Applying for a China Residence Permit

[Randy W]

A residence permit is a VISA, affixed to your passport, issued by the PSB Entry & Exit Administration. It has the advantage over the visas issued by the consulates in the U.S. of having NO length of stay limitation, and an unlimited number of entries and exits. They are usually issued with a period of validity of 2 or 3 years, and do NOT require border runs for renewal.

The PSB Entry & Exit Administration can help with ANY stay issues, when possible. Be sure to check with them about your EXACT circumstances.

Visas to ENTER China include L, Q1, Q2, Z, and D. These visas allow stays of 30 days up to 180 days. Q1, Z, and D visas allow stays of ONLY THIRTY DAYS, during which time you must head to the PSB and apply for your residence permit and/or work permit. AFTER THIRTY DAYS, these visas are no longer valid - your residence permit is your visa.

For a D visa, PSB pre-approval is required. "Residence Approval Certificate issued by the Chinese public security bureau. (The applicant may entrust his or her relatives within China to apply for this certificate with the said authority.)" It is unlikely that they will issue one of these - a Q1 is the norm these days.

If you are in China legally, check with your PSB about what THEY require for a residence permit. They can most likely help you out, even if you are on a tourist visa.

Edited March 4, 2021 by Randy W (see edit history)

[Randy W]

You will need a registration of temporary residence form from your neighborhood PSB office

This is NOT a residence permit.

You will need a medical examination from the China Inspection and Quarantine Hospital

link to http://docs.google.com/document/d/1lx19zqs8Ghgr6HIYS6CHOppC_z83DF1QBnHvt77yXqQ/

Edited March 4, 2021 by Randy W (see edit history)

[Randy W]

Don't forget your red marriage books if you were married in China. If you were married in the U.S., your marriage certificate must be certified by the state's Dept. of State, and THAT certification certified by the Chinese consulate with jurisdiction over your place of marriage.

See Authentication of Documents for the procedure to follow to authenticate your American marriage certificate for use in China.

THIS is a residence permit

Edited March 4, 2021 by Randy W (see edit history)

[Greg.D.]

Since we’re going to our local consulate (Chicago) we’ll bring our marriage certificate and see if they’ll certify it while we’re there.

[Randy W]

On 3/1/2018 at 7:34 AM, Greg.D. said:

Since we’re going to our local consulate (Chicago) we’ll bring our marriage certificate and see if they’ll certify it while we’re there.

Don't forget - It needs to first be certified by the Secretary of State

Edited March 4, 2021 by Randy W (see edit history)

[Randy W]

Be sure to take the ORIGINAL fully certified (and still stapled together) document.

We were even told we should get married in China - I call BS on that. since, in order to get married in China, you have to swear on a stack of Chinese bibles that you are SINGLE (single certificates).

What we found out about a green card at the PSB - http://candleforlove.com/forums/topic/47314-applying-for-a-chinese-green-card/?p=637654

Edited March 4, 2021 by Randy W (see edit history)

[Randy W]

. . . and the new residence permit. Notice the expiration date is walked back a little bit - the previous permit expired on March 10, this one on Feb 25, putting us closer to the New Year's period (depending on just where it falls)

 

[dan1984]

Congrats Randy. Here in Beijing I get the same residence permit, but they only give it to us for 2 years. Will be getting a new one in July, and then come 2020, and 5 years of marriage at that point, hope I can go for the "Chinese Green Card."

[Randy W]

On 3/21/2018 at 5:27 AM, dan1984 said:

Congrats Randy. Here in Beijing I get the same residence permit, but they only give it to us for 2 years. Will be getting a new one in July, and then come 2020, and 5 years of marriage at that point, hope I can go for the "Chinese Green Card."

I'm over 62 - that's why I get the THREE years. Good luck with the green card - it doesn't seem TOO difficult. Check the link I gave above - you'll need police certificate(s) from the U.S.

Edited March 4, 2021 by Randy W (see edit history)

[dan1984]

On 3/21/2018 at 12:19 PM, Randy W said:

 

On 3/21/2018 at 5:27 AM, dan1984 said:

Congrats Randy. Here in Beijing I get the same residence permit, but they only give it to us for 2 years. Will be getting a new one in July, and then come 2020, and 5 years of marriage at that point, hope I can go for the "Chinese Green Card."

I'm over 62 - that's why I get the THREE years. Good luck with the green card - it doesn't seem TOO difficult. Check the link I gave above - you'll need police certificate(s) from the U.S.

Oh yes, I totally forgot about the age factor - nice to have 3 years!

Thank you for the well-wishes for the green card, still a couple years away. Like you said it doesn't seem too difficult, in theory should be pretty straight-forward, hope it will be the case.

The only thing I will have to look into more is the police certificate from the US. I wouldn't even really know where to get this. I assume probably just contacting a government office in WI and they will issue a certificate saying "I'm clean," hahaha.

Edited March 4, 2021 by Randy W (see edit history)

[Randy W]

On 3/22/2018 at 4:50 AM, dan1984 said:

 

On 3/21/2018 at 12:19 PM, Randy W said:

 

On 3/21/2018 at 5:27 AM, dan1984 said:

Congrats Randy. Here in Beijing I get the same residence permit, but they only give it to us for 2 years. Will be getting a new one in July, and then come 2020, and 5 years of marriage at that point, hope I can go for the "Chinese Green Card."

I'm over 62 - that's why I get the THREE years. Good luck with the green card - it doesn't seem TOO difficult. Check the link I gave above - you'll need police certificate(s) from the U.S.

