Chinese "Green" Card

[Paul Todd]

China's Green Card gaining popularity 5 years on.  

Updated: 06 Aug 2009
The creation of a Chinese Green Card in 2004 was a milestone in the country's immigration law. Five years on, the card is an increasingly sought-after document.
On August 15, 2004, the Regulations on Examination and Approval of Permanent Residence of Aliens in China created a Green Card system granting qualified foreigners the right to live in China permanently.

Liu Lili, who works in the Exit and Entry Administration of Beijing Municipal Public Security Bureau, has watched the Green Card system develop since its inception. She said nearly all applications received by the Bureau are approved. So far, 323 people have been granted a "Green Card" qualifying them for permanent residence in Beijing. Another 15 are awaiting final approval. It takes around 6 months to process each application.

Of the 323 Green Card holders, 94 are wives or husbands of Chinese citizens; 50 are minors dependent on their parents; 20 are senior citizens returning to live with relatives; 114 are individuals who have made outstanding contributions or are of special importance to China (another 7 are their family members); and 23 are high-level foreign personnel who hold posts in businesses (another 15 are their family members).

Liu said the authorities had been granting residence to returning senior citizens for some time before the Green Card system was formally launched. The government has approved permanent residence for over 3,000 foreigners since the implementation of the Law on Control of the Entry and Exit of Aliens which was adopted by the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress in November 1985.

Four groups of people are eligible for permanent residence: high-level foreign personnel who hold posts in businesses that promote China's economic, scientific and technological development or social progress; foreign citizens who make large direct investments in China; persons who have made outstanding contributions or are of special importance to China; and people who come to China to be with family, such as husbands and wives, minors dependent on their parents, and senior citizens dependent on their relatives.

Liu told China.org.cn that most applications she dealt with were from American citizens.

Why do overseas citizens apply for permanent residence status in China? The main concern, said Liu, is the political factor. Once people have a "Green Card", they feel they are accepted and trusted by the Chinese government. The "Green Card" also facilitates entry and exit. With permanent residence status, visas are no longer needed and people can enter and leave the country using only a valid passport. China offers outstanding career opportunities and is seen by many as safer and more secure than many other countries, said Liu.

Green card holders have the same rights and responsibilities as Chinese citizens. However the card is not equivalent to Chinese nationality and holders are not allowed to vote in elections, hold political office, or serve in the military.

Obtaining a Green Card is not easy. The qualifying conditions are tough. Unless you are a close relative of a Chinese citizen you will either have to invest a substantial amount of money in the country or make a genuinely outstanding contribution to the country's development.

To meet increasing demand, the authorities are considering making the Green Card more available by broadening the range of applicants without lowering the requirements, said Liu, but she gave no further details.
Source: China.org.cn.
 
Currently, most of the major Chinese cities, such as Beijing, Shanghai, Nanjing, Wuhan, Guangzhou and Chongqing, have started to issue green cards. Dream on guy's. If you fancy your chance, here's what you need to do:
To qualify for the Green card, you need to fulfill at least one of the following criteria:

I Be a high-level foreign expert holding a post in a business that promote China's economic, scientific and technological development, or social progress.
II Have made outstanding contributions, or are of special importance to China.
III Have made large direct investment of over 500 thousand US dollars in China.  [ how many EMF's is that?]
IV Come to China to be with your family, such as husband or wife, minors dependent on their parents, and senior citizens dependent on their relatives.

How to Apply for the certificate
I Submit an application to the public security organ of the People's Government at the city level or the branch office or county office of the public security bureau of a municipality directly under the central government, which is in charge of the community of the applicant's major investment or long-term residence,

II Provide the specified application documents.

III The public security body shall investigate and verify the conditions of the applicant according to the specified prerequisites.

IV The local department will submit the application to the Ministry of Public Security for examination and approval.

V The ministry shall decide whether to approve or reject the application for permanent residence permit within 6 months of receiving the application.

VI Upon the approval of the Ministry of Public Security, the applicant will be granted a Foreigner Permanent Residence Permit by the Ministry of Public Security.

AND To applicants outside China:
A Foreigner Permanent Resident Status Confirmation Letter shall be issued by the Ministry of Public Security, with which they may apply for D Visas from a Chinese embassy or consulate abroad, and receive the Foreigner Permanent Residence Permits from the public security organ which handles their applications within 30 days of entering China.

For holders of the previous resettlement or permanent residence certificates,  you can go to the Entry-Exit Administration of the Public Security Bureau and change over to the new green card.

