The foreigner who intends to be a permanent resident shall submit such application to the exit/entry administration window at the Suzhou Administrative Service Center (389, Sanxiang Road, Suzhou). For more information, please call: 0512-68661471(Suzhou); 0512-57379066 (Kunshan).

1. Supporting Documents Required for Residence Permit Application

Where the visa held by the foreigner specifies that he/she needs to apply for a residence permit after entry, such foreigner shall, within 30 days from the date of his/her entry, apply to the exit/entry administration of the public security branch office in the proposed place of residence for a foreigners' residence permit.

The foreigner who applies for a residence permit whose duration exceeds one year shall submit a health certificate from the local health and quarantine department or the healthcare organization at and above the county level that proves he/she has no serious mental disorders, infectious tuberculosis or other infectious disease that may cause major risks to public health, together with the following supporting documents:

1) Residence permit for employment: The Z visa holder shall submit the work permit provided by the local human resources and social security department or the authorized department in charge of foreign expert affairs, together with supporting documents provided by the employer; the applicant holding other types of visas shall submit supporting documents that prove the applicant has fulfilled the talent or investment criteria set by the authorized department of the Chinese government.

Prominent foreign or urgently needed experts and qualified investors may be awarded residence permits with a duration of no more than 5 years; foreigners employed by reputable organizations in the registry may be awarded residence permits with a duration of no more than two years; other foreign applicants may be awarded residence permits with a duration of no more than one year.

2) Residence permit for education: The X1 visa holder shall submit the document that specifies the required period of his/her education and the proof of admission; foreigners holding other types of visas shall also submit supporting documents provided by the authorized department in charge. Such applicants may be awarded residence permits with a duration the same as the required period of education.

Foreigners holding education visas who need to work part-time or as interns, after approved by the school where they are educated, shall submit supporting documents provided by their schools and organizations that offer job or intern ship opportunities to the exit/entry administration department of the local public security authorities for residence permits.

3) Residence permit for journalism: The J1 visa holder shall submit the Journalist's Certificate provided by the foreign affairs department of the provincial government together with other required documents and may be awarded a residence permit with a duration of no more than one year.

4) Residence permit for family reunion: Foreigners holding Q1 visa shall submit their ID papers and documents that explain their relationship with the visited person; foreigners holding other types of visas shall also provide proofs of their relationship with the visited person. Applicants who are less than 10 years old or already 60 years old may be awarded residence permits with a duration of no more than 3 years; however, the duration of residence for applicants who are under the age of 18 shall not exceed the difference between their current age and the age of 18. Other applicants may be awarded residence permits with a duration of no more than two years.

For a foreign child of Chinese parents holding foreign citizenship who is under the age of 18 and fostered in China, the guardian may apply, on the child's behalf, for a residence permit to the exit/entry administration department of the public security authorities of the jurisdiction where his/her household (hukou) is registered or his/her major domicile is located. Required supporting documents for the application shall include: the birth certificate of the child, the photocopies of his/her parents' passports (the photocopied proof of such parent's foreign residence is also required if one of his/her parents holds Chinese citizenship); the documents of custody from such child's parents and the guardian (such documents shall specify the foster carer or the guardian as well as the term of foster care); the proof of household registration of the foster carer or proof residence in the place where the foster carer has actually resided for over 6 moths and his/her ID card. Such child may be awarded a residence permit with a duration of no more than 3 years; however, such duration shall exceed the difference between their current age and the age of 18.

5) Resident permit for private affairs: The S1 visa-holding applicant shall submit supporting documents provided by the visited person that explain the relationship between the applicant (spouse, parent, spouse's parent or child under the age of 18) and the visited person as well as the residence permit of the visited person. Such applicant may be awarded a residence permit with a duration the same as that of the visited person. Other applicants shall submit supporting documents that justify their private affairs and may be awarded a residence permit with a duration of no more than one year.

The foreigner who enters China on any other type of visa shall submit supporting documents provided by the visited person, including his/her residence permit and proof of familial relationship (spouse, parent, spouse's parent and child under the age of 18). Such applicant may be awarded a residence permit with a duration the same as that of the visited person.

The applicant who needs to reside in China for humanitarian reasons may be awarded a residence permit with a duration of no more than one year: a foreign Chinese who is already 60 years old and has purchased property in China shall submit the proof of property ownership or a notarized property purchase contract as well as the proof of his/her source of income; the foreigner who is receiving healthcare in China shall submit supporting documents provided a healthcare organization at or above the county or A2 level that an over-6-month hospitalization or healthcare is needed.

