Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) For China Visa, please read the following FAQ, if you still have any question. Please contact us for further information.

Q: Where can I get the Health Check for Chinese Visa?
A:

Q: How to register in the local police station?
A: Foreigners are required to register in the local police station within 24 hours of arrival. When you get a new visa or move to a new place, you need to redo it.
1. If you are staying at a hotel or hostel, the staff there will automatically do it for you. If you ask, they will give you the form. Please make sure they stamp it with the hotel or hostel' seal.
2. If you are renting an apartment or staying with your friends, you need to go to the local police station yourself. Normally, you are required to take the following documents:

1) Apartment rental contract
2) Passport
3) For the first time registration, you'd better ask your landlord to come with you. Or at least take one copy of the landlord's ID.

Q: How long is a Chinese visa valid for?
A: The Chinese Consulate now automatically issues 1-year multiple entry visas to US passport holders except in certain special situations. With a 1-year multi-entry visa, your visa is valid for 12 months from date of issue, and you can enter China any time during the 12 months while the visa is valid.

Q: How long can I stay in China with a Chinese visa?
A: The time you could actually stay in China, or "duration of stay after entry" is usually 60 days. However, a maximum of 90-day duration of stay is available upon request. To get a 90-day duration of stay, you must write down such number on the Chinese Visa Application Form. If you did not specify the number of days on this form, you will be allowed 60 days. Please be reminded that the Chinese Consulate has the final say on the number of days you receive for your visa regardless of your request.

Q: With an F visa, what can I do in China?
A:F visa is issued to applicants who are invited to China for business, research, lecture, scientific-technological and culture exchanges, short-term advanced studies or intern practice for a period of no more than six months.

Q: I am going to mainland China, then to Hong Kong and back to mainland China. Does this mean I must have a double-entry visa?
A:Yes. Although Hong Kong SAR and Macau SAR are part of China, they have different visa systems from China mainland. Each time you enter into China mainland, one entry will be used up.

Q: If I want to stay longer in China, can I have my visa done without leaving China mainland?
A: Yes. If you are holding an L visa, technically you can have it extended twice, with 30 days of each time. If you want to stay longer even than that, you can have your China visa converted to an F visa through a Chinese visa agent.
If you are holding an F visa, you can simply have it extended for another 3, 6 or 12 months.
The visas issued when you are already in China mainland have NO limitation of each stay. It means if you wish, you can stay as long as your visa duration without leaving. The entry (ies) is for your expected or unexpected travel. You don't have to leave.
F-visa holders can stay in China mainland without leaving for consecutive one year, which is calculated from last entry date.

Q: I have a double/multi-entry Visa, but have 60 days limit for each stay. How can I remove it?
A: Double or multiple entry visas (either an L or F) issued by overseas Chinese Embassies, Consulates, visa offices usually have limitations of each stay. The limit can NOT be removed in China since December 2004. Instead you can apply for a new F issued by Public Security Bureau. Your previous L or F will be cancelled since you can NOT have two valid visas simultaneously. BeijingESC can help you do that.

Q: I am not staying in Beijing. Can I still get my visa extended through your office?
A: Yes, definitely you can. We have many faithful clients throughout China.

Q: How can I get the "Registration Form of Temporary Residence", which is required to do visa extension or conversion?
A: Foreigners are required to register in the local police station within 24 hours of arrival. When you get a new visa or move to a new place, you need to redo it.
If you are staying at a hotel or hostel, the staff there will automatically do it for you. If you ask, they will give you the form. Please make sure they stamp it with the hotel or hostel' seal.
If you are renting an apartment or staying with your friends, you need to go to the local police station yourself. Normally, you are required to take the following documents:
Apartment rental contract
Passport
For the first time registration, you'd better ask your landlord to come with you. Or at least take one copy of the landlord's ID.

Q: There is some company that intends to employ me. Can I avoid the Hong Kong visa run to get a Z visa? Or can I outsource the application to you to make it more efficient and quicker?
A: Yes, you can. Please find the documents required to do the whole work visa application (including work license, invitation letter, Z visa, Alien Employment Permit and Residence Permit for work application).
 

Q: How to write and pronounce "Visa" in Chinese?
A: Here is a video for you to check it out.

 

Below are the information on how to renew a Beijing Residence Permit. For Residence Permit application in Beijing city, please Check how to apply Beijing Residence Permit.

