CHINA VISA FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
中国签证常见问题

Yes, foreigners and their accompanying family members above 18 years old (inclusive) must go to the Chinese immigration office when apply for the Residence Permit.

是的，外国人及其年满18周岁及以上的随行家属，在申请居留许可时必须前往中国出入境管理部门办理。

Your employer in China can be WFOE, local company, branch office, representative office or a Chinese entity where you are assigned to work.

您在中国的雇主可以是外商独资企业、本地公司、分公司、代表处，或您被派遣实际工作的中国境内主体。

It depends. According to the Chinese immigration law, foreigners who over stay their Chinese visas will be charged a penalty of RMB 500 per day (maximum up to RMB10,000) or be detained for more than 5 days and less than 15 days. We suggest you contact us immediately. If it is handled in time and properly, it is possible to avoid penalties and liability. Otherwise, as the time goes late, everything will get more difficult to handle.

视具体情况而定。根据中国出入境管理相关规定，外国人签证逾期停留的，可能被处以每日人民币500元罚款（最高不超过人民币10,000元），或被处以5日以上15日以下拘留。建议您立即联系我们。如能及时、妥善处理，仍有可能避免处罚或相关责任；否则拖延越久，处理难度越大。

Yes. For some countries (such as USA, UK, Australian) we can assist you to get an M visa within 24 hours from Hong Kong.

可以。对于部分国家申请人，例如美国、英国、澳大利亚等，我们可以协助其在香港于24小时内取得 M 商务签证。

You should go to the Shanghai immigration office to report lost as soon as possible and a lost report will be issued to you. Then you can go to your Consulate in Shanghai to apply for a new passport and get a re-issued visa from the Shanghai immigration office.

您应尽快前往上海出入境管理部门办理护照遗失报备，并取得遗失证明。随后可前往您所在国家驻上海领事馆申请新护照，再向上海出入境管理部门申请补发签证。

It is illegal for foreigners to stay in China after the China visa expires. You need to extend the tourist visa before the work visa is granted. In Shanghai, the tourist visa can be extended 30 days at a time but can only be extended just once. Let us know which city you are based in China to see there is any further we can help.

外国人在中国签证过期后继续停留属于违法行为。在工作签证获批前，您需要先办理旅游签证延期。在上海，旅游签证通常每次可延期30天，但一般只能延期一次。请告知您目前所在城市，我们可进一步判断是否还有其他协助方式。

You have 2 options in relation to yourstudent visa:

• change it to a business visa, you need to leave China to apply for a new business visa.
• change it to a tourist visa up to 3 months, you need to have your school in Shanghai issue an application letter to the Visa Office. The application letter needs to set out your reasons for staying in China; for example you wish to apply for a period to stay in China to travel and practice the language having spent time studying it. But note it is all up to the Visa Office whether or not to grant this tourist visa.

关于您的学生签证，通常有两种选择：

• 转换为商务签证：您需要离开中国后重新申请新的商务签证。
• 转换为最长3个月的旅游签证：您需要请上海的学校向签证机关出具申请信，说明您继续停留中国的理由，例如希望在完成一段时间学习后继续在中国旅游并练习语言。但是否批准该旅游签证，最终取决于签证机关。

In moving from a dorm to an apartment, you will need to go to the police station where the apartment is located to change the residence registration and obtain a new Registration Form of Temporary Residence. The process will be completed within a couple of hours. Passport and original lease contract (if applicable) will be required.

如果您从宿舍搬到公寓，需要前往公寓所在地派出所办理住宿登记变更，并取得新的《临时住宿登记表》。该流程通常可在数小时内完成。通常需要携带护照及租赁合同原件（如适用）。

A foreigner needs to register his/her residence at the police office where he/she resides within 24 hours of entering China. If a foreigner stays in a hotel, the reception desk usually registers foreigners. Failure or delay to register in time will cause a penalty maximum RMB 2,000.

外国人入境中国后，应在24小时内前往居住地所属派出所办理住宿登记。如入住酒店，通常由酒店前台代为办理。未按时登记或延迟登记，最高可能被处以人民币2,000元罚款。

If the business license of the newly setup Shanghai company indicate no paid-in capital, the work permit could still be obtained, but its validity is usually less than one year. Similarly, the residence permit could still be obtained, but its validity is usually less than 3 months. Within the validity of the residence permit, the Shanghai Company could apply for a renewal of the residence permit with an updated business license indicating some paid-in capital.

如果新设立的上海公司营业执照显示无实缴资本，仍有可能申请到工作许可，但有效期通常少于一年。同样，居留许可也可能获批，但有效期通常少于3个月。在居留许可有效期内，上海公司可在营业执照更新并显示一定实缴资本后，再申请续签居留许可。

Yes, foreigners are required to leave China to go to the Chinese consulate or embassy at their home country to apply for the Z visa and then return to China to continue the rest of work. We may assist to get a Z visa from Hong Kong, depending on your nationality. However, if you are the legal representative or investor of the WFOE, or you are the Chief Representative of the representative office, we can assist you to apply for the work permit directly and change your tourist visa (L visa) or business visa (M visa) into the Residence Permit in China directly without leaving China.

通常情况下，外国人需要离开中国，前往其本国的中国使领馆申请 Z 签证，然后再返回中国继续办理后续手续。根据您的国籍，我们也可能协助您在香港申请 Z 签证。但是，如果您是外商独资企业的法定代表人或投资人，或是代表处首席代表，我们可以协助您直接申请工作许可，并在中国境内将旅游签证（L签证）或商务签证（M签证）直接转换为居留许可，无需离境。

Foreigner’s health certificate is with 6 months validity.

外国人体检健康证明的有效期为6个月。

If the child will go on studying in Shanghai, he/she can change the type of the Residence Permit from family member to foreign student, but the validity won’t exceed the date on the application letter issued by the university (school). Alternatively, he/she can apply for a China S2 visa, which is a multiple entry visa issued to those who intend to visit their family members who are foreigners working or studying in China. The duration of stay of S2 visa in China is no more than 180 days.

如果该子女将继续在上海学习，可以将居留许可类型由家属变更为外国学生，但有效期不得超过学校或大学出具申请信中载明的日期。另一种选择是申请中国 S2 签证，该签证通常签发给拟探望在中国工作或学习的外国人家属的人员，属于多次入境签证，在中国境内每次停留期限不超过180天。

The following circumstances are considered as foreigner’s illegal employment:

• Has not obtained work permit or residence permit;
• Work beyond the specified work permit.

以下情况通常会被认定为外国人非法就业：

• 未取得工作许可或居留许可；
• 超出工作许可规定范围工作。

The employer could be fined RMB 10,000RMB/person (maximum up to 100,000RMB). The foreigner could be fined maximum up to 20,000RMB or be detained for more than five days.

用人单位可能被处以每人人民币10,000元罚款，最高不超过人民币100,000元。外国人本人可能被处以最高人民币20,000元罚款，或被处以5日以上拘留。

It means the numbers of entries you can enter China during the visa validity: 00 = Zero; 01 = Single; 02 = Double; M = Multi.

它表示您在签证有效期内可以入境中国的次数：00 = 零次；01 = 单次；02 = 两次；M = 多次。