Moving back to China

[foobaz123]

It's been a while since I've posted here and I'm sorry for that and I'm sorry that the first time I'm doing so is to ask a question, but I need to know...

 

If we decided to move back to China and I was able to keep my US based job, a long shot, what sort of visa would I need to be able to live in China with the wife while having a US based job?

 

What other issues and concerns should I be aware of?

 

I realize this may be a complicated question but I have to start somewhere, no?

[Randy W]

It's been a while since I've posted here and I'm sorry for that and I'm sorry that the first time I'm doing so is to ask a question, but I need to know...

 

If we decided to move back to China and I was able to keep my US based job, a long shot, what sort of visa would I need to be able to live in China with the wife while having a US based job?

 

What other issues and concerns should I be aware of?

 

I realize this may be a complicated question but I have to start somewhere, no?

 

 

That would be a long commute, no?

 

What exactly do you mean? Would you work in China for a Chinese branch of an American company? Would you work over the Internet (VPN or otherwise) to a U.S. company?

 

You can live in China with your wife with or without a job. Spousal visas are available which will allow an indefinite stay through her PSB Entry and Exit Bureau.

[foobaz123]

 

It's been a while since I've posted here and I'm sorry for that and I'm sorry that the first time I'm doing so is to ask a question, but I need to know...

 

If we decided to move back to China and I was able to keep my US based job, a long shot, what sort of visa would I need to be able to live in China with the wife while having a US based job?

 

What other issues and concerns should I be aware of?

 

I realize this may be a complicated question but I have to start somewhere, no?

 

 

That would be a long commute, no?

 

What exactly do you mean? Would you work in China for a Chinese branch of an American company? Would you work over the Internet (VPN or otherwise) to a U.S. company?

 

You can live in China with your wife with or without a job. Spousal visas are available which will allow an indefinite stay through her PSB Entry and Exit Bureau.

 

 

The ideal plan would be to work over the Internet. I've done it before on various levels of officialness but never for long enough that Visa status or work status and such could come into the picture. Are you saying that if my company here agreed to it we could, in theory, move to China "tomorrow" once a visa was secured and that would be that?

[Randy W]

 

 

It's been a while since I've posted here and I'm sorry for that and I'm sorry that the first time I'm doing so is to ask a question, but I need to know...

 

If we decided to move back to China and I was able to keep my US based job, a long shot, what sort of visa would I need to be able to live in China with the wife while having a US based job?

 

What other issues and concerns should I be aware of?

 

I realize this may be a complicated question but I have to start somewhere, no?

 

 

That would be a long commute, no?

 

What exactly do you mean? Would you work in China for a Chinese branch of an American company? Would you work over the Internet (VPN or otherwise) to a U.S. company?

 

You can live in China with your wife with or without a job. Spousal visas are available which will allow an indefinite stay through her PSB Entry and Exit Bureau.

 

 

The ideal plan would be to work over the Internet. I've done it before on various levels of officialness but never for long enough that Visa status or work status and such could come into the picture. Are you saying that if my company here agreed to it we could, in theory, move to China "tomorrow" once a visa was secured and that would be that?

 

 

 

It's unclear what you're thinking - all you need to go to China is a plane ticket and a visa. Yes, tomorrow would do fine (get same day ser4vice on the visa). Move?? Bring a toothbrush.

 

The detail that you haven't provided is this - where would you be paid? It sounds like you'll still be working in the U.S. via the Internet. Don't quote me on this, but I don't think China restricts (or taxes)any foreign earnings until you've been there for 5 years.

[foobaz123]

 

 

 

It's been a while since I've posted here and I'm sorry for that and I'm sorry that the first time I'm doing so is to ask a question, but I need to know...

 

If we decided to move back to China and I was able to keep my US based job, a long shot, what sort of visa would I need to be able to live in China with the wife while having a US based job?

 

What other issues and concerns should I be aware of?

 

I realize this may be a complicated question but I have to start somewhere, no?

 

 

That would be a long commute, no?

