China work visa (Z visa) - Foreigner's Work Permit (FWP) and Residence Permit service

[ Very Important Notice !! ] - 31st JAN 2020 - Due to the corona virus situation, Shanghai government request all of shanghai companies delay their opening time till 10th Feb 2020. So following is the new work schedule of VisaInChina:

24th Jan to 2nd Feb - Chinese New Year Holiday (not working, office NOT open)
3rd Feb to 9th Feb - Mobile phone available for emergency (office NOT open)
From 10th Feb - Office re-open (10am-5pm) and start working regularly.

If your visa and work permit is expires after 15th March, it's not in a rush, please contact with us again on 10th Feb. If you are our old custom and have any emergency situation before 10th Feb, please call your consultant (Please email your Consultant, and you will get an Auto-Reply with their mobile number. If you can not reach your Consultant, please call 13538015740), We will try our best to help you out.

[ Important Notice ] Our services including translation, China visa policy consulting, China immigration plan arrangement, document preparation & submission, accompany & delivery service etc which are all legalized. If you would like, you can also check all the government service from Entry Exit Bureau. if you choose to handle it directly with the government office by yourself, you only need to pay the government fee. And we are a private consulting company legally registered in China since 2001, we are not the government branch, not affiliated with the government. But because of our abundant experience, with our help, your China visa application success probability is much higher. We charge extra service/consulting fee besides government fee to keep our company running and our website updating.

China Work Visa (also called Z visa or residence permit now) is issued to an alien who comes to China for a post or employment, commercial performance or academic exchanges.

Shanghai as an experimental unit, will start the new “Work Permit” policy from 1st April 2017. According to new policy, the old “Alien Employment Permit” and old “Foreign Expert Certificate” will combine to one named “Foreigner’s Work Permit” (FWP). The foreign expert bureau will take charge of it.

The new policy will divide the foreigner who works in China into 3 categories. Class A (Talent - encourage), Class B (Specialty - control), Class C (Normal - restrict). You have to reach at least Class C, and then we can apply your FWP and working residence permit (which is the necessary documents to work legally in Shanghai). Please click the following link to check:

Am I qualified for China work permit ? - Criteria of Class A & Class B & Class C

and then let your VisaInChina consultant know following answers by email:

Which class (A or B1, B2, B3, B4, C1, C2?) you belong to?
Which type of China visa do you have it now or you are still outside of China?
When your current visa expires if you are inside of China already?

Our consultant will email you back the checklist for your situation. If your current visa is longer enough (as our experience, still valid over 30 days after you submit all the documents to us) to wait for your FWP to be approved, then you are allowed to change your L or M visas into Z visa/residence permit in China without leaving.

From 23rd March 2017, the new “Foreign Work Permit” policy will start in Shanghai. Every company needs to register a new account in the new system. It takes at least 5 working days. To avoid any delay, please email to your consultant of VisaInChina for the introduction of new system registration (Your company can start to register now!)

All above information only based on shanghai visa rules. For the Z working residence permit/visa, we have following services:

Z0-B1. First time Apply for 1 Year Work Permit and Residence Permit with your employer
Z1. Extend 1-2 years Work permit and Residence Permit with same employer
Z2. Change your Work Permit and Residence Permit from employer A to employer B
Z4. Taiwan citizen apply the 1-5 years Working Permit
Z5. HongKong / Macau citizen apply the 1-5 years Working Permit
Z6. Employee stops working, Working permit (Alien Employment permit) cancel or modification
Z7. Employee stops working, cancel the working residence permit, change to 1 month 0 entry nonrenewable Stay Permit (Humanity)
Z8. Got new passport, transfer your old working visa to new passport

You can check other visa services at right side menu.