2. Application for Residence Permit Extension

The foreigner who wishes to extend their residence permit shall apply to the exit/entry administration department of the local public security authorities 30 days in advance of the expiration date and provide supporting documents relating to the purpose of such extension. If there is a good reason for such extension, the application will be approved; if the application is rejected, the foreigner shall leave China before the expiration of his/her residence permit.

3. Application for Change of Residence Permit

If there is any change to the information recorded with respect to a foreigner's residence permit (including changes in the name, the purpose of residence or the number of his/her passport or other international travel permit), the foreigner shall apply for changing his/her residence permit to the exit/entry administration department of the local public security authorities within 10 days from the occurrence of such change. As required by the provisions above, the application for such change shall be supported by relevant documents regarding the change of personal information or the purpose of residence.

4. Application for a New Residence Permit

The foreigner who has lost, had his/her residence permit damaged, robbed or stolen, for the purpose of applying for a new residence permit, shall submit the proof of loss of the passport, or the diplomatic note issued by the embassy/consulate of his/her home country in China that proves such loss, or present the damaged permit, together with the new passport or other valid international travel permit.

5. Application Methods

The foreigner who applies for a visa, stay permit extension or replacement, or a new stay permit, shall personally follow the procedure as required by the exit/entry administration department of the public security authorities in his/her jurisdiction. The inviting organization/individual, his/her relative or a professional agent may follow such procedure on his/her behalf if any of the following conditions is met:

1) The applicant is under the age of 16, above the age of 60 or unable to move due to reasons such illness;
2) The entry is not the first one for the applicant who has a good track record during his/her residence/stay in China;
3) The inviting organization/individual pays for the expenses incurred by the foreigner during his/her stay in China.

The foreigner who needs to apply for a residence permit shall personally follow the procedure as required by the exit/entry administration department of the public security authorities in his/her jurisdiction. If the foreigner is characterized as a prominent/urgently needed expert or fulfills any of the aforementioned conditions, the inviting organization/individual, his/her relative or a professional agent may file the application on his/her behalf.

6. Application Procedure

The foreigner who applies for a visa or any other permit, shall accept questioning by the exit/entry administration department of the public security authorities in his/her jurisdiction. If such exit/entry administration department needs to verify circumstances with the inviting organization/individual, such organization/individual shall be cooperative. If the applicant or the inviting organization/individual fails, without good reason, to attend the face-to-face interview by such exit/entry administration department, the application may be rejected.

The foreigner who applies for a visa or any other permit shall fill in Visa/Permit Application Form and provide his/her passport or other international travel permit, together with a photo and other supporting documents as required.

7. Return Receipt

For the application that meets the criteria, the exit/entry administration department shall process the application, issue a return receipt and decide whether to issue the visa/permit or not within the term of the return receipt. Such term for visa or stay permit application will not exceed 7 working days from the date when the application is processed; such term for residence permit application will not exceed 15 working days from the date when the application is processed.

If the applicant's passport or other international travel permit is kept by the exit/entry administration department, he/she may use the return receipt as legal proof of stay. The applicant may also apply to recover his/her passport or other international travel permit if there is good reason; however, the passport or the international travel permit shall be returned within the term of the return receipt to facilitate visa/permit issuance by the exit/entry administration department.

8. Processing Time

The exit/entry administration department of the public security authorities will decide whether to issue the visa/stay permit within 7 working days after accepting the application; whether to issue the residence permit within 15 working days after the accepting the application.

The applicant may also apply to the exit/entry administration department of the public security authorities to expedite the processing of his/her application if he/she has good reason; upon such request, the exit/entry administration department may provide such convenience where appropriate.

9. Authority

The applicant who is covered by Articles 21 and 31 of the Exit and Entry Administration Law of the People's Republic of China will be disqualified for visa/permit qualification.

The decision made by the exit/entry administration department of the public security authorities not to extend or replace the applicant's visa or stay/residence permit, or not to issue a new visa or stay/residence permit, shall be deemed as final.

10. Miscellaneous

1) Inviting/Hosting Organization Registration

The organization that invites/hosts foreigners may apply to the exit/entry administration department of the local public security authorities to be added into its registry.

2) Accommodation Registration

The foreigner who is accommodated in China shall be registered pursuant to the Exit and Entry Administration Law of the People's Republic of China. When processing a foreigner's visa/permit application, the exit/entry administration department of the public security authorities may require the foreigner to submit the registration proof of his/her accommodation in China.