How can Spouses Apply for Permanent Residence in China?

Source: E-government Platform of Exit-Entry Administration Offices of Branches of Shanghai Public Security Bureau

 

Requirements for spouses to apply for Permanent Residence in China:

 

Those spouses 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

(3) staying in mainland China for no less than 9 months every year;

(4) They have stable life security and accommodations in China.

 

 

Documents required for spouses to apply for Permanent Residence in China:

 

(1) Complete Application Form for Permanent Residence in China, and provide 2 copies of two-inch recent photos and a digital version of these photos (recorded in a CD) (Read the Notice for more details).

(2) Valid passport and valid visa (or residence permit), and provide 2 copies of each.

(3) Marriage certificate, and provide 2 copies of this. If this certificate was issued abroad, a verification from the Embassy/Consulate General of China is also needed, which has a validity of up to 6 months. Two copies of ID certificate used for marriage registration are also required.

(4) ID card and Household Register in Shanghai for spouse with Chinese nationality, or valid passport and Permanent Resident ID Card for spouse with foreign nationality, and provide 2 copies of this. Marriage status in the spouse’s Household Register should note married or indicate the same English name as the valid passport. Copies of issuance page and spouse’s information pages of Household Register should be submitted.

(5) Proof of financial security or financial sources, and provide 1 copy of this.

Proof of financial security is applicant’s or their spouse’s Certification of Deposit in domestic banks of no less than RMB 200,000 (The freezing period must be more than 6 months after the application date), and this should be verified by a notary office. If the deposit is under the name of applicant’s spouse, the declaration that the spouse is willing to guarantee security should be notarized and submitted as well.

The proof of financial sources is the proof of pension of the applicant or the applicant’s spouse. If it was issued abroad, verification by the Embassy/Consulate General of China is required. If such proof is owned by the applicant’s spouse, the declaration that the spouse is willing to guarantee security should be notarized and submitted. The proof and the notarization should both be issued within 6 months before the application date.

(6) House property certificate or house renting contract, and provide 2 copies of this.

If the house is owned by the applicant and spouse, the house property certificate should be submitted, and the name indicated on this must match the English name on the valid passport.

If the house is not owned by the applicant and spouse, the declaration that the house owner is willing to accommodate them should be notarized and submitted.

If the house is jointly owned by the applicant’s spouse and other people, the declaration that the joint owner is willing to accommodate them should be notarized and submitted, if the joint owner is over 18 years old. The copy of ID Certificate should be submitted if the joint owner is under 18 years old.

Those who are renting a house should submit the rental contract with more than one year’s renting period from the application date with notarization by a notary office. The notarization certificate and 1 copy of this should be submitted.

(7) A Health check certificate which was issued by a domestic entry-exit inspection and quarantine agency (or by foreign medical institutions verified by Embassy /Consulate General of China), and provide 1 copy of this. The health certificate should be issued within the validity of the last 6 months.

(8) A Criminal Record/ Background check which shows no trace or history of any kind must be verified by the Embassy/Consulate General of China, and 1 copy should also be provided. The name on the Record Check must match that on the valid passport. In case the applicant has changed names, the former names should be noted in the Record, In case the applicant has lived in a country/region outside the passport-issuing country for successively two years or longer after he/she is 18 years old, a clear Criminal Record check from that country/region is also required. The Record(s) should be issued within the validity of the last 6 months.

 

 

★ Notice for spouses applying for Permanent Residence in China:

 

(1) The applicant should come to apply in person.

(2) The photo should be taken in color with a white background. No hats or other obscuring items are permitted, and the full face must be visible. The photo size must be 48mm*33mm, with a facial width of 18mm±1mm, and head height (top of head to top of photo) between 1.5mm～2.5mm. The shirt collar or collarbone should be visible.

(3) In case the applicant has changed nationality, certificate of naturalization is required. In case the applicant was once of Chinese nationality, the former mainland Chinese citizen shall also provide their previous private passport and overseas permanent resident certificate (Chinese nationals who join another nationality when holding an official/service passport must renounce Chinese nationality first), former Taiwanese shall also provide a residence deregistration certificate; former Hong Kong/Macau people shall also provide an ID cancellation certificate. If necessary, certifications issued abroad must be verified by the Embassy/Consulate General of China.

(4) In case the applicant has changed their name, relevant certifications and 2 copies of these are required. Certifications issued in a foreign country should be verified by the Embassy/Consulate General of China.

(5) The Criminal Record/Background check, Marriage certificate, Birth certificate, relationship certificate, adoption paper, name changing proof or other relevant documents issued by overseas authorities must either be verified by the Embassy/Consulate General of China, or be certified by his/her country’s Embassy/Consulate General in China (personal statement is not acceptable).

(6) Certifications in foreign languages should be translated into Chinese and stamped by an eligible domestic translation agency, and a copy of the business license of this translation agency is required.

(7) The applicant can mark down “Need to print Chinese name” in “Others” column of the application form, if he/she hopes to have a Chinese name printed on Foreign Permanent Resident ID Card.

 

(All contents of the guideline is authentic in Chinese, English is for reference only.)

 

 

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