Questions & Answers about Foreign Expert working in China
(Reference: safea.gov.cn/ updated: 2013-08-29)
Q1: How many kinds of visas does China have?
A Chinese visa is a permit that Chinese visa authorities issue to aliens for entering, exiting and transiting through the country, in accordance to related laws.
The Chinese visa authorities are Chinese embassies, consulates, offices of the commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the Hong Kong and Macao special administrative regions, and other offices authorized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China. Their counterparts in the Chinese mainland are the Public Security Ministry and local branches authorized by the ministry.
The Chinese visa authorities may issue a Diplomatic, Courtesy, Official or Regular Visa to an alien according to his/her status, purpose of visit to China, or passport type.
Regular Visas consist of eight sub-categories, which are respectively marked D, Z, X, F, L, G, C, J-1 and J-2.
D: or residential visa, issued to an alien who comes to reside permanently in China
Z: or employment visa, issued to an alien who comes to China for a post or employment, and to his or her accompanying family members
X: or student visa, issued to an alien who comes to China for study, advanced studies or intern practice for a period of more than six months
F: or business visa, issued to an alien invited to China for a visit, an investigation, a lecture, or for business, scientific and technological, and culture exchanges, as well as short-term advanced studies or internship, for a period of no more than six months
L: or tourist visa, issued to an alien who comes to China for sightseeing or visiting family members or friends, or for other personal affairs
G: or transit visa, issued to an alien who transits through China
C: or crew visa, issued to crewmembers working on board international trains, airliners or vessels to China
J-1: issued to resident foreign correspondents
J-2: issued to foreign correspondents or related personnel who come to China for short-term news coverage
Q2: What is the application process for an employment (Z ) visa?
Chinese regulations state that a foreign expert needs a Foreign Experts Work Permit, visa notification from an employer with government authorization, and passport. A visa can be obtained from Chinese embassies, consulates general, visa offices, the office of the commissioner of Foreign Affairs Ministry in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, or any other overseas organizations with Foreign Affairs Ministry authorization.
Q3: What is a Foreign Expert Work Permit or a Foreign Expert Certificate and who issues it?
The Work Permit is a legal document from the foreign expert supervision department that gives a person permission to work in China as a foreign expert, which allows that person to apply for a ‘Z’ visa, Foreign Expert Certificate, and residence permit.
The Certificate shows that a person is working in China as foreign experts and is useful for anyone applying for a residence permit.
The Foreign Experts Work Permit and Foreign Expert Certificate application can be handled by the State Foreign Expert Affairs Administration, the foreign expert affairs bureaus at the provincial, autonomous region, and municipality level (directly under central government administration), the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps Foreign Expert Affair offices, or at certain ministries and commissions, or corporations under State Council administration.
Q4: What do people need to work as a foreign expert?
The term ‘foreign expert’ refers to foreign professionals, who look for work in China to meet China's economic and social development needs at the invitation of the Chinese government, an enterprise, institution, multinational, or other organization.
The following foreign professionals can apply for foreign expert status in China, in line with foreign experts department regulations:
1. Foreign technical or management personnel following an agreement between governments, or international organizations.
2. Foreign professionals in education, scientific research, the news media, publications, culture, art, health, sports and other fields.
3. Senior technical or management professionals working as a vice-general manager or higher at a major company in China or working at an equivalent level.
4. Representatives of overseas organizations or employment agencies, accredited by the State Bureau of Foreign Expert Affairs.
5. Professionals in economics, technology, engineering, trade, finance, accounting, taxes, tourism or other fields with special expertise that is needed in China.
Q5: What materials are needed for applying for a Foreign Expert Work Permit?
The Foreign Expert Work Permit application requires the following:
1. Foreign Expert Work Permit application form filled in, using Chinese unless otherwise stated, with a photo of the applicant.
2. CV of the applicant (including education and work experience), in both Chinese and a foreign language, with an official seal of the prospective employer.
3. Diploma from the highest institution where the applicant studied or a copy of a professional qualification certificate.
4. Health certificate issued by foreign medical institution as indicated by a Chinese embassy or consulate, or a health and quarantine department arranged by the Chinese government.
5. Employment agreement (contract) or other materials, such as a copy of the company’s business license, with cultural or educational experts needing the employer’s qualification certificate.
6. A copy of the applicant's passport.
7. An official letter from the employer, with additional information if it applies.
Q6: How to apply for a Foreign Expert Certificate?
A foreign expert with a Z visa is required to submit the following materials the first time they apply:
1. Foreign Expert Certificate application form with a photo of the applicant
2. Applicant’s passport and visa, along with copies of the two
3. Foreign Expert Work Permit application stub/receipt
4. Health certificate issued or verified by a health and quarantine department arranged by the Chinese government
5. A copy of the employment contract (with attachments); the contract will also be needed unless it has been handed in already when the applicant applied for a work permit
6. A one-inch ID photo
7. For any family member accompanying the applicant in China, a passport and visa (with copies of the two), health certificate and two one-inch ID photos of the family member
8. An official letter from the employer