For those foreigners who wan to study or work in China for a long time, they will be asked to apply for residence permit to legalize their stay in China. For foreigners of different status, the application materials are similar.
Types of applicants should apply for a residence permit in China
For foreigners, their purpose of coming to China can be various, the foreigners who need to apply for a residence permit for their stay in China include:
1) Foreigners among independent investment、joint venture、and foreign investment enterprises; Foreign employees employed by independent investment、joint venture、and foreign investment enterprises in China.
2) Permanent delegate of foreign enterprises in China and their dependents (spouse、minor children) should hold "Z" visa when entry, and process resident application procedures to Exit & Entry Administration, Public Security Bureau in the city they are staying within 30 days after entry.
3) Foreign students come to study in China, should hold "X" visa when entry, and process resident application procedures to Exit & Entry Administration, Public Security Bureau in the local city within 30 days after entry.
4) Foreign experts (instructors) working in China and their dependents (spouse、minor children) should hold "Z"visa when entry, and process resident application procedures to Exit & Entry Administration, Public Security Bureau in the local city within 30 days after entry.
5) Resident correspondents in China's major cities should hold "J-1"visa when entry, and process resident application procedures to Exit & Entry Administration, Public Security Bureau in the local cities within 30 days after entry.
6) Returned students abroad working in China and their dependents (spouse、minor children) should hold "Z" visa when entry, and process resident application procedures to Exit & Entry Administration, Public Security Bureau in local within 30 days after entry.
For those foreign dependents of returned students abroad who haven't got the foreign nationalities (spouse、minor children) should process visa、residence permit according to the regulations to returned students abroad. The minor children of returned students abroad must provide both or one of the parents' residence permit abroad when process residence permit.
7) Overseas Chinese、Chinese people having foreign nationalities, if sending their little children to their relatives in China and entrusting them to be brought up, their parents or guardians should process the resident procedures to Exit & Entry Administration, Public Security Bureau in the local. If having foreign nationalities through confirmed by the public security authorities, one can process foreigners' residence permit with validity period of one year.
8) Foreign experts (instructors) working in China and their dependents (spouse、minor children) should hold "Z" visa when entry, and process resident application procedures to Exit & Entry Administration, Public Security Bureau in the local city within 30 days after entry.
9) Foreign employees employed by domestic investment enterprises in China and their dependents (spouse、minor children) should hold "Z" visa when entry, and process resident application procedures to Exit & Entry Administration, Public Security Bureau in the local city within 30 days after entry.
