China Z Visa Guide

After accepting a teaching position in China, you’ll be required to obtain a Z Visa. This will allow you to enter the country and legally start teaching at a school. At a glance, the Z Visa can seem a little daunting, but we promise it’s not as scary as it looks! If you secure your job in China via Teach English Global, we’ll guide you through the entire Z Visa process from start to finish, as part of our service. We’ll do our best to make the overall experience as quick, easy, and stress-free as possible for you! On this page, our Chinese Z Visa Guide outlines exactly what you can expect, starting from the minute you accept a job, and finishing with your first day of teaching in China

To start the process of obtaining your Chinese Z Visa, you’ll need to collect the following documentation:
Valid Passport

You must hold a passport from one of the following countries: Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, South Africa, the United Kingdom, or the United States.
Your passport must have at least 12 months until it expires, and three clear pages.
Bachelor’s Degree

You’ll need your physical bachelor’s degree certificate.
A copy of this will then need to be notarised by a notary public and have an apostille attached by your government to be fully authenticated.
TEFL Certificate
You’ll need to have a minimum 120-hour TEFL certificate.
A copy of this will then need to be notarised by a notary public and have an apostille attached by your government to be fully authenticated.
Criminal Record Check
You’ll need to obtain a criminal record check. Depending on whereabouts you are from, these can have different names, such as DBS check (UK) or FBI/State-level background check (USA), etc.
This will then need to be notarised by a notary public and have an apostille attached by your government to be fully authenticated.
Passport Photos
You’ll need several full-colour passport photos. These will be used at various stages of the visa process.
Work Permit Application Form
You’ll need to fill in a work permit application form. This is a standard two-page form, which covers basic questions about you and your background.
Medical Form
Some schools will request that you undergo a medical assessment in your home country at the start of the visa process.
They’ll provide you with a specific ‘Foreigner Physical Examination Form’ to be completed by a doctor.