China Visa Application: How To Get A Chinese Green Card

Easier to get a Chinese green card in the future?

Foreigners looking to settle down permanently in China and wondering how to get a Chinese green card may have caught a break with the news of updated China visa application legislation on 'green cards' to be issued within the next few months.

According to a government official at a meeting of expats and government officials in Shenzhen's Futian District last week, the Ministry of Public Security is currently busy modifying the requirements for permanent residency to make it easier to obtain a green card. He went on further to say that he is not sure of the exact date that the new regulations will be released, but that foreigners should pay close attention to the official websites of local and national exit-entry administrations.

This is good news for foreigners with a mind to making their stay in Shenzhen more permanent as this is the first time since 2004 that the rules have been updated.

However, not everyone is eligible to apply for a green card on this side. There are certain conditions that applicants need to meet should they wish to make this China visa application.

In this blog we will take a look at the conditions (as they currently stand) foreigners have to meet to be eligible to apply for a D visa...

'Meet' the CURRENT conditions for a Chinese green card

1) The investment route

Foreigners looking to apply by means of investment must have:

• invested at least $500000 in total registered capital
• made a direct investment in China with stable operations over 3 successive years
• a good tax record

2) The business professional route

Foreigners looking to apply by means of employment must have:

• worked as a deputy general manager, deputy factory director or above
• worked as an associate professor, associate research fellow and other associate senior titles of a professional post or above
• held their post for 4 years and lived in China for a minimum of 3 years within the 4 years
• a good tax record

3) The outstanding contributors route

Foreigners that have made an outstanding contribution to China may be awarded a Chinese green card.

4) The family route

Foreigners that meet the following criteria:

• An unmarried minor under 18 born to a Chinese citizen or a foreigner already with permanent residence status in China
• Married to a Chinese citizen or a foreigner with permanent residence status in China for at least five years. Applicants will have to have had lived in China for at least five successive years and at least nine months of residence in China each year. Applicants also have to have a stable source of income and a place of residence
• A person above 60 years old that has no immediate relatives abroad and seeks to remain with an “immediate relative” in China. Applicants will have to have had lived in China for at least five successive years with at least nine-month residence in China each year. Applicants also have to have a stable source of income and a place of residence. Immediate relatives include parents (spouse’s parents), grandparents, children at least 18 years old and their spouse(s), and grandchildren at least 18 years old and their spouse(s).

That's it for the conditions foreigners need to meet to be eligible for a Chinese green card. The nature of these conditions make it difficult to obtain D visas for most foreigners living and working in China, but hopefully the updated regulations to be released later this year will help to lower the application barrier.

Your Turn...

Are you wondering how to get a Chinese green card right now? Do you fulfill the criteria above?

Perhaps you're looking to work in China. Do you need help with the China visa application? What's giving you difficulty?

Let us know your visa issues by leaving a comment and we'd be glad to help you!