This article was last updated 9th November 2024
For any questions please get contact with your Gold Star recruiter, or contact us here or speak with the HR department at your school.
Important note about your passport:
Your passport must have at least 1 year validity and 5 blank pages and have no damage such as creased pages or water damaged pages. If your passport does not meet these criteria your work visa could well be rejected, so please apply for a new passport.
1) Get required documents notarised and authenticated
Apply for a Police Clearance Certificate. This is an official statement from a national or local government agency stating that you do not have a criminal record in the country that issued your passport. This document will be valid for the purpose of the China visa application for six months from its issue date. The application may be made at any SAPS office by taking a copy of your identity document or passport, completing the application form at the office and paying the prescribed fee. Application forms are available online on the SAPS website and at all police stations.
Tip when applying for your Police Clearance: include a cover letter to the police captain explaining that you need the document urgently for a work visa application for China and include a copy of your school contract. There is a good chance they will issue the Police Clearance certificate much faster.
-Get your degree certificate, TEFL certificate (in some cases required, check with your school) and police clearance certificate notarized and authenticated
Process:
1- Degree certificate can be certified at South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA)
2- TEFL certificate can be notarised at a law firm and apostilled at the High Court of South Africa
2- The degree, TEFL and police clearance certificate documents can then be legalised at the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO). Email is Legalisation@dirco.gov.za
IMPORTANT UPDATE: DIRCO is now allowing walk-in appointments for documents to be notarised on the same day! Much quicker than doing it online.
The DIRCO office address is: OR Tambo Building, 460 Soutpansberg Road, Rietondale, Pretoria, 0084, Gauteng, South Africa.
The DIRCO office in Pretoria is the only office that issues the DIRCO apostille stamp in South Africa. DIRCO only accept original documents.
-Consider using a visa agent to assist with the process. They can offer free advice or take care of the entire process for a fee. Some suggested visa agents:
Easy Apostille
Be Authentic
SVS Services
Doc Assist
Road2Asia
VisaRequest
Google ‘China visa agents in South Africa’ for more options.
Medical check certificate
You may be required to provide this, however, you may not. Please check with your school to ask if it is required.
-Book an appointment with your local doctor
-Download and print this form and take it to the doctor’s with you
-You do NOT have to have the blood test, chest x-ray or ECC tests done
-Make sure the doctor writes ‘healthy’ and signs at the bottom of the form
-Doctor must stamp over your photo on the top right of the form and at the bottom of the form
-The health check certificate is valid for 6 months from date it was issued
2) Documents do NOT need to be authenticated by Chinese embassy anymore
-On 7th November 2023, China joined the Hague Convention, meaning that your documents do NOT need to be authenticated at the Chinese embassy anymore.
3) Email notarized and authenticated documents to your school in China
The school will use the documents to process the Work Permit Notification letter that you need to apply for the work visa.
4) Apply for your Chinese “Z” work visa from the visa center
– https://www.visaforchina.cn/globle/ – select your country and city
5) Book flight
-Confirm the target arrival date with your school before booking the flight.
6) Arrival at the airport
IMPORTANT: When you arrive at the airport you may need to provide the name, email address, phone number and address of a contact person from your school in China.
-Get to the airport at least 2 hours before your flight.
Things to bring:
-Passport
-All your original notarized documents (degree, TEFL, criminal background check)
-Phone with WeChat installed (recommended but not required)
-Name, phone number, email address and address of a contact person in China
-Download a VPN, if you wish, for use in China as they are hard to get once you arrive
Procedures may vary so be sure to check at each stage.
For teaching jobs in China please browse our Job Board.
About the Author: Frank
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