Living Legally in Shanghai

Visas are a fact of life for Expatriates visiting or living in China. Perhaps the best advice for someone planning on an extended stay in Shanghai is to bring at least 10 passport size photos. Almost every step of the way to obtaining your permits and certificates requires at least one photo.

Here are the required documents in the order you will obtain them.

・ Temporary Residence

・ Health Certificate

・ Work Permit

・ Residence Permit

・ Permit Extension

 

Step 1 Temporary Residence Permit

It’s a simple registration process you need to do within 72-hr following your arrival in Shanghai. This procedure is to be done at the closest police station in the district you are living in, you will need:

○ Passport
○ For free

 

Step 2 Health Certificate

The examination and tests required to get this permit may be done in your home country, but the Chinese Government may not accept an overseas exam. If you are taking your exam here, go to the Shanghai Health Examination-Health Certificate. To receive a health examination you will need:

○ Passport
○ Copy of business license

○ 3 passport photos
○ Fee:RMB732(702 per person, 30RMB)

 

Step 3 Work Permit

It can be applied for at Shanghai Municipality Labor Bureau. You will need to prepare the following documents:

○ Passport and a copy of your passport  

○ Health certificate (copy)

○ 3 2-inch photos

○ Two copies of employment registry form with company stamp

○ Copy of labor contract (in Chinese)

○ Business license, approval certificate, or certificate of organization code (copy)

○ Aliens’ employment license or resume, qualification certificate, diploma certificate

○ Fee: RMB 10 (if urgent RMB 210)

 

Step 4 Residence Permit

It must be applied for within 30 days at the Division of Exit & Entry Administration Department of Public Security of Shanghai. You will need to prepare the following documents:

 

○ Health Certificate
○ Temporary residence permit

○ Work Permit
○ A copy of the business license

○ 2 passport photos
○ Application letter with company stamp

○ Passport                 

○ Fee: 400RMB/person under one year; 800RMB/person above one year

 

Step 5 Extension of Work Permit

It can be applied for at Shanghai Municipality Labor Bureau. You will need to prepare the following documents:

○ Passport
○ Work permit

○ One 2-inch photo
○ Employment registry form

○ Copy of labor contract

○ Normally for free (if urgent 200 RMB and if change certificate 100 RMB)

 

Step 6 Annual Inspection of Work Permit

You can apply for the permit at the Shanghai Municipality Labor Bureau. You will need to prepare the following documents:

○ Passport
○ Work permit

○ Annual inspection form       

○ Normally for free (if change certificate 10 RMB)

 

Step 7 Extension of Residence Permit

You can apply for the permit at the Division of Exit & Entry Administration Dept. of Public Security of Shanghai. You will need to prepare the following documents:

○ Work permit

○ Passport

○ One 2-inch photo

○ Application letter

○ Business license, approval certificate, or certificate of organization code (copy)

○ If the address was changed, then the applicant should provide the new temporary residence (the pink slip)

○ Fee: 400 RMB/person under one year, 800 RMB/person above one year

 

 

Type of Visa

In accordance with their status and the types of passports they hold, different expats coming to China shall be issued diplomatic, courtesy, service or ordinary visas respectively. Ordinary visa shall be marked with different phonetic letters and issued to different expats according to their stated purposes of visit of China.

⊙ Visa D to expats who are to reside permanently in China

⊙ Visa Z to expats who come to China to take up posts or employment and to their accompanying family members

⊙ Visa X to expats who come to China for study, advanced study or job-training for a period of six months or more

⊙ Visa F to expats who are invited to China on a visit or study, lecture or business tour, for scientific-technological or cultural exchange, 
    for short-term refresher course or for job-training, for a period of more than six months

⊙ Visa L to expats who come to China for sightseeing, visiting relatives or other private purposes. A group visa may be issued to a group of nine
    or more expats on a sight-seeing trip to China

⊙ Visa G to expats passing through China

⊙ Visa C to train attendants, air crew members and seaman operating international services, and to their accompanying family members.

⊙ Visa J-1 to resident foreign correspondents in China

⊙ Visa J-2 to foreign correspondents that make short trips to China on reporting tasks

 

Expats who wish to apply for extension or alteration of visas or certificates

Submit their passports, visas and certificates for examination; Fill in application forms for extension or alteration; Provide papers supporting reasons for extension or alteration.

 

Expats whose Chinese visas or certificates are lost

An alien whose Chinese visa or certificates is lost or damaged shall promptly report to the exit and entry department under the local Public Security Bureau (a lost report is issued by a public security unit concerning with the case report or the damaged certificate) and apply for a new one or a replacement. An alien who has lost his/her residence card shall declare the lost card invalid in a local official newspaper.

 

Information for Application for Visa Alteration

Submit valid passports and visa; Fill in Application Form for Clients’ visa alteration; in the alteration from Visa L to Visa F, expats shall submit a letter or fax from an authorized organization; When Visa F is added one more entry, a letter or fax from the authorized organization shall be submitted.

  We know the policy of Visa Application very much If you were a client of InterShanghai Real Estate we will assist you with this.