Instructions on Application for Permanent Residence in China by Foreign Investors at the 9 Cities of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area

Ⅰ. Eligible applicant

Where a foreign national who, in the capacity of a natural person or through a company or enterprise in which such foreigner is a majority shareholder as a natural person, has directly invested at the 9 cities of the Guangdong-HK-Macao Greater Bay Area, if such investment has proved to be steady for three consecutive years and the invested amount has reached a total of one million US dollars (500, 000 US dollars for investment in one of the listed industries of encouraged type as specified in the Catalogue for the Guidance of Foreign Investment Industries released by the State Council of China) or above, and who has kept a good tax record, such foreign national is entitled to apply for permanent residence in China.

Ⅱ. Documents required for application (in triplicate)

(1) Complete and submit the Form of Application for Permanent Residence of Foreigner in China (for both employees and their spouses and children) in triplicate; submit 4 recently taken bareheaded and full-faced color photos of applicant against a blue background (standard: 48 x 33mm);

(2) Valid foreign passport and visa of the applicant;

(3) Health certificate issued within 6 months by a health and quarantine authority designated by the Chinese government or issued by a foreign health and medical institution accredited by a Chinese embassy or consulate abroad;

(4) Certificate of no criminal record authenticated by a Chinese embassy or consulate abroad (which shall be issued by each country or region in which the applicant has/had resided for 2 or more consecutive years, and the issue date of both the certificate and the authentication shall be within 6 months prior to the time of application);

(5) Applicant's resume (from the age of 18 to present. Years and months are required to be continuous). If the applicant has once held Chinese nationality, the resume should detail his/her obtainment of the right of foreign permanent residence and his/her naturalization and he/she shall submit a certificate of his/her foreign settlement qualification, a certificate of naturalization, the passport of the People's Republic of China used at the time of acquiring foreign citizenship and the certificates of cancellation of Chinese household register;

(6) The enterprise's business license and its annual inspection certificate (the valid period shall be the last 3 consecutive years prior to the date of submitting the application);

(7) Certificate of approval for establishment of enterprises with foreign investment (the applicant's name or the enterprise controlled by him/her shall be clearly indicated in the column of investor's name) and certificate of current year's joint annual inspection. The valid period of joint annual inspection certificate shall be the last 3 consecutive years prior to the date of submitting the application; if the applicant is a foreigner who has directly invested the 9 cities of the Guangdong-HK-Macao Greater Bay Area through a company in which he/she serves as a majority shareholder in the capacity of a natural person, proof of investment and majority holding shall be provided;

(8) A foreign investment enterprise encouraged by the government shall provide the Confirmation Letter of Foreign Investment Project of Encouraged Type or Certificated of Foreign Investment Enterprise of Encouraged Type issued by the competent provincial-level government authority, with its valid period being 3 consecutive years prior to the date of submitting the application;

(9) Capital contribution verification report which is produced by an accounting firm when an enterprise is registered with the government for the first time or when its registered capital is changed. This report does not need to be for 3 consecutive years, but it shall indicate that, prior to application, the applicant has invested steadily for 3 consecutive years, the invested amount has satisfied the required amount and has all been paid in;

(10) Certificate of personal income tax clearance as issued by the tax authority (the period of tax payment shall be 3 consecutive years prior to the date of application);

(11) Any other supporting documents deemed necessary by the relevant public security authority. 

Ⅲ. Processing Time

180 days.

Ⅳ.  Application accepting organ

(1) Exit and Entry Administration Bureau of Guangzhou Municipal Public Security Bureau;

(2) Exit and Entry Administration Department of Nansha Sub-bureau of Guangzhou Municipal Public Security Bureau (only for those foreigners who have invested in Nansha area of Guangzhou of Guangdong pilot free trade zone).

If the applicant has invested in more than one city at the 9 cities of the Guangdong-HK-Macao Greater Bay Area, the applicant may apply to the Exit and Entry Administration Department of Public Security Organ in any of these 9 cities. 

Ⅴ.  Remarks

(1) Please complete the Application Form in black ink and submit the original thereof; for other documents, three photocopies thereof (A4) shall be submitted, together with the original for examination and verification; documents whose original is required shall be submitted in accordance with the relevant requirements.

(2) Certificates issued by a relevant foreign organization shall be authenticated by the Chinese embassy or consulate in that country.

(3) Documents in a language other than Chinese shall be translated into Chinese, and the seal of the translation company shall be affixed on both the translated documents and the photocopy of the translation company's business license.

(4) If the applicant needs to print his or her Chinese name on the Foreign Permanent Resident ID Card, he or she should fill in "The Chinese name XXX should be typed when the card is produced" in the "Other Matters Needing to be Specified" column on the Application Form.

(5) If any relevant matter needs to be investigated and verified by the relevant public security authority, the investigation time shall not be included in the processing time.