You Should Submit:
A Valid Passport or equivalent
B Health certificate issued at state level
C Credentials proving no criminal record by China embassies or consulates
D Two passport photos, no hat
E Other relevant credentials if required.

Fees
The fee for the new green card certificate is 300 yuan.
The cost of getting a new card is 1500 yuan.

Validity
The Foreigner Permanent Residence Permits are valid for five or ten years.
--Certificates with five-year validity are granted to minors.
--Certificates with ten-year validity are granted to adults.

First one to get one of these on this forum has some serious “Guanxi”

[ttwjr32]

Paul,
I tried to get this at the PSB here in guangzhou and i ended up just
recieving a visa that was good for 1year. the lady told me to apply
for the green card next year as i will already be here a year and as
long as i was a good boy then i have a good chance. do you know of
anyone else who was told this? i see you live here in China did you
try to get one or do you have the same visa as i do? just curious as
to what you did.
Ted

[Paul Todd]

Hi Ted,

I don't  know anybody that has managed to get a green card or even applied for one. I read on a web site that even if you were married to a Chinese citizen you would still have to have been living here for five years before you could apply. It's interesting that the PSB in Guangzhou said you could give it a go after 1 year. That's the difference of hear say on other sites and up to date genuine information here! Thanks.
I am a newbie to China,came here in September to marry my lovely wife and live. Best move I ever made !  I used up my 60 day tourist visa and after visiting the PSB here in Baoding they gave me a  6 month multiple entry visa. They said that next time I apply I will get the 1 year visa no problem. It's easy enough to get if you have the right paperwork so in all truth if I only get a year at a time that's no hardship,but a green card would be nice!  Best of luck to you and Sisi

Ming Zhi,Paul

[David5o]

Paul,

Going from past experience, this ''Green Card'' will come to be abused like everything else official in China. it's just a case of ''WHO YOU KNOW''!!

There have been so many times that I've heard that, this and that is impossible to attain, only to find, that it was dead easy, when you know the right people in the right places!!

There are guy's in China that make a living out of doing just this, cutting out the red tape and getting to the right people to make it happen. Every foreign company in China, employs these guys commonly known as ''Fixers''. You would be totally amazed, just what these guys are capable of, and what they can do.... Put it this way, nothing would surprise me, if you got one of these guys on the case!! ...hahaha!!!

David......

[JimB]

Too bad we cant get one of these "fixers" to help get our wives here.  I even have a politician that owes us a favor and he cant do anything.

[David5o]

JimB,

I suggested just such an operation several months ago, alas no-one seemed interested. And yes they can and do have contacts in most if not all the foreign embassies and consulates. Tourist and business visa's are an absolute breeze for these guys.... Let's put it this way, there isn't much that the better fixers can't get done in China....

I can thank one such guy for having Lucy here in Cyprus on a yearly renewable, working multiple entry visa.  With that visa, she has no problem traveling throughout the EU.

After being married here in Cyprus, (EU country) it will make getting a full UK passport that much easier too ...much easier!! The other thing is that because marrying outside of China, they will have no record of the marriage and therefore she will retain her Pension too. An absolute winner all round as far as were both conserned!!!

David....

[Willy The Londoner]

Hi Ted,

I don't  know anybody that has managed to get a green card or even applied for one. I read on a web site that even if you were married to a Chinese citizen you would still have to have been living here for five years before you could apply. It's interesting that the PSB in Guangzhou said you could give it a go after 1 year. That's the difference of hear say on other sites and up to date genuine information here! Thanks.
I am a newbie to China,came here in September to marry my lovely wife and live. Best move I ever made !  I used up my 60 day tourist visa and after visiting the PSB here in Baoding they gave me a  6 month multiple entry visa. They said that next time I apply I will get the 1 year visa no problem. It's easy enough to get if you have the right paperwork so in all truth if I only get a year at a time that's no hardship,but a green card would be nice!  Best of luck to you and Sisi

Ming Zhi,Paul

Paul, where do you have to apply for renewing your Visa when the time comes - is it at the PSB or do you have to do the trip to the UK or possibly Hong Kong?  

