Shenzhen Government Online
Lecture on China’s green card a hit with expats
From: Shenzhen Daily
Updated: 2021-12-17 14:12

ee0901bd-db36-45ce-b787-68229fb3d118.jpg.jpg

Expats attend the Chinese green card seminar at the Shekou Management and Service Center for Expats office Thursday. Yang Yan


A seminar on policies regarding a foreigner’s permanent resident identity card in China, also known as China’s “green card,” received warm responses from the expat community in Shekou on Thursday.


The seminar was organized by the Shekou Foreign Legal Assistance Center and was capped at 100 participants due to limited space. Registration was suspended two days before the deadline.


During the session, Huang Yi, an officer from the Exit-Entry Administrative Department of the Shenzhen Municipal Public Security Bureau, gave a lecture on the benefits of applying for a permanent resident card, including the types of eligible applicants and application process in Shenzhen. Another guest speaker, Olivia Li, a visa and HR consultant from Shenzhen Foreign Service Group Co., focused on the contents of the R visa application or the visa for foreign high-level talents and top talents needed for economic and social development.


According to the regulations, green card holders can stay in China for an unlimited period of time, and can enter and leave the country without any visa requirements.


In recent years, more and more foreigners are applying for Chinese green cards and an increasing number of foreign nationals have been issued green cards, Huang said.


Police statistics showed the local authority received 98 applications in 2018 and the number increased to 450 in 2021.


“Foreigners in Shenzhen can apply for permanent residence in China through the government’s talents program. Chinese people of foreign nationality working in Shenzhen with a Ph.D. or having worked in the city for more than four years and live in China for no less than six months each year are eligible,” Huang added.


For market-oriented talents, foreign applicants must have worked in China for more than four consecutive years and live in China for no less than six months each year. They should have an annual salary of no less than 400,000 yuan (US$62,805.16) and an annual individual income tax of no less than 70,000 yuan, Huang explained.


“This seminar is very good in terms of details about green card policies and I learned more about the requirements for applying for a green card,” said Sangeeta Dutta, an Indian expat who has lived in Shenzhen under a dependent visa with her family for 17 years.


Vanessa Faraco from Brazil, who has lived in Shenzhen for nine years, said that many foreigners didn’t know much about the policy before and initially thought it would be very difficult to get a green card.


“The seminar made it clearer, and I know which category I can apply under and what docs [documents] are needed. It’s quite informative,” she said.


The lecture was the 10th edition of the One Month One Topic seminar series of the Shekou Foreign Legal Assistance Center, which aims to help expats understand the latest foreign-related laws and policies and make their lives in China more convenient.


The center is the first comprehensive multifunctional platform in Guangdong to provide foreign-related public legal services. It currently offers legal consulting, notary services, mediation, visa and tax consulting, and intellectual property consulting.


Q&A on applying for green cards in Shenzhen


Q1: What is the foreign permanent resident ID card in China?


A: A foreign permanent resident ID card issued by the People’s Republic of China.

It’s a legal document for foreigners with permanent residence status to prove their identity in China and a tangible certificate for foreigners with permanent residence to enjoy preferential treatments in China.


Q2: What are the common policies for foreign talents working in Shenzhen?


A: Three common policies for permanent residents:


(1) Talents recommended by government


These are high-level foreign talents and their spouses, plus minor children who meet the standards recommended by Qianhai Authority or Shenzhen Municipal Government.


(2) Chinese of foreign nationality


These are foreigners working in Shenzhen with a Ph.D. degree or have worked in Shenzhen for more than four years and live in China for no less than six months each year.


(3) Market-oriented talents


These are foreigners who have worked in China for more than four consecutive years and live in China for no less than six months each year, with an annual salary of no less than 400,00 yuan and annual individual income tax of no less than 70,000 yuan.


Q3: What is the list of must-haves for common policies by category?


(1) For Chinese of foreign nationality

A. Application form

B. Proof of work permit

C. Employment certificate issued by employer

D. Employer’s registration certificate and annual inspection certificate

E. Proof of tax records

F. Noncriminal record certificate authenticated by the embassy or consulate

G. Ph.D. degree certificate (only for Chinese Ph.D. applicants)

H. Residence certificate cancellation issued by the former country

I. Chinese passport before naturalization

J. Certificate of naturalization


(2) For market-oriented talents

A. Application form

B. Proof of work permit

C. Recommendation letter and four-year salary certificate issued by employer

D. Employer’s registration certificate and annual inspection certificate

E. Proof of tax records for four consecutive years

F. Noncriminal record certificate authenticated by the embassy or consulate




-