Paperwork list of China Z visa, Work Permit and Residence Permit services

Z0-B1 Service: First time Apply for 1 Year Work Permit and Residence Permit with your employer:

Employee needs to provide at beginning:
1. Original Passport and valid visa (visa better still valid over 30 days)
2. Resume (in English or Chinese is ok) [ Sample ]
3. Original bachelors or higher diploma (make sure it’s diploma, not the degree transcript)
4. If above diploma is not issued in China, then an extra authenticated copy of your diploma is necessary [ Check the procedure and sample here ]
5. Original reference letter from any foreign company to prove you have 2 years full-time working experience (after graduated) in your current industry and position.
6. Original official police clearance certificate (PCC) from your home country [ Check the procedure and sample here ]
7. Original China HSK license (if you don’t have it, then please ignore it)
8. Original medical check report (Reserve online: http://sithc.chinaport-sh.com.cn/sithcen/)
9. 1 digital photo (White background, 35mm*48mm or 413pixel*626pixel in computer, please email to us)
10. Shanghai Registration Form Of Temporary Residence (up to date) [ Sample ]

Company needs to provide at beginning:
1. Company’s updated Business License copy (3 in 1 version) [ Sample ]
2. Company Approval Certificate or Record certification copy (only for foreign investment company) [ Sample ]
3. 1 request form that needs you and your employer to fill in

Normal Service takes: About 45 Working Days
Service Cost: 2600RMB/person (service fee)+ government fee (pay according to government receipt, around 800RMB)

Notice1: 1st Feb 2017, For Fresh graduated foreign student in Shanghai, If you have Bachelor or higher degree diploma (Obtain from the university in shanghai) and you are employed by a company registered in Shanghai Free Trade Zone (FTZ) or Zhang Jiang high technology park. Then even you didn't have 2 years working experience (above list no.5), you can still apply the working permit and visa here in shanghai directly. For more details, please contact: E-mail: magic@8888visa.com

Notice2: For employee of the company, if you hold a L, M, or X visa now and want to change it to Foreigner’s Work Permit (FWP) and residence permit, you DON'T NEED to leave the country anymore (if your current visa is longer enough to wait for your working permit get approved)

Notice3: If you are the shareholder of the company (legally registered in the business license as a shareholder), and your company paying the tax and Chinese employee’s social insurance legally on time. Then even if you don’t have Bachelor degree or 2 years working experience or you are over 60 years old, you still can obtain the work permit and work visa will less paperwork. Please check with us if you are in this situation.

Procedures:

For Foreign employee outside of China	For Foreign employee inside of China	For China Taiwan, HongKong, Macau citizen

Notification of Foreigner’s Work Permit (NFWP)	Medical checkup	*From 1st Sept 2018, No Need to apply Employment permit anymore, follow the same rule as local Chinese

Applicant apply the Z visa (working visa) in Home country and entering China	Shanghai registration form of temporary residence

Medical checkup	Foreigner’s Work Permit (FWP)

Shanghai registration form of temporary residence	Residence permit

Foreigner’s Work Permit (FWP)

Residence permit

Friendly Notice:
1) According to the local shanghai immigration policy, For the first time when you apply the Residence permit, you have to show up (the second time no need to show up) in the government to take a digital picture, they need to confirm you are the same person of the passport holder then the officer will accept your visa application.

For more details about first time 1 year working visa application, time frame, procedure, and policies, Please Check HERE!

Z1 Service: Extend 1-2 Years Work permit and Residence Permit with same employer:

For Class A work permit holder, we can renew your work permit and residence permit for 2 years
For Class B work permit holder, we can renew your work permit and residence permit for 1 year

Employee needs to provide:
1. Original Passport with valid work visa in it (work permit must be valid over 30 days)
2. Resume (in English or Chinese is ok) [ Sample ]
3. Original Alien Employment Permit (brown booklet) or Foreign Work Permit (blue card)
4. Copy of the new employment contract
5. 1 Passport Photographs (2 inches size: 3.5cm*4.5cm)
6. Copy of the Shanghai Registration Form Of Temporary Residence (Updated with your current address and passport number) [ Sample ]

