How To Apply for A Chinese Green Card

To qualify for the Green card, you need to fulfill at least one of the following criteria:

1. China Green Card Through Family Reunion

1) SPOUSE REUNION (HUSBAND OR WIFE)

Spouse reunion Green Card Petition applies to those people who are married to a Chinese citizen (having registered Chinese permanent citizenship),or to a foreigner who has the qualification for permanently staying in China can apply for permanent residence in China, if they meet all of the following four requirements (1) They have been married for 5 years;(2) They have lived in China for 5 consecutive years and staying in mainland China for no less than 9 months every year;(4) They have stable life security and accommodations in China.

2) REUNION OF UNMARRIED CHILDREN UNDER 18

Children who are under the age of 18 years old, unmarried, and verified to have foreign nationality can apply for a Permanent Residence in China if one or both parent(s)is/are a Chinese citizen(s) (having registered Chinese permanent citizenship) or foreigner(s)who is/are eligible for permanent residence in China.

3) REUNION OF RELATIVE SEEKING DEPENDENCE

Those who are over 60 years old can apply for a permanent residence in China, if they have no direct relatives abroad and need to live with direct relatives in mainland China, and stay in mainland China for no less than 9 months out of every year, and have stable life security and accommodations.

2. Employment-Based China Permanent Residency

Employment-Based Green Card are mainly divided into following 5 groups. The policy on eligibility of Green Card may vary from city to City.

1) PERMANENT RESIDENCE FOR WORKING STAFF

Those who have worked in Shanghai continuously for 4 years with an annual salary income (before tax) exceeding RMB600,000, and have paid annual individual income tax exceeding RMB120,000, and stay in mainland China for no less than 6 months every year in these 4 years can apply for permanent residence in China with the present employer’s recommendation.

2) PERMANENT RESIDENCE FOR FOREIGNERS HOLDING RESIDENCE PERMITS FOR WORK (MARKED “HIGH QUALIFIED PERSON”)

3) PERMANENT RESIDENCE FOR SENIOR/PROFESSIONAL STAFF

Applicants are eligible for permanent residence if they are employed in the following 5 types of organizations and hold positions of chairman, vice chairman, general manager, deputy general manager, or have titles of associate professor, associate researcher and above, and have worked consecutively for 4 years (residence in China no less than 3 years), and have good tax records:

• Research institutes of the State Council or Shanghai Municipal People’s Government or public institutions with administrative management or functions
• Key universities (“211 Project” schools and the first batch of admissions colleges)
• Enterprises and institutions that undertake the task of national key projects or major scientific and technological projects
• High-tech enterprises, encouraged foreign-invested enterprises, foreign-invested advanced technology enterprises or foreign-invested product export enterprises
• Enterprises and institutions like national laboratories, national key laboratories, national engineering laboratories, national engineering research centers, national accredited enterprise technology centers, national engineering technology research centers, or foreign-funded centers.

4) PERMANENT RESIDENCE FOR SPECIAL TALENTS

Expats who meet one of the following criteria can apply for permanent residence in China:

• World-class talents, special skilled professionals or celebrities who have made significant and outstanding contributions to national economic development and social progress or who have great value to the country and recommended by Ministry, Commission or Administration of the State Council, or Shanghai Municipal People’s Government.;
• Foreigners who meet the criteria of high-level talent as set by the national key development zones, such as Shanghai Zhang jiang National Innovation Demonstration Zone, China (Shanghai) Pilot Free Trade Zone or China (Shanghai) Pilot Free Trade Zone Lin-Gang Special Area, and are recommended by the administration committee of the said zones;
• Foreign financial talents recommended by Shanghai financial administration authorities.

 
5) PERMANENT RESIDENCE FOR EXCELLENT FOREIGN GRADUATES

In Shanghai, foreign graduates from key domestic universities (on the List of World-Class Universities and First-Class Disciplines (“Double First-Class” initiative) released by the Ministry of Education) or well-known overseas universities [top 300 universities on Shanghai Ranking’s Academic Ranking of World Universities (originally compiled and issued by Shanghai Jiao Tong University)] who were engaged in innovative entrepreneurship in Shanghai with a residence permit for private affairs (marked “entrepreneurship”) within 2 years after graduation, became employed by eligible Shanghai organizations [① organizations in “Double Zones” or “Double Innovation” Areas; or ② organizations on the list of Shanghai scientific; technological innovative occupations formulated by the Shanghai scientific and technological innovation authorities; or ③ universities or scientific research institutes in Shanghai] during those 2 years and worked there for three consecutive years, and have good records of work performance, tax payment, and social credit may apply for permanent residence in China upon recommendation of their organizations.

3. China Green Card for People with Outstanding Contributions to China

This type of permanent residence is divided into 2 categories.

1) Those who have made significant and outstanding contributions to national economic development and social progress.
2) The world’s top talents, special skilled talents, and celebrities of great value to the country.

4. China Green Card through investment

Foreigners who meet one of the following criteria and have good tax records can apply for permanent residence in China:

1) Investors who invest in China and have actually submitted a registered capital of more than 2 million U.S. dollars (shall not be lower than this standard for 3 consecutive years);

2) Investors who invest in “Foreign Investment Industry Guidance Project” encouraged by the State, and have actually submitted a registered capital of more than 500,000 U.S. dollars (shall not be lower than this standard for 3 consecutive years).