HANGZHOU: NEW preferential visa policies for expats

Seven Preferential Exit and Entry Policies IN Hangzhou
Benefiting foreigners inluding
– high-level talents –
– long-term working staff in China –
– foreign Chinese –
– foreign students from China or abroad –

1.Foreign qualified high-level talents, their spouses and minor children can apply for permanent residence in China as recommended by the relevant authorities.

2.Foreigners who have been working continuously for more than 4 years in Hangzhou, with a total of not less than 6 months of actual residence in China each year, and the annual salary income and annual personal income tax reach the prescribed standards can apply for permanent residence in China as recommended by the work units, and their spouses and minor children can apply together.

3.Foreign Chinese who work in Hangzhou with a doctoral degree or above, or foreign Chinese who have been working continuously for 4 years in Hangzhou, with a total of not less than 6 months of actual residence in China each year, can apply for permanent residence in China.

4.Foreign Chinese who come to Hangzhou to visit relatives, handle business affairs, engage in science, education and health exchange activities or handle personal affairs can be issued visas valid for five years with multiple entries. For long-term residence in Hangzhou for work, study, family reunion or personal affairs, foreign Chinese can be issued residence permit of not more than 5 years.

5.With graduation certificates from colleges or universities in China, foreign students with the intention to practice innovation and entrepreneurship in Hangzhou can apply for residence permit for personal affairs (marked with entrepreneurship) for 2 to 5 years to carry out internship or entrepreneurship. The residence permit can be changed to the type for employment if foreign students are employed by some unit during the internship or entrepreneurship Period. Foreign students from overseas university invited to come in for internship with enterprises registered with the Exit-Entry Administration of the provincial-level public security organs may apply for short-term personal affairs visas (marked with internship) to the Hangzhou Port Visa Office for entry. Foreign students holding other types of visas can apply for change to short-term private affairs visas (marked with internship) after entry.

6.Foreigners working in Hangzhou who have applied for residence permit for work for two consecutive times and without any violation of laws and regulations, can be issued residence permit for work of not more than 5 years for the third time application.

7.Foreign technical personnel and senior management personnel selected by the enterprises concerned, can apply for work visas at the port of entry after getting the work permit certificates. Those who fail to handle the work permit certificates in time, may apply for talent visas with the invitation letter issued by the enterprises for entry.