Company needs to provide:
1. Company’s updated Business License copy (3 in 1 version) [ Sample ]
2. 1 request form that your employer needs to fill in
3. We will prepare some visa applications which need your company stamp it and you sign it

** Extra document for Class A work permit holder to renew 2-years work permit and residence permit:
1. Your last year income tax receipt (1 year receipt till last month and tax paid over 120,000RMB/year)
2. Your salary on your employment contract must over 50,000RMB/month
3. Your employment contract must be valid over 2 years

Notice 1: 2-years application is not 100% guarantee (according to our experience, it's about 90% success rate), you need to show up together with us at the immigration office when you first time apply the 2 years visa. During the processing, the immigration officer might call or go to your company, check all your behavior in China and then make the final decision, if the government denies your application (according to the law, they can deny it without any reason), you will get 1 year residence permit automatically, and we will charge the 1 year fee then.

Notice 2: Even you got the 2-years residence permit, if you switch job, you need to give up your current 2-years residence permit and re-apply a new working permit and new residence permit through the new company, If you don't do that, it will be counted as illegal employment and you will face a huge penalty.

Normal Service takes: 23 Working Days
Service Cost for 1-year application: 1500RMB/person (service fee)+ government fee (pay according to government receipt, around 800RMB)
Service Cost for 2-years application: 2500RMB/person (service fee)+ government fee (pay according to government receipt, around 800RMB)

Z2 Service: Change your Work Permit and Residence Permit from employer A to employer B:

Employee needs to provide at beginning:
1. Original Passport with valid work visa in it (visa better still valid over 30 days)
2. Resume (in English or Chinese is ok) [ Sample ]
3. Original bachelors or higher diploma (make sure it’s diploma, not the degree transcript)
4. If above diploma is not issued in China, then an extra authenticated copy of your diploma is necessary [ Check the procedure and sample here ] - VisaInChina can get you 3 month grace period to prepare this if you apply with VisaInChina within 30 days after your termination date.
5. Original official police clearance certificate (PCC) from your home country [ Check the procedure and sample here ] - It can be avoid if you apply with VisaInChina within 30 days after your termination date.
6. Employer A needs to cancel your working permit and give you an original cancel certificate (from government)
7. 1 original release letters from old company A to prove you have already quit (with official stamp) – We have the sample
8. China HSK license (if you have, if you don’t have it, then please ignore it)
9. 3 Passport Photographs (2 inches size: 3.5cm*4.8cm)
10. Copy of the Shanghai Registration Form Of Temporary Residence (Updated with your current address and passport number) [ Sample ]

Company needs to provide at beginning:
1. Company’s updated Business License copy (3 in 1 version) [ Sample ]
2. Company Approval Certificate or Record certification copy (only for foreign investment company) [ Sample ]
3. 1 request form that needs you and your employer to fill in

Notice 1: If Company A and Company B is not in the same industry (for example, Company A is consulting company and company B is restaurant), then the application failure rate will be higher.
Notice 2: According to the immigration regulation, after we submit your new Foreigner’s Work Permit (FWP) (with employer B), you need to give up your former residence permit of employer A and change it to a 1 month 0 entry M visa immediately to avoid the illegal employment.

Normal Service takes: 27 Working Days
Service Cost including 1 month 0 entry M visa: 3000RMB/person (service fee)+ government fee (pay according to government receipt, around 560RMB)

Z4 Service: Taiwan citizen apply the 1-5 years Working Permit:

1. Tai Bao zheng with valid visa
2. Resume or C.V. (in English or Chinese is ok) [ Sample ]
3. Registration Form Of Temporary Residence (up to date) [ Sample ]
4. Employment Contract (how long working permit you can get is depend on the length of your contract)
5. Copy of the company Business License [ Sample ]
6. Copy of the company Enterprise Code License [ Sample ]
7. Copy of the company Approval Certificate (only for foreign investment company) [ Sample ]
8. 4 Passport Photographs (size 4.5cm*3.5cm)

Normal Service takes: 7 Working Days
Service Cost:

Friendly Notice:
From 1st July 2015, Taiwanese can enter mainland China with visa free, they just need to carry the valid TaiBaoZheng (in English: Mainland Travel Permit for Taiwan residents - MTP). More details of visa free policy for Taiwan residents: Please click here to download the Q&A!
From 1st Sept 2018, Taiwanese no need to apply the China work permit anymore, company can hire taiwanese same as local Chinese.