Willy

[Paul Todd]

Hi Willy,

Yes its the local PSB. Hong Kong is only for a Z visa. I had to take my passport and our little red books. Ming Zhi had to take her ID card and house registration documents We also had to get something from the police. Not sure what exactly that was, but Ming Zhi wrote it out on a sheet of A4 and the police stamped it. It was no problem at all, felt more like a box ticking exercise. This all went to the PSB office and we were told come back in 5 days. Next time they said I would get a muliply entry visa for a year, but first time you only get 6 months. Don't know if that's a hard and fast rule or just something they do here. I'm also not sure if we will have to resubmit our documents in April as there all on file now, anyway it's an easy visa to get as long as you keep out of trouble. It's an ongoing thing so there's no limit to the number of years you can apply. I think it's after 5 years of living here and the definition of "year" I read was resident for a minimum of 9 months per year that things change. It will be interesting to see it Ted can apply for a green card after a year. You just never know here ! I would certainly like to meet one of David's fixers but even without the high power friends its simple enough!:icon_biggrin:

[Willy The Londoner]

The Z visa is for work is it?

I went to the PSB at end of August and received a Registration Form of Temporary Residence for Visitors.  They told me that would run until the end of my visa which was then dated 28/1/10 and the limit on days i can stay as shown on my visa would no longer apply.   Since then I renewed the visa in London and this one expires 7th April 2010.   I am off to London for a few days next week then coming back again which will be the fourth entry I have made since june and will use up both entries on this new visa.  

I am then going to the PSB at Zhongshan when I get back and will see what the proceedure is here. I will see if I have enough entries to go for a 12 month unlimited entry.

Willy

[Paul Todd]

Yes Willy the" Z "visa is the one for work.
Have you got plans to make an honest woman of that girl of yours anytime soon ?:angel:
Along with everything else it makes the visa situation easier ! hehe hehe
 Best of luck with the PSB.:icon_cheesygrin:

[David5o]

PAUL,


When i was talking about Tourist and Business visa's, i was talking about foreign visa's ...not Chinese Visas.... ie, Getting your lady a tourist/visit visa to visit the States, UK, Aussie and so forth, and same goes for Business visa's, but it does help if the lady has some form of business, anything even a shop will do!!

Not so easy i think, if you try doing that on your own!!!......

And YES, they can and do organise spouse entry visa's to your country, and it doesn't take 12 months either. Find a good experienced Fixer, and there is not much these guys can't circumvent within China.

There not that expensive either, my fees for Lucy's visa was around 700 to 800 RMB and from start to finish took way less than a month..... That was just over 2 years ago, so the costs may have gone up, but even a 1000/1500 RMB would not be expensive in my book!!


David......

[David5o]

Mike,


Point one, ... That's correct, Paul's wife lost her state pension the moment she married Paul!!

Point two, ... I didn't say anything about back dating anything Mike. Your first job is to find that ''Good Fixer'' and he will tell you what you need and roughly how long it will take.
I would suggest that those living in China at the present, try to make contact with foreigners that are working for an overseas company, and via those contacts get the name of there company fixer. Try to find out if the guy they have is a good one, as the better they are the more contacts/influence they will have and be quicker and more reliable....

Oh, and Mike, nothing much in the way of officialdom is insurmountable in China. Where there are Chinese in the loop, it can be sorted !!! ....  

David.....

[David5o]

Mike,

I really don't know how or what these guys do to get the Visa's. I know personally of a colleague that got his spouse visa for New Zealand in a little over 2.5 months, they had been married at the time about 4 or 5 months. They actually received the visa while they were still in China.

As i said , first job is to find a ''GOOD Fixer, and let him tell you what he can and can't achieve and what he needs from you to process a Spouse visa for Canada.....

David.....

[David5o]

Vince ...

You can think what you like ....they are very REAL!!! No they don't just get visa's for women... They cut through official red tape and the reams of bureaucracy that is so abundant in China. They deal with the Ministry's, the local Authorities / administrators, the Police, Customs and any other quango authority in place. Without these guy's there would be no foreign companies operating in China. Which is why every overseas company has at least one of these guys on staff, and often more than one...

Your thinking too much along the lines of America or other western countries, it just ain't like that in Asia (or in many other parts of the world). In Asia they only go through the motions of having similar western rules and regulations etc. Even in the Middle East, the overseas companies employ these Fixers, or believe me, absolutly nothing would ever get done, just as it is in China....

David....

[RobertBfrom aust]

Mike , just 1 thing , think outside the square , the paperwork is filled out in China not in Canada , in all outposts most of the workers are natives of that country , not as in this case Canadians , that is where the fixers have the important input , better to have your paperwork on top of the pile and not at the bottom , not forgetting that Canada is one of the major ," I want to go live there " places , and I would these days hate to think how many relatives of Chinese / Canadians are also using this way to move across the ocean , regards Ying and Robert .