 

What exactly do you mean? Would you work in China for a Chinese branch of an American company? Would you work over the Internet (VPN or otherwise) to a U.S. company?

 

You can live in China with your wife with or without a job. Spousal visas are available which will allow an indefinite stay through her PSB Entry and Exit Bureau.

 

 

The ideal plan would be to work over the Internet. I've done it before on various levels of officialness but never for long enough that Visa status or work status and such could come into the picture. Are you saying that if my company here agreed to it we could, in theory, move to China "tomorrow" once a visa was secured and that would be that?

 

 

 

It's unclear what you're thinking - all you need to go to China is a plane ticket and a visa. Yes, tomorrow would do fine (get same day ser4vice on the visa). Move?? Bring a toothbrush.

 

The detail that you haven't provided is this - where would you be paid? It sounds like you'll still be working in the U.S. via the Internet. Don't quote me on this, but I don't think China restricts (or taxes)any foreign earnings until you've been there for 5 years.

 

 

I guess I always just assumed that if I was working there I'd need a different status than if I was just visiting for a long time. Even if I was working over the Internet. Of course, they wouldn't know that until I had been there for a while and started wondering how I was supporting myself I guess.

 

Sorry if I'm being unclear, it was a rather sudden thought and not well thought out.

[Fu Lai]

just have your pay go to your US bank in the USA and use your debit/credit card in China, I do

[Randy W]

 

 

 

I guess I always just assumed that if I was working there I'd need a different status than if I was just visiting for a long time. Even if I was working over the Internet. Of course, they wouldn't know that until I had been there for a while and started wondering how I was supporting myself I guess.

 

Sorry if I'm being unclear, it was a rather sudden thought and not well thought out.

 

 

You're supporting yourself with money from the States. No need to hide that.

 

It's up to you to work out the details. You might consider a trial run - say, three months here until you can decide for yourself if it's legal, and if it's something you want to do.

 

Your wife should be able to get you an unlimited stay, one year L-visa or residence permit based on your marriage to her. These are obtained from the PSB Entry/Exit Bureau AFTER you've arrived on the L-visa from the overseas consulate. Of course, you won't need one if you decide not to stay.

 

Speaking for myself, I believe in keeping a presence at the office - meaning I would prefer to go in at least 2 or 3 days a week. That may depend on your line of work, though.

[foobaz123]

 

 

 

 

I guess I always just assumed that if I was working there I'd need a different status than if I was just visiting for a long time. Even if I was working over the Internet. Of course, they wouldn't know that until I had been there for a while and started wondering how I was supporting myself I guess.

 

Sorry if I'm being unclear, it was a rather sudden thought and not well thought out.

 

 

You're supporting yourself with money from the States. No need to hide that.

 

It's up to you to work out the details. You might consider a trial run - say, three months here until you can decide for yourself if it's legal, and if it's something you want to do.

 

Your wife should be able to get you an unlimited stay, one year L-visa or residence permit based on your marriage to her. These are obtained from the PSB Entry/Exit Bureau AFTER you've arrived on the L-visa from the overseas consulate. Of course, you won't need one if you decide not to stay.

 

Speaking for myself, I believe in keeping a presence at the office - meaning I would prefer to go in at least 2 or 3 days a week. That may depend on your line of work, though.

 

 

I'm already 100% remote and we don't even have an office to maintain a presence in. It's a rather unique situation where the entire company from the CEO down work remotely. We have an office that we rent for certain purposes but in general the whole company is 'virtual' as it were.

 

Aside from the legal aspects my concerns would be making the connection work. I was able to work from there (China) a good bit this most recent trip but I found that my ipsec VPN kept dropping connections. This was on hotel internet for the most part but I wonder if there wasn't some GFW action involved as well. I haven't checked on the concentrator to see if the logs said anything at the time.

 

If this were to happen it would probably be several months from now if not longer so there is time to work it all out I think. Of course, this all assumes that my current company would allow this in the first place. If not I'm not sure how much luck I'd have getting a job paying even a quarter of what I'm making now in my current field in China with a Chinese company.

