This article originally appeared on our sister website, That's Shanghai.
By Daniel Plafker
The notoriously grueling work permit application process for foreigners in China just got a little easier.
The Ministry of Education's Overseas Students' Service Center announced the roll-out of a new online system for diploma verification Monday, marking an end to the days of expensive, transoceanic DHL fees and wasted afternoons spent in line outside consulates for aspiring foreign workers.
In the past, work permit applicants had to get a physical copy of their original diploma notarized in their home country and ‘apostilled’ for use in China before getting it authorized by Chinese consular officials in the country where the document was issued.
Some applicants were able to forgo some of these steps by queuing with their diploma at their countries’ embassies in China, before presenting the authorized document to officials at the Exit and Entry Administration.
Under the new system, foreigners of any nationality can submit digital copies to the new verification website, where they will be reviewed and (hopefully) approved in as little as 20 business days. Simply register with your name and passport number, upload your documents and you’re good to go.
For the time being, the online interface is only in Chinese, so the less literate among us might need a hand to navigate the process.
Total service fees will set you back RMB360, not counting the delivery fee (RMB15-25 for mainland China and Hong Kong) for your physical authentication receipt, and is payable via any UnionPay bank card.
In addition to smoothing the road to legal status for foreign talent, authorities hope the new system will help limit the numbers forgeries and doctored diplomas that slip through, GD Today reports.
[Image via cunooz.com]
This article was originally published by our sister magazine That's Shanghai. For more articles like this, visit the That's Shanghai website, or follow the That's Shanghai WeChat account (ID: Thats_Shanghai).
