Through a series of unfortunate circumstances my friend who is living in Tianjin no longer has a valid visa. She now wishes to leave the country; she understands that she must pay the fine ( as I understand: 500 kuai a day up to 10 days expired i.e. maximum 5000 RMB)..but does anyone know anyone else who has been in this situation? Is she likely to get held up at the airport when paying the fine? Is she likely to get black-listed from re-applying for another visa if she wants to come back? I've tried ringing the chinese Embassy here in London for her but can't get through to anyone.
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Hi there - she's actually been without a visa for months. The circumstances that got her in this position included losing her job and a lot of money, being evicted (as a result of having no money), having her phone stolen and being beaten up all within a week. As her phone was stolen her visa agent who was renewing her visa at the time was unable to contact her to tell her there was a problem, so she didn't realise until after the visa expired. I don't know why there was a problem in the first place though. Anyway she got herself sorted out in all respects except for the visa, which she admits she has left far too long to deal with. Now she wants to leave..do you think they might be sympathetic to these circumstances? She has a flight booked for the 11th July..should she be trying to pay the fine and get this cleared up now or is she likely to be deported straight away?
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For months? I don't understand. Why 11th July, not earlier flight? It sounds to be something is very very wrong.
I think she should approach her embassy for help. It is not just fine of Rmb 5000, possible criminal charge may be filed against her.
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Hi I had a friend who this happened to she was refused exit and sent back to the town she was living in with a reference to the local police station no the way back she then had her passport taken but robbers!!! she had to pay the fine and get replacement passport, but my understanding was that the police were very helpfull.
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I just notice that you are in London trying to help, but it appears your friend isn't really taking this very seriously. She has overstayed for months? She hasn't researched this herself? She didn't take care of it post haste? And she booked a ticket without resolving the visa issue first? Does this make you want to shake her? As stressful as this is for you, your friend has a few life lessons yet to learn. Some people only learn the hard way. Accept it that she and not you is the one with the problem, and also that she and not you is the only one who actually has control over finding the solution (so your fretting over it won't do anyone any good). I don't know the answer to your question, but nobody in this forum can help your friend if she's not even to step one, which is to decide to take responsibility for herself.
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I have been in this situation before; it is a matter of try-and-see-for-yourself, really.
The maximum fine is RMB 5000, as far as I know; even if she overstays her visa by 11 days she is likely to pay that amount.
But the likelihood of her slipping through without paying is slim, very slim indeed! Note that immigration uses coumputerised databases; human errors are likely to be shown electronically. That said, my own experience was a little more consoling: I was stopped at the Zhuhai land entry and exit point and a supervisor appeared on the scene; none of the two spoke to me, perhaps assuming they wouldn't have a language in common with me (!); after some palaver among them they let me go without any hassles even though I had overstayed 3 days.
If your friend has been overstaying in a legal residence (hotel or at her registered address), she could perhaps get a retroactive extension. SO much was promised me before I went to Macau that time; I was not an II, but I lived, and still live, in a private home in addition to having an official address with the PSB.
Good luck!
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Thanks for your help everyone. As I understand she intends to approach the Tianjin police before leaving. As Meiguoren pointed out, I'm not really in a position to help - was just seeking advice/stories of others who had been through the same thing. If the situation changes I'll post again.
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