A new ID card designed to give foreign permanent residents easier access to public services in China was issued across the country Friday to expats holding “green cards.”
The machine-readable Foreign Permanent Resident ID Card — similar to the second-generation ID cards held by Chinese citizens that store information about the card holder on an embedded chip — can be used independently as legal proof of identity when dealing with such issues as finance, education, health, communication, accommodations, telecommunication, employment, taxes, social security, property registration and lawsuits in China.
While the new card can be used by itself for such transactions, the previous permanent resident’s permit needed to be used along with the holder’s passport.
The change is a response to the long-time complaint from holders of “green cards” — known as permanent resident cards — who said the card was more like a long-term visa rather than something that made their lives in China more convenient.
Expats who obtain permanent residence in China as of Friday will be granted the new ID cards. Those who have an old permanent resident card can go to exit and entry administration bureaus of local public security agencies to replace their cards. The old cards are valid until the expiration date, according to the ministry.
China began issuing permanent resident permits for foreigners in 2004. More than 10,000 foreigners have been granted the status so far.
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