, but now we're "husband and wife" with rings on our fingers. It takes some getting used to. I think we still feel like girlfriend and boyfriend just acting as a married couple, as we're still both young. But other than that, it's all fine.