A residency permit is a document or card required in some regions, allowing a foreign national to reside in a country for a fixed or indefinite length of time. These may be permits for temporary residency, or permanent residency. The exact rules vary between regions.
In China, residence permit gives foreigners the right to live in the country. Upon arrival, there is 30-days period to obtain the residence permit. Your initial visa allows you to enter China for a specific purpose, but it will expires a few months after. If you wish to stay in China for a longer time, you will need to apply for a residence permit, such as multiple entry visas, allowing you to leave the country and return without additional visa, as long as the permit remains valid (even if your original visa has expired ).
Types of Residence Permit in China
There are three types of residence permits that allow you to live in China:
a. Permanent residence permits (little green booklets) are issued to those holding a D visa and are renewable every 10 years.
b. Temporary residence permits are valid for 6-12 months. Generally required for visiting scholars or those entering for job training.
c. Foreigner Residence Permits are normally valid for one year and are renewable annually. They are the standard residence permits issued to the majority of foreigners working in China.
Application Materials for Residence Permit
(1) The valid passport and visa (Z visa is required);
(2) To fill in the visa and residence permit application form with the official seal of the employer and a recently taken two-inch half-length, bareheaded and full-faced photo;
(3) The original health certificate issued by the local Administration of Inspection and Quarantine;
(4) Residence registration certificates issued by local police station;
(5) The investor, enterprise legal representative and foreign senior management (referring to foreign directors, general managers) and professional technicians (referring to foreign chief accountants, chief economic managers and chief engineers) holding L visas (travel and visiting relatives), and F visas (visiting) who apply for residence permits are supposed to provide approval documents issued by the enterprise as well as the original and copy of the counterpart of the business license issued by the Administration of Industry and Commerce, the foreigners’ employment license issued by the municipal department of labor and social security or the foreign expert certificate issued by the Foreign Affairs Office of municipal government;
(6) Family members accompanying the foreign employee shall provide official letters issued by the employer; the spouses shall also provide marriage certificates; the parents and children shall also provide documents to prove kinship.
Contact Us
If you have further inquires, please do not hesitate to contact Tannet at anytime, anywhere by simply visiting Tannet’s website english.tannet-group.com, or calling Hong Kong hotline at 852-27826888 or China hotline at 86-755-82143422, or emailing to tannet-solution@hotmail.com. You are also welcome to visit our office situated in 16/F, Taiyangdao Bldg 2020,Dongmen Rd South, Luohu , Shenzhen, China.
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