Congratulations! You have been selected for an amazing opportunity; however, a lot lies ahead. This guide will serve to guide you through the process that begins immediately after you are offered a position in China.

• Step 1- Document Preparation

               Ideally, you should begin to prepare all the documentation you can before you are offered a position; as some of the documentation depending on the country where you reside can take a while to procure. Below is a short list of all the documents you will need; an asterisk (*) will indicate if each item can be procured before an offer or at the beginning of your relationship with The Bridge to Success 

• Police Certificate of Character / Criminal Record Report *; The name varies from country to country however this one is very important. It is usually acquired from your country’s law enforcement office. This document must be copied that copy must then be verified both by your country’s Foreign Affairs Office and your local Chinese Embassy/Consulate, this process will cost some money; please check with your local authorities to see how much.

• Degree/Diploma*; Depending on your situation you may have just graduated and may be still awaiting this document. When it is in your possession a Copy must be prepared. This copy must be verified by your country’s Education Authority, Foreign Affairs Office and your local Chinese Embassy/Consulate. This process will cost some money; please check with your local authorities to see how much.

• A Scan of your passport*; This one is simple, just make sure that the information page, your photo and other information is visible.

• A passport photo/small photo*; A recent photograph of you that you are easily identifiable.

• Your Resume*; As with any job your resume is important. You will have already given this to The Bridge to Success before your job offer however make sure to update it during the process and present it with your other documents. Please make sure your education or/and employment history is accurately recorded as MM/YYYY ( Starting time --- Ending Time).

• Reference Letters: Most schools will require at least two (2) letters of reference. These should be as current as possible. If possible, acquiring them after a job offer is best. References from previous employer or your academic institution are the kind of references required. The preferred format of the reference is with official Letter Head, Name, Phone Number, Email and signature are required from a referenece to make a good reference letter.

• TESOL/TEFL Certificate*: If your Degree is in English or Education or if you posses 2 years teaching experience; this certification is not usually required. However, if you have a degree in something else and/or no teaching experience you will need this certification. This copy must be verified by your country’s Education Authority, Foreign Affairs Office and your local Chinese Embassy/Consulate. Requirements for this document vary from Provence to Provence and School to School; It is best to have it in your portfolio just in case. This process will cost some money; please check with your local authorities to see how much.

• Physical Examination Form; This form will be provided to you by the bridge to success or is readily available on your embassy’s website. You should go to your family Doctor to have the form filled. (After COVID-19 This step will be more important) a photo at the upper right corner and a seal on the photo is required by some provincial government offices. Of course, signature by the doctor is a must. So, the suggestion is to have, name, signature and seal if possible and available.

• Step 2 - Document Delivery

            After all your documents have been gathered AND certified by the various authorities. They must be delivered to The Bridge to Success and your perspective Employer immediately. There your employer will be working on permissions to allow you to apply for a work VISA. This process can take a while (between 1-4weeks) and can include different things that vary form Provence to Provence.

• Please be patient your employer is working on it; During this time, you should begin to prepare yourself mentally for travel and tie up any loose ends you may have in your life at home! Enjoy time at your favourite spot! Hang out with friends and Enjoy your family! You are about to leave for a year or more!

• Step 3 – VISA ACQUISITION

              Finally! Your employer has acquired the Work PERMIT for your work VISA; now its back into gear for you. You will be provided with a documents (both in English and Chinese) that indicates to the Embassy/Consulate that your Employer had attained permission for your Work Permit take this document; Along with the others prepared and certified before-hand and your passport to your local Embassy/Consulate. In some cases, your local Embassy/Consulate may also require a travel itinerary as proof of intent to travel; please check the website before you apply to see if this is required.

               FEES: Depending on your location the price of your VISA Application will vary. The price should be listed on your local Embassy/Consulate Website with variations for the speed at which your Visa can be processed. 

• Step 4 – Travel to China!

                Yay! You did it and now you are about to leave. Depending on your location this will probably be the longest journey you will ever take.

ACQUIRING PLANE TICKETS:  Some schools will pay for your airfare and select your flight for you. Others may require you to do this on your own with your own money to be reimbursed after you arrive in China. Your Employer will indicate to you which option is yours.

TRANSIT-VISA

If you do not have a Visa for the country which you need to transit through you should be getting one as soon as you start your relationship with the Bridge to Success.

In the Case of Travel from the Caribbean; Hello lovely Caribbean person, some kind advice for you from a fellow islander. If you are already in possession of an American Visa this route to China may be the best for you (That is if COVID-19 is not still plaguing America at the time you need to travel)

If you are from BARBADOS, and you are not in possession of a US VISA Travel through Canada is the better option for you. ETA’s are inexpensive and instant to acquire online. It only costs $7 CAD.

Below is a list from the ETA website that shows the countries who only require an ETA.

Visa-exempt travelers

The following travelers need an Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) to board their flight to Canada. However, these travellers do not need an eTA if entering by land or sea – for instance driving from the U.S. or coming by bus, train, or boat, including cruise ship.

• Andorra
• Australia
• Austria
• Bahamas
• Barbados
• Belgium
• British citizen
• British National (Overseas)
• British overseas citizen (re-admissible to the United Kingdom)
• British overseas territory citizen with citizenship through birth, descent, naturalization or registration in one of the British overseas territories of:
  • Anguilla
  • Bermuda
  • British Virgin Islands
  • Cayman Islands
  • Falkland Islands (Malvinas)
  • Gibraltar
  • Montserrat
  • Pitcairn Island
  • Saint Helena
  • Turks and Caicos Islands
• British Subject with a right of abode in the United Kingdom
• Brunei Darussalam
• Bulgaria
• Chile
• Croatia
• Cyprus
• Czech Republic
• Denmark
• Estonia
• Finland
• France
• Germany
• Greece
• Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People’s Republic of China, must have a passport issued by Hong Kong SAR.
• Hungary
• Iceland
• Ireland
• Israel, must have a national Israeli passport
• Italy
• Japan
• Republic of Korea
• Latvia
• Liechtenstein
• Lithuania
• Luxembourg
• Malta
• Mexico
• Monaco
• Netherlands
• New Zealand
• Norway
• Papua New Guinea
• Poland
• Portugal
• Romania (electronic passport holders only)
• Samoa
• San Marino
• Singapore
• Slovakia
• Slovenia
• Solomon Islands
• Spain
• Sweden
• Switzerland
• Taiwan, must have an ordinary passport issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Taiwan that includes the personal identification number
• United Arab Emirates
• United States, lawful permanent resident of
• Vatican City State, must have a passport or travel document issued by the Vatican.

• Step 5– You are in China!

• Your employer will either be at the airport exit to wait for you or give you clear instruction where to meet to pick you up
• You will be delivered to campus with the furnished apartment ready to sleep
• Now your new life starts

Once tickets are sorted, transit is sorted, and you have a travel date it is time to go! Save travels and congratulations! For advice to see what to do when you arrive check out our other blogpost on Arrival and Life in China.