Regulations on Examination and Approval of Permanent Residence of Aliens in China
(Approved by the State Council on 13 December, 2003 and promulgated by virtue of Decree No.74 of the Ministry of Public Security and Ministry of Foreign Affairs on 15 August, 2004)
Article 1. This set of regulations is formulated in line with the related provisions of the Law of the Peoples Republic of China on the Administration of Entry and Exit of Foreigners and its rules of implementation to standardize the examination and approval of permanent residence of foreigners in China.
Article 2. The permanent residence of foreigners in China refers to that the period of foreigners' stay in China is not limited.
Article 3. Certificate of Permanent Residence of Aliens is the legitimate identity card of aliens having obtained permanent residence in China and may be used independently.
Article 4. Aliens having obtained permanent residence in China enter and leave China on the strength of their valid passports and the Certificate of Permanent Residence of Aliens.
Article 5. Authority for handling application of aliens for permanent residence in China is the public security administration of municipal people's government having districts under its administration, and the branch public security bureau or county level public security bureau of municipalities directly under the Central Government. The authority for examining and verifying the applications filed by aliens for permanent residence in China is the public security administrations of various provinces, autonomous regions or municipalities directly under the Central Government. The authority for the examination and approval of the applications filed by aliens for permanent residence in China is the Ministry of Public Security.
Article 6. Aliens applying for permanent residence in China shall abide by Chinese laws, be healthy, have no criminal record and conform to any of the following terms and conditions:
1. having direct investment in China, stable investment in China for three years in a row, and having a sound taxation record;
2. having assumed the posts of deputy general manager or deputy director of plants or higher level posts or posts of associate professors or associate research fellows and similar posts for more than four years in a row, and the period of stay in accumulation being no shorter than three years and having sound taxation record;
3. having major and outstanding contributions to China or needed urgently by China;
4. spouses and unmarried children aged under 18 years old of persons mentioned in items 1 to 3 of this article;
5. spouses of Chinese citizens or of aliens having obtained permanent residence in China, whose marriage has lasted for five years, and who have lived in China for five years in a row, the annual stay in China being no shorter than nine months, and who have stable and secured living status and place to live;
6. unmarried children aged under 18 years old who come to China to live with their parents;
7. persons having no direct relatives abroad entering China to live with direct relatives in China, who are over 60 years old, have lived in China for five years in a row, whose annual stay in China being no shorter than nine months and have stable and secured living status and places to live.
Time period of year mentioned in this article refers to the continuous period of time prior to the day of application.