Oh yes, I totally forgot about the age factor - nice to have 3 years!

Thank you for the well-wishes for the green card, still a couple years away. Like you said it doesn't seem too difficult, in theory should be pretty straight-forward, hope it will be the case.

The only thing I will have to look into more is the police certificate from the US. I wouldn't even really know where to get this. I assume probably just contacting a government office in WI and they will issue a certificate saying "I'm clean," hahaha.

Check that same topic for what I found out 3 years ago - http://candleforlove.com/forums/topic/47314-applying-for-a-chinese-green-card/

(I just now updated a couple of links)

The fingerprints can be done at the PSB.

Edited March 4, 2021 by Randy W (see edit history)

[dan1984]

On 3/22/2018 at 10:25 AM, Randy W said:

 

On 3/22/2018 at 4:50 AM, dan1984 said:

 

On 3/21/2018 at 12:19 PM, Randy W said:

 

On 3/21/2018 at 5:27 AM, dan1984 said:

Congrats Randy. Here in Beijing I get the same residence permit, but they only give it to us for 2 years. Will be getting a new one in July, and then come 2020, and 5 years of marriage at that point, hope I can go for the "Chinese Green Card."

I'm over 62 - that's why I get the THREE years. Good luck with the green card - it doesn't seem TOO difficult. Check the link I gave above - you'll need police certificate(s) from the U.S.

Oh yes, I totally forgot about the age factor - nice to have 3 years!

Thank you for the well-wishes for the green card, still a couple years away. Like you said it doesn't seem too difficult, in theory should be pretty straight-forward, hope it will be the case.

The only thing I will have to look into more is the police certificate from the US. I wouldn't even really know where to get this. I assume probably just contacting a government office in WI and they will issue a certificate saying "I'm clean," hahaha.

Check that same topic for what I found out 3 years ago - http://candleforlove.com/forums/topic/47314-applying-for-a-chinese-green-card/

(I just now updated a couple of links)

The fingerprints can be done at the PSB.

Perfect!!! Thanks for the link Randy and all the info in the "Applying for a Chinese Green Card" thread. I have saved it for future reference.

I really should start a thread too about my life in China, like your "From Yulin" topic or even Warren's "Reflections" thread. In addition of course to all the useful information, really enjoy hearing about everybody's experiences, travels, problems (well, don't like when people have problems - but Candle is a good place for support), and everything in between.

Edited March 4, 2021 by Randy W (see edit history)

[Randy W]

If your spouse has a U.S. green card, you may wish to rescind it, and purchase a 10 year tourist visa instead (i.e., no minimum stay requirement). This will allow trips to the U.S. whenever you wish. The I-407 may be submitted along with the tourist visa application.

Returning to or Rescinding Legal Permanent Resident Status -
 

Quote

If you intend to travel to the U.S. as a non-immigrant, you may wish to file an Abandonment of Lawful Permanent Resident Status Form I-407 to clarify your status. Former LPRs will usually be asked to execute this document and surrender their I-551 (green card) before being issued a non-immigrant visa. The I-407 can be executed on the same day as your non-immigrant visa interview before the interviewing Consular Officer.

Edited March 4, 2021 by Randy W (see edit history)

[Jim D]

Hi. I have been working in China since 2006 and recently married a Chinese national. Her hometown is Shangluo, Shaanxi. I will in all probability stop working in Jan 2019. We went to the Shangluo PSB to ask about getting a residence permit. The officer there told me only a 6 month visa is possible, any other time limit is impossible (her words). My questions are:

1. Does that sound like a reasonable answer considering I hear about others getting 1 to 3 year permits?

2. Do I have to get the permit in Shangluo or can I go to another city where it might be possible to get a longer visa.

I would be elated to get a 2 or 3 year permit.

 

Any response and/or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Jim.

[Randy W]

On 8/21/2018 at 3:37 PM, Jim D said:

Hi. I have been working in China since 2006 and recently married a Chinese national. Her hometown is Shangluo, Shaanxi. I will in all probability stop working in Jan 2019. We went to the Shangluo PSB to ask about getting a residence permit. The officer there told me only a 6 month visa is possible, any other time limit is impossible (her words). My questions are:

1. Does that sound like a reasonable answer considering I hear about others getting 1 to 3 year permits?

2. Do I have to get the permit in Shangluo or can I go to another city where it might be possible to get a longer visa.

I would be elated to get a 2 or 3 year permit.

 

Any response and/or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Jim.

There IS no time limit on visas issued by the PSB - simply an expiration date. No border runs are needed.

In my own case, they issued a six month visa once when they first instituted the requirement of a CERTIFIED (by the overseas Chinese consulate) marriage certificate to give me a chance to get ours certified. But otherwise, they were always two, or now three years (I'm over sixty). Of course, yours is a Chinese marriage certificate, which won't need the certification.

You will either get the permit in Shangluo, or the city where you live (if different). THEY WILL TELL YOU WHICH.

Make sure you are asking for a marriage based (family reunion) 居留许可 (Jūliú xǔkě) at the PSB Entry & Exit Bureau, and NOT a visa issued at an overseas consulate.

I posted a redacted copy of mine earlier in this thread.

But the limitation may be due to your work - the family reunion visa may not allow you to work. Or perhaps you only need a separate work permit (which you should already have).

So perhaps the six month visa IS the way to go - you can switch to the family-based permit after January. Discuss your options with the PSB.

In any event, the answers you NEED are ALL at the PSB Entry and Exit Bureau.

Edited March 4, 2021 by Randy W (see edit history)