Hi Ms. Elliott, readers:

I was wondering if someone can help me. I need to be in Shanghai by the 21st to register for classes (one semester end of Feb to July so I guess F Visa?), however I just noticed that my Philippine passport expires in October. The queue at DFA placed me for appointment for passport renewal on Feb 22, which is not good because I will miss Feb 21 registration.

My question is, will I be granted a visa despite my near expiring passport, will I not encounter problems coming back?

Do I also need to undergo medical and health tests, insurance for an F Visa?

What if I want to try and find work, what is the best for me to do?

Thank you in advance. Appreciate your advice.