[2mike&jin]

Just a comment on the internet connectivity. When I lived in China - and had to be connected to my Washington Company - I was frustrated more often than not. Basically, if I needed to do on-line VPN stuff - I did it from about 12 PM - 7:30 AM, as it was the only time my internet, in the home, would perform well enough. Yes, I was in a modern City (Xiamen), and yes I had paid for the "FASTEST" home service available. There was a time when I considered "trying" to put a "Commercial Business" internet connection in the home - but prior to installing I went to several businesses that I knew people from, including the manager at the Sofitel, and asked to use their business internet. In short, it wasn't any faster making connections to the US, via a VPN or basic connection that my home connection was during the off - TV hours. (I.e. I guess everyone understands the Chinese watch movies and tv shows over the internet) So I maintained the "home connection" and just dealt with the issue. I equated the speed to about a 64K line of OLD. Great in it's day - but miserable in today's environment. Best of Luck - your mileage may vary.

[foobaz123]

Just a comment on the internet connectivity. When I lived in China - and had to be connected to my Washington Company - I was frustrated more often than not. Basically, if I needed to do on-line VPN stuff - I did it from about 12 PM - 7:30 AM, as it was the only time my internet, in the home, would perform well enough. Yes, I was in a modern City (Xiamen), and yes I had paid for the "FASTEST" home service available. There was a time when I considered "trying" to put a "Commercial Business" internet connection in the home - but prior to installing I went to several businesses that I knew people from, including the manager at the Sofitel, and asked to use their business internet. In short, it wasn't any faster making connections to the US, via a VPN or basic connection that my home connection was during the off - TV hours. (I.e. I guess everyone understands the Chinese watch movies and tv shows over the internet) So I maintained the "home connection" and just dealt with the issue. I equated the speed to about a 64K line of OLD. Great in it's day - but miserable in today's environment. Best of Luck - your mileage may vary.

 

The big problem didn't seem to be speed so much as it was the tunnel kept breaking down. When it was up the speed was just fine, when considering it was going from one side of the world to the other. Next time I'm over there I'll give an SSL based VPN a spin and see if that is more reliable.

[Beachey]

When I was in China on an expat assignment, I paid for a personal VPN that worked OK. I ended up using my company's VPN most of the time because it worked much better. Now this is a very large technology company where we are required to log into a VPN whenever we access the company network. My strategy was to log into whatever worldwide geographical node was sleeping which did help.

 

I also experienced the 8 AM to 1 PM slowness. As an example, a rather large group of us watched the Super Bowl ( which started Monday morning at 6 AM) over an internet connection. We had no issues the first half but the second half (or starting about 8 AM) the signal kept cutting out.

 

If you were to work from China, you will find about Midnight to 8 AM is US business hours so you may find yourself working some of those hour any way.

[Randy W]

I have good response on my VPN - ExpressVPN - at any time. It's not entirely trouble-free, though.

 

The Great Firewall doesn't block VPN's - they block servers. That is, they can detect VPN servers by monitoring traffic, or even simply by obtaining the list of servers from a provider. Secure connections to banks and other financial institutions are left alone.

 

So a VPN server from your company may be the best solution, since you'd be the only one using it.

 

I've found that the TCP connections work the best, since they're not "always on" - that is, it doesn't leave an active "pipeline". Witopia (another VPN company) uses a UDP connection to the dedicated OpenVPN port (4420) for most of its servers, with only a handful of "best for China" servers. Guess how easy that is to detect.

[Fu Lai]

no problems here, I get 2mb down and up all the time, good enough and commercial VPN too

[ama537621]

MY connection in Jinshan district Shanghai is fine, I am still staying in a hotel until my apartment is ready. I would assume that my apartment/house will be just as fast as it is 1.5 blocks from my hotel. I also use VPN most of the time on my computer, the only time I do not use it is for Skype and QQ, both my company web filter blocks.

[Fu Lai]

I mainly use VPN only for youtube and some schoolwork sites that are blocked.