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 Living Legally in Shanghai
Visas are a fact of life for Expatriates visiting or living in China. Perhaps the best advice for someone planning on an extended stay in Shanghai is to bring at least 10 passport size photos. Almost every step of the way to obtaining your permits and certificates requires at least one photo.
Here are the required documents in the order you will obtain them.
· Temporary Residence
· Health Certificate
· Work Permit
· Residence Permit
· Permit Extension
Step 1 Temporary Residence Permit
It’s a simple registration process you need to do within 72-hr following your arrival in Shanghai. This procedure is to be done at the closest police station in the district you are living in, you will need:
○ Passport
○ For free
Step 2 Health Certificate
The examination and tests required to get this permit may be done in your home country, but the Chinese Government may not accept an overseas exam. If you are taking your exam here, go to the Shanghai Health Examination-Health Certificate. To receive a health examination you will need:
○ Passport
○ Copy of business license
○ 3 passport photos
○ Fee:RMB732(702 per person, 30RMB)
Step 3 Work Permit
It can be applied for at Shanghai Municipality Labor Bureau. You will need to prepare the following documents:
○ Passport and a copy of your passport
○ Health certificate (copy)
○ 3 2-inch photos
○ Two copies of employment registry form with company stamp
○ Copy of labor contract (in Chinese)
○ Business license, approval certificate, or certificate of organization code (copy)
○ Aliens’ employment license or resume, qualification certificate, diploma certificate
○ Fee: RMB 10 (if urgent RMB 210)
Step 4 Residence Permit
It must be applied for within 30 days at the Division of Exit & Entry Administration Department of Public Security of Shanghai. You will need to prepare the following documents:
○ Health Certificate
○ Temporary residence permit
○ Work Permit
○ A copy of the business license
○ 2 passport photos
○ Application letter with company stamp
○ Passport
○ Fee: 400RMB/person under one year; 800RMB/person above one year
Step 5 Extension of Work Permit
It can be applied for at Shanghai Municipality Labor Bureau. You will need to prepare the following documents:
○ Passport
○ Work permit
○ One 2-inch photo
○ Employment registry form
○ Copy of labor contract
○ Normally for free (if urgent 200 RMB and if change certificate 100 RMB)
Step 6 Annual Inspection of Work Permit
You can apply for the permit at the Shanghai Municipality Labor Bureau. You will need to prepare the following documents:
○ Passport
○ Work permit
○ Annual inspection form
○ Normally for free (if change certificate 10 RMB)
Step 7 Extension of Residence Permit
You can apply for the permit at the Division of Exit & Entry Administration Dept. of Public Security of Shanghai. You will need to prepare the following documents:
○ Work permit
○ Passport
○ One 2-inch photo
○ Application letter
○ Business license, approval certificate, or certificate of organization code (copy)
○ If the address was changed, then the applicant should provide the new temporary residence (the pink slip)
○ Fee: 400 RMB/person under one year, 800 RMB/person above one year
Type of Visa
In accordance with their status and the types of passports they hold, different expats coming to China shall be issued diplomatic, courtesy, service or ordinary visas respectively. Ordinary visa shall be marked with different phonetic letters and issued to different expats according to their stated purposes of visit of China.
⊙ Visa D to expats who are to reside permanently in China
⊙ Visa Z to expats who come to China to take up posts or employment and to their accompanying family members
⊙ Visa X to expats who come to China for study, advanced study or job-training for a period of six months or more
⊙ Visa F to expats who are invited to China on a visit or study, lecture or business tour, for scientific-technological or cultural exchange,
for short-term refresher course or for job-training, for a period of more than six months
⊙ Visa L to expats who come to China for sightseeing, visiting relatives or other private purposes. A group visa may be issued to a group of nine
or more expats on a sight-seeing trip to China
⊙ Visa G to expats passing through China
⊙ Visa C to train attendants, air crew members and seaman operating international services, and to their accompanying family members.
⊙ Visa J-1 to resident foreign correspondents in China
⊙ Visa J-2 to foreign correspondents that make short trips to China on reporting tasks
Expats who wish to apply for extension or alteration of visas or certificates
Submit their passports, visas and certificates for examination; Fill in application forms for extension or alteration; Provide papers supporting reasons for extension or alteration.
Expats whose Chinese visas or certificates are lost
An alien whose Chinese visa or certificates is lost or damaged shall promptly report to the exit and entry department under the local Public Security Bureau (a lost report is issued by a public security unit concerning with the case report or the damaged certificate) and apply for a new one or a replacement. An alien who has lost his/her residence card shall declare the lost card invalid in a local official newspaper.
Information for Application for Visa Alteration
Submit valid passports and visa; Fill in Application Form for Clients’ visa alteration; in the alteration from Visa L to Visa F, expats shall submit a letter or fax from an authorized organization; When Visa F is added one more entry, a letter or fax from the authorized organization shall be submitted.
Exit & Entry Administration Office of Shanghai Public Security Bureau
上海市公安局出入境管理局
1500 Minsheng Road, Pudong Area
浦东民生路1500号
Tel: 2895-1900
Office hours: Mon -Sat 9:00am -5:00pm
Shanghai International Travel Healthcare Center
上海市国际旅行卫生保健中心
15 Jinbang Road
金浜路15号
Tel: 6268-6171
Reservation: 6268-8851
Medical Exam: Mon -Fri 8:00am -11:00am
Shanghai Foreign Economic Relations and Trade Commission
上海市对外经济贸易委员会
55, Loushanguan Road, Changning District.
长宁区娄山关路55号
Tel: 6275-2200
Office hours: Mon -Fri 9:00am -12:00am, 13:30pm - 5:30pm
Shanghai Labor Bureau
上海市劳动局
258, Wusong Road
吴淞路258号
Tel: 6309-9595
www.12333sh.gov.cn | 