Z5 Service: HongKong / Macau citizen apply the 1-5 years Working Permit:

1. Tong Xing Zheng or Hui Xiang Zheng
2. Resume or C.V. (in English or Chinese is ok) [ Sample ]
3. Registration Form Of Temporary Residence (up to date) [ Sample ]
4. Employment Contract (how long working permit you can get is depend on the length of your contract)
5. Copy of the company Business License [ Sample ]
6. Copy of the company Enterprise Code License [ Sample ]
7. Copy of the company Approval Certificate(only for foreign investment company) [ Sample ]
8. 4 Passport Photographs (size 4.5cm*3.5cm)

Normal Service takes: 7 Working Days
Service Cost:

Friendly Notice:
From 1st July 2015, if HK and Macau citizen want to work in mainland China, they only need to apply the working permit, and they don't need to apply the residence permit (small green booklet) anymore.
From 1st Sept 2018, HK and Macau citizen no need to apply the China work permit anymore, company can hire HK and Macau citizen same as local Chinese.

Z6 service: Employee stops working, Working permit (Alien Employment permit) cancel or modification

1. Working permit (the Alien Employment Permit) or Foreign Expert Certificate
2. 1 original termination letter from employer to prove you have already stop working(need to be signed by Employee and stamped by Employer)
After we received above documents, we will prepare 1 Application Form for Cancellation (need to be signed by Employee and stamped by Employer)

Normal Service takes: 10 Working Days
Service Cost for old work permit (brown booklet): 600RMB/person (service fee)+ government fee (free)
Service Cost for new work permit (blue card): 1000RMB/person (service fee)+ government fee (free)

Z7 Service: Employee stops working, cancel the working residence permit, change to 1 month 0 entry nonrenewable Stay Permit (Humanity):

1. Passport with valid visa
2. Local Shanghai Registration Form Of Temporary Residence ( up to date ) [ Sample ]
3. 2 Passport Photographs (size 4.5cm*3.5cm)
4.1 termination letter from employer company to confirm you have already quit (with company official stamp, termination date must be a recently date within a 10 days)
5. Company’s updated Business License copy (3 in 1 version) [ Sample ]

Normal Service takes: 8 Working Days
Service Cost: 800RMB/person (service fee)+ government fee (pay according to the government receipt, around 160RMB)

Z8 Service: Got new passport, transfer your old working visa to new passport:

1. Original old and new passports
2. 2 Passport Photographs (2 inches size: 3.5cm*4.5cm)
3. Copy of Registration Form Of Temporary Residence (Update with new passport number) [ Sample ]
4. Company’s updated Business License copy (3 in 1 version) [ Sample ]
5. 1 visa application which need your company stamp it [ Click to download ]
6. Shanghai company assignment letter with official stamp to assign VisaInChina as a visa agent [ Click to download ] (Print out and stamp it directly, don't modify)
7. Any kind of proof from your consulate to prove you have a new passport replaced your old passport (for example, the consulate receipt; new passport pickup confirmation email or confirmation letter from the consulate etc.)

Notice 1: From 1st Jan 2016, shanghai entry-exit bureau request foreigners who got the new passport transfer their old visa to new passport within 10 days (count from new passport issue date), If you don't do that, you will be requested to show up when you renew your next working visa and you will face a warning or small penalty. (it might also affect your long-term visa application in the future, for example, 5 years working visa or green card application)

Normal Service takes: 7 Working Days
Service Cost: 800RMB/person (service fee)+ government fee (pay according to government receipt, around 200RMB)