China Green Card: A Complete Guide to Chinese Permanent Residence

Foreigner’s Permanent Residence Card of the People's Republic of China , often called China Green Card, Chinese Green Card or China PR, delivers the same right of abode that Chinese citizens enjoy for domestic travel and employment, while removing the need for annual visas, work-permit renewals or exit-entry registrations. Once issued, the card is valid for ten years and is accepted at e-gates in every Chinese airport and high-speed rail station. Holders may open RMB and Foreign currency bank accounts under simplified KYC rules, enrol in social insurance on the same terms as local staff, and purchase property without the restrictions imposed on temporary residents. Spouses and minor children obtain derivative status in a single filing, and the entire family can later apply for hukou-style household registration if they choose to naturalise.

Who will get benefit from the new China Green Card's policy?

• Shanghai Public Security Bureau continues to operate the pilot programme that lowers the evidentiary bar for two narrowly defined cohorts.

• The first cohort is high-earning professionals who have completed four consecutive fiscal years on a Shanghai work-type residence permit, reported salary above six times the municipal average wage and paid personal income tax in Shanghai of at least RMB 120 000 in each of those years.

• The second cohort is foreign experts who already hold a valid R-visa or Talent A/B certificate issued by the Shanghai Science & Technology Commission and can demonstrate three consecutive years of R-visa employment in the city. Both groups must present a clean criminal record issued at national level and authenticated by the Chinese embassy in their home country; age, academic degree and Mandarin proficiency are not evaluation factors.

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What's the benefit for foreigner who has China PR?

• It's for 10 years continuous stay, and multiple entries.

• If you got the China green card, your foreign spouse and child can apply it as well.

• You can bring a foreign personal housekeeper(maid) to Shanghai, and you can sponsor him/her to get a S1 visa (mark as personal affair )

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How to apply the China Permanent Residence card?

PR Service: Apply for China Permanent Residence card (China green card):

1. Original Passport (you should have 4 years continuous shanghai working residence permit, if it's in old passport, you need to provide the old passport as well)

2. Original Work Permit (or we call Alien Employment Permit, a brown booklet)

3. Your company salary receipt or contract for the last 4 years to prove that your salary reach the 600,000 every year.

4. Official Tax receipt from tax bureau to prove that for the last 4 years you have paid 120,000RMB for your personal incoming tax every year.

5. 2 Passport Photographs (2 inches size: 3.5cm*4.5cm) in original and digital.

6. Original Registration Form Of Temporary Residence (Updated with your current address and passport number) 

7. Company Business License (original and copy) 

8. Health Certificate

9. No criminal record certification in your country (verified by Chinese Embassy/Consulate in your home country)

10.Diploma  (verified by Chinese Embassy/Consulate in your home country)

Notice 1: For accompanying family members, besides valid passport and visa, he/she/they should also provide relatives certificates – those issued abroad must be legalized by the Chinese Embassy/Consulate in your home country. For example, for spouse, he/she should submit marriage certificate, health certificate and foreign police clearance certificate as well; for child(ren) under 18 years old, he/she/they should also submit birth certificate or parent-child relation proof; for those who have been adopted, they should submit adoption certificate.

Normal Service takes: 6 months (they don't keep your passport, so it will not affect your traveling)

What we can help:

We provide end-to-end support that is entirely outside the government channel but aligned with bureau practice: eligibility modelling against the April wage multiplier, template letters for tax bureau runs, same-day notarisation and sworn translation, medical-exam scheduling, and a pre-audit that replicates the bureau’s own checklist. Our staff accompany clients to the counter appointment, translate spontaneous officer questions, and track the file through the investigation phase. If additional evidence is requested—usually a supplementary tax certificate or a revised corporate letter—we prepare and re-submit within forty-eight hours. Fees are fixed per stage; no success premium is charged, and all engagements are covered by a confidentiality agreement enforceable in PRC courts.

If you need assessment and further assistance, please feel free to contact us.  expertinchina@gomaxgroup.com