Teacher Visa & Relocation Guide
A practical orientation for incoming WZIS teachers — from offer letter to your first 30 days in Weihai.
This guide walks you through the Chinese visa process for foreign teachers — which visa you need, what documents to prepare, how to authenticate them, and what to expect once you arrive. Our HR team partners with you at every step. The single most important thing you can do is send digital scans early so we can catch errors before you pay for any official services.
Video Overview
This overview was generated with Google NotebookLM as a quick orientation. For official requirements, refer to the PDF guide and contact careers@wzis.org.
Three Golden Rules
Internalize these before you start. They will save you weeks of frustration.
Geography Dictates Policy
Visa regulations vary significantly depending on your home country and local Chinese embassy. What worked for a colleague may not apply to you. Always confirm current requirements with your local embassy.
Precision is Absolute
Chinese bureaucratic standards are exacting. A single missing date or incorrect stamp will cause rejections. Strict compliance is non-negotiable.
Relentless Communication
Our HR team is your guide. Send digital scans of every document for our review before paying for any official services or booking flights — letting us catch errors early saves time and money.
Which Visa Do You Need?
Two pathways exist for incoming teachers. Your post-qualification experience determines which one applies to you.
Student Visa (X-Visa)
- Condition
- Less than two years of post-qualification teaching experience.
- Status
- Entitles you to the same work privileges as a Work Visa.
- Progression
- Upgraded to a Z-Visa after completing two years of experience.
- Dependents
- Cannot bring dependents into China.
Work Visa (Z-Visa)
- Condition
- More than two years of post-qualification experience + Bachelor's Degree + full teaching certificate.
- Status
- Standard employment visa for experienced educators.
- Progression
- Requires an official Letter of Invitation with an Alien License Number prior to application.
- Dependents
- Can bring dependents (requires extensive family documentation).
The Core Dossier
Documents required of every applicant, regardless of visa type. Begin gathering these as early as possible — but mind the 6-month expiration trap.
Passport & Photos
12 months validity remaining and 2 blank pages. Digital photos on white background, 354×472 px, JPG, 40–120 KB, plus 2–4 printed copies.
Degree Certificate
Bachelor's degree or higher. Original diploma required. Must undergo the full Chain of Authentication and be translated if not in English or Chinese.
Work Experience Certificate
Must detail strictly post-graduation experience. Specific formatting matters — see the PDF for the full anatomy of a perfect work certificate.
Criminal Background Check
Issued by a national police or judicial authority within the last 6 months. Must be authenticated/apostilled.
Medical Examination
Dated within 6 months. Must be from a Chinese-authority-approved clinic OR completed immediately after arrival in China.
TEFL / TESOL / CELTA
Required if your degree is not in education or you lack a teaching license. Must be 120+ hours.
The Chain of Authentication
Required for degrees, background checks, and all family certificates. Each step must be completed in order.
Notarization
Your original document is authenticated by a registered Notary Public in the issuing country.
Local Foreign Affairs
The notarized document is then stamped by your local, regional, or national Foreign Affairs office (or equivalent government body).
Chinese Embassy
Finally, the Chinese Embassy or Consulate in your home country stamps and legalizes the verified document.
Use a visa agency. We highly recommend using a visa agency to navigate this chain quickly and correctly. UK applicants can use visaforchina.org. Other countries have local equivalents — your assigned WZIS HR contact can advise.
Common Pitfalls
The most frequent reasons visa applications get rejected or delayed.
Same-Name Affidavit
The names on your passport, degree, and background check must match exactly. If a name has changed (e.g., due to marriage), you must provide a notarized, authenticated Same-Name Affidavit.
Date Overlap
The dates on your Work Experience Certificates must have zero overlap with your academic study years — i.e., the work must demonstrably be post-graduation.
The 6-Month Expiration Trap
Criminal Background Checks and Medical Exams are only valid for 6 months. Do not acquire them too early in the process or they will expire before arrival.
Bringing Your Family
Z-Visa holders only. Each dependent requires their own complete documentation set.
Required Documents
- •Spouse: Marriage Certificate
- •Children: Birth Certificates
- •Individual passports for each family member
- •Digital photos for each family member (3.5 × 4.5 cm)
Required Processing
- •Every marriage and birth certificate must be translated into Chinese
- •Every certificate must run through the complete Chain of Authentication
- •The school can only process the Letter of Invitation once these authenticated steps are complete
Flight Logistics: The 30-Day Window
You will initially apply for a 1-month tourist or work visa at your local embassy. Because of this, you must book a flight that adheres to strict entry/exit rules:
- The Rule: You must present a return flight booked within the 1-month period of your initial arrival.
- Example: If you arrive on August 12th, your return flight must be booked for September 11th or earlier.
- The Workaround: With most airlines, this return flight can be altered at a later date for a small fee, allowing you to move it to a suitable school vacation. Confirm this policy with your airline before booking.
Your First 30 Days in Weihai
What to expect after you land. The school guides you through every step.
- Day 1
Arrival & Dormitory Registration
Enter China on your initial 1-month tourist (X) or work (Z) visa and settle in.
- Within 2 weeks
Medical Check
The school will organize your official health examination at an approved local clinic.
- Following days
Public Security Bureau (PSB) Visit
The school will escort you to the local PSB to have your official photo taken and to register your residency.
- Mid-month
Visa Upgrade
Your initial 1-month visa is exchanged for a 1-year multiple-entry residence visa.
- Day 30
Foreign Expert Certificate (FEC)
Z-Visa holders receive their FEC. For security reasons, the school normally holds this document, but it can be borrowed when necessary.
The Final Protocol
Digital first. Physical always.
Scan Everything
Keep pristine digital scans (PDF + JPG) of every single document in your dossier.
School Review Pipeline
Send these scans to our HR team for review before you pay for any notarizations, authentications, or flights. Let us catch errors early.
Carry the Originals
When it is time to fly, bring all physical, stamped original documents in your carry-on luggage. They are your key to Weihai.
Have Questions?
Our HR team is ready to help you build your blueprint. Reach out anytime — early questions are easier than late surprises.