A residence permit refers to a person’s visa status. It signifies the duration for which the person is allowed to reside within a country of which he or she is not a citizen. The residence permit in China looks just like a visa and is pasted into your passport very similarly and it permits multiple exits and entry during its validity. It gives you the legal right to live in China. Therefore, getting a residence permit is vital for international students who are studying in China.In this article, we provide a summary of the residence permit for international students in China.

Documents should be submitted when applying for a residence permit (for study)

Foreign students studying in China should Visa "X"(study) to enter China and apply for, within 30 days of entry, a residence permit to the Division of Exit-Entry Administration of the Public Security Bureau. The residence permit shall be valid for no more than 1 year within the validity period of the passport.

1. Passport with at least 6 months validity left before expiration and at least one blank page left in it

2. One photo (passport size)

3. A copy of the Registration Form of Temporary Residence (student who lives off-campus should apply for it in the local police station near his lodging.)

4. Health Certificate

5. JW202 Form

6. Acceptance Letter

7. Application Form for Visa and Residence Permit

8. School Letter (provided by the University after full tuition payment).

Documents should be submitted when applying for an extension or alteration to a residence permit

1. Valid passports and residence permits

2. If there be any alternations to the contents of the residence permits (name, nationality, occupation or identity, address, passport number, children), the permit holders shall register the changes at the Division of Exit-Entry Administration of the Public Security Bureau within 10 days. "Admission Notice" should be presented when the applicant applying for an alternation to the host institution.

Validity of residence permit

The validity of the residence permit (for study) depends on how much the student pays the tuition fee. If the student pays the tuition fee for one semester, then his residence permit will be valid for one semester. If the student pays the tuition fee for two semesters, then his residence permit will be valid for two semesters.

Generally speaking, at the end of the semester, the university will help the student to extend the residence permit after the student pays the tuition fee for the next semester.

For scholarship students: 2 years at most for each application

For self-supported students: same with the semesters of paid tuition and insurance

For exchange students: same with the paid period of insurance

The validity of a residence permit can’t exceed the validity of a passport and study. Normally the residence permit is valid till Jan. 31st for autumn semesters and Jul. 31st for spring semesters. 

Tips about extending the residence permit

Tip 1: Keep in touch with the local division of exit and entry administration in your city.

The most important thing for you is to keep in touch with the local division of exit and entry administration in your city since they are the organization that gives you the most authoritative answers regarding your questions about extending your residence permit.

Tip 2: Start trying to extend your residence permit 6 months before it expires

If your current university is not going to help you to extend your residence permit next semester, you need to try to extend your residence permit 6 months before it expires, because now you have to find a new organization to help you. And there will be a lot of uncertainties (especially during a pandemic), no one can tell you exactly how long will it take, the policy may change at any time, and there are some long holidays in China in which people don't work, so you have to give yourself enough time to do it.

Tip 3: The success rate of extending a residence permit will be low in some cases.

If you are in one of the following cases, the success rate of extending the residence permit for you will be very low. For example, if you are going to change your visa type and extend it at the same time; your attendance rate in the previous university is very low; you have committed a crime or broken the regulations of your university.

Tip 4: Do not try to hide information.

Do not try to hide information when you are communicating with the new organization that could help you to extend your residence permit since once that information was revealed you will face bigger problems.

Pay special attention to

When leaving mainland China after finishing their studies, international students must leave before the expiration of their visa or residence permit. If due to an accident a student is unable to leave within the stipulated time, they must apply, and after approval must extend their visa or residence permit.

Students who want to suspend their schooling must go to the institute's international students’ service office to reduce their residence permits. 

In a word, visas and residence permits are important documents for the legal residence of international students in China. They determine whether a student can study at ease during their time at school, as well as easily finish their studies.