A. Documents required:

1. Release letter stamped by your present company (if change the company)
2. New company's business license (take original for show)
3. A copy of Certificate of Approval (if the new company is a WOFE); A copy of the Social Insurance Registration certificate (if the new company is a Chinese company - original certificate is required)
4. A copy of foreign enterprise registration certificate issued by PSB (not required if it is a Chinese company)
5. Application letter written by the new company and addressed to Labor and Social Security Bureau, explaining why they would like to employ you
6. Decision of the board of directors (If employing a Vice General Manager or a GM)
7. Resume Written by yourself (needs to be translated to Chinese if in a different language)
8. A copy of degree certificate (needs to be translated as well)
9. A copy of labor contract with the new company
10. Employment Registration Form of Foreign Employees - fill in Chinese
11. Visa and residence permit application form - fill in Chinese
12. 2-inch photos (Photo Requirements of Chinese Visa)
13. Passport
14. Alien Employment Permit
15. A copy of Temporary Form of Residence Permit (and original - just for show)
16. The Dongle issued by Beijing Labor's Bureau
Notes: Item 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 all need to be stamped with the company' seal.

B. Documents to be handed over after completion

  • Alien Employment Permit renewed
  • Residence Permit for work renewed (stuck on the visa page of your passport)

Below are the information on how to get a Beijing Residence Permit. For Residence Permit extension (including renew residence permit after changing the former employer), please check China Residence Permit Extension in Beijing.

A. Documents required to Apply for Residence Permits:

  1. A copy of the company business license (take original for show) and a copy of Articles of Association
  2. A copy of the organization machinery code certificate
  3. A copy of Certificate of Approval (if it is registered as a foreign invested enterprise) or a copy of Social Insurance Registration certificate (if the company is registered as a Chinese enterprise - original certificate is required)
  4. A copy of Foreign enterprise registration certificate in PSB (not required if it is a Chinese company)
  5. Application letter written by the company and addressed to Labor and Social Security Bureau, explaining why they would like to employ you
  6. Letter of employment intent written by the company, explaining what is your duties in the company, what is your title, how about the salary and allowance and how long they would like to employ you
  7. Decision of the board of directors (If employing a General Manager)
  8. A copy of your labor contract
  9. Resume or C.V. Written by yourself (needs to be translated to Chinese if in a different language)
  10. A copy of Bachelor Degree or Undergraduation Diploma (legalized by Chinese embassy or consulate)
  11. Passport
  12. 6 Passport photos with white background (Photo Requirements of Chinese Visa)
  13. No Criminal Record Certificate (legalized by Chinese embassy or consulate)
  14. Health Certificate (original) How to get health check report in Beijing?
  15. A copy of Temporary Form of Residence Permit (and original - just for show)
  16. Application Form for Foreigner's Employment in China - fill in Chinese
  17. Employment Registration Form of Foreign Employees in China - again in Chinese
  18. Visa and residence permit application forms - fill in Chinese
  19. 2-year oversea work experience certificate (work experience with correlation)

Notes: Item 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 and Item 16, 17, 18 all need to be stamped with company' seal.

B. Processing Procedure

  1. Online application
  2. Work license application in Labor and Social Security Bureau
  3. Z visa application or Temporary Residence Permit application
  4. Online application
  5. Alien Employment Permit application in Labor and Social Security Bureau
  6. Z visa converted to 1-year Residence Permit

C. Documents to be handed over after completion

  • Alien Employment Permit (a grown booklet)
  • Residence Permit for work (stuck on the visa page of your passport)

 

 

China residence Permit

 

China Residence Permits are issued for foreigners who want to work, study, or have family member in China.

It works like a multiple-entry visa, allowing holders to leave China and return without an additional visa as long as the permit remains valid.

If you are holding the visa in category Z, X1, Q1 and S1, you have 30 days (from the day you entered China) to convert your China visa into Residence Permit. 

In order to receive a China Residence Permit, you will have to provide the following documents:

In most case, the Residence Permit renews annually, but from Mar 8th 2016,Family Residence Permit holders can extend it for 2 years in Beijing.

A policy was created that allows a foreign family member of a Chinese citizen to stay in Beijing for two years, extending the previous policy by one year. The two-year permits are renewable.

A family member of a Chinese citizen-including a spouse, spouse's parent, spouse's child, or spouses of children-is now allowed to live in Beijing for two years. Formerly, their permit required renewal annually.

  Chinadaily.com.cn - Mar 7th 2016

 

Beijing Expat Service Center is a professional, knowledgeable company in Residence Permit Application, and willing to help you out of the paper-mountain work, or get you out of the HK visa run for the Z visa application.

If you are officially employed in Beijing and would like to outsource the visa application work to a Beijing local company, BESC is the right one for you.

Our services are designed to help the following “Client Categories”.

  • Foreigners employed by State-owned/domestic investment enterprise, joint venture enterprises, wholly foreign owned enterprises.
  • Investor or Legal representatives of joint venture enterprises, wholly foreign owned enterprises in Beijing.
  • Senior executives (including Directors of the Board, General Manager or Deputy General Manager who are foreign citizen) and technical personnel (such as Chief Accountant, Chief Economist, Chief engineer or Project Engineers) employed by State-owned/domestic investment enterprise, joint venture enterprises, wholly foreign owned enterprises in Beijing.
  • Resident representative of representative office of foreign enterprise in Beijing.
  • Accompanying Family Members of those above.
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