Temporary residence permits in China.
When arriving in China on a work (Z) or business (M) visa, you must immediately begin the process of obtaining a temporary or foreign residence permit, which essentially acts as your long-term visa. Our dependable immigration team specialises in guiding applicants through the process in order to make sure it is a clear and seamless transition from your visa to residency.

What is a residence permit?
Many visas issues are meant to allow arrival and then have a limited term of validity. In order to extend your right of stay, you will need a residence permit. These are forms put into your passport that allow longer-term stays and multiple re-entry during that term. Applications for resident permits are made at the local police station, and passports need to be left with them for approximately two weeks, so travel needs to be planned carefully. Our team will fully advise you on the process.
Residence permits in numbers.
6-12 months
1 year
10 years
Temporary residence permit
Permanent residence permit
Application process
Taking care of the whole application process from start to finish.

Pre-application advice
Application tracking
Document issuance
Visa renewals
Application documents
What you will need to apply.

Both S and Q type visas will require the following documents:
- Passport with valid entry visa
- Completed visa application form with official stamp
- Original registration form of temporary residence
- Family member’s passport with a valid residence permit for S visa or family member’s ID and a proof of over six months’ residence in China for Q visa
- Two passport photos with white or light blue background
- A letter from your family member guaranteeing that your living expenses will be taken care of and that you will follow Chinese laws during your stay
- Relationship certificate notarised by the Chinese embassy
S1 and Q1 visa applications will also require an original health certificate except for children less than 18 years old or senior citizens more than 70 years old.
S visa will also require an application letter with official stamp and a copy of the business license from your family member’s company.
The average processing time will take 2-3 weeks.