The Pudong public security bureau, together with the Pudong Ministry of Commerce issued some new policies on working visa applications for foreigners easily working in the Shanghai Free Trade Zone (“SFTZ”). The detailed policies are as follow.

 

To apply for a less-than-one-year visa/resident permit, an official letter issued by the management committee of SFTZ instead of the Shanghai Ministry of Commerce or the Shanghai Foreign Affairs office.

 

A special urgent pass is available to very special urgent case in which the foreigner can obtain a visa within 2 working days.

 

A foreign senior manager working in the operation center in SFTZ can, after having obtained the certification from the management committee of SFTZ, apply for a long term (no more than five years) resident permit.

 

After a foreigner worked in the SFTZ for three consecutive years, he/she can apply fora two years resident permit.

 

A foreign visitor for commercial or trading affairs in SFTZ, after obtaining the official letter from the management committee of SFTZ, can apply for an F visa with a two to five years valid term if the span of each stay is no more than six months.

 

On the other hand, we also learnt about some reformation of the requirement for visa application in the purpose of making Shanghai as the Technology Innovation Center.

 

Green card: For people working in Shanghai for four continuous years; and stayingin China for no less than six month each calendar year; With an annual revenue of more than RMB600, 000 and an annual payable individual tax above RMB120, 000; and with no criminal record;

 

A foreign expertise who is working in a qualified technology innovation company, he/she can apply for R visa. Holding such R visa for continuously three years, he/she can apply for green card;

 

In the two cases above, such foreigner can employ a private servant that can obtain a resident permit for private affairs with the same valid term than the master.

 

A Foreign graduate in Shanghai, that wants to start up a job in Shanghai, can apply for the two-year resident permit for “startup”. During such term, if he/she finds a job, he can then change it to a working visa;

 

Concerning a foreigner’s first application for a resident permit, he can first apply for a work permit (instead of going abroad again for a Z visa) anda resident permit within one year. Working license is to be obtained afterwards;

 

A foreigner who applied for resident twice can, the third time, apply for a five-year resident permit.

 

If you want to know more details, please contact our senior consultant.

Ms. Jojo Hu

TEL: 0086-21-68868335 ext 324 / FAX: 0086-21-68868021

Email: jojohu@shanghaiinvest.com