4. How to Use a Foreign Experts Invitation Confirmation?
This certificate can only be used by experts who have obtained approval to work in China while applying for
Visa Z. It is needed by the expert when applying for Visa Z, not by other aliens to apply for Visas F or Visas L.
5. What is a Foreign Experts ID Card?
This allows foreign experts, who come to work in China for the first time, to enjoy preferential treatment at
customs. Its holders will be allowed to bring in a reasonable amount of daily necessities for personal use free of duty.
6. How to Obtain a Foreign Experts IC Card?
This certificate is issued by the State Administration of Foreign Experts Affairs, and by offices of foreign
affairs in provinces, regions and cities. Experts who want to bring in duty-free necessities can inform their
host institutions beforehand. When entering China, the foreign experts shall present the Customs the original copy of Foreign Experts ID Card.
7. What is a Foreign Experts Certificate?
This certificate card is necessary for foreign experts working in China to prove their identity and apply for residence permits.
IV. CREDENTIALS FOR FOREIGN CULTURAL AND EDUCATIONAL EXPERTS AND THEIR PROCEDURES (3) (549)
8. How to apply for the Foreign Experts Certificate?
To apply for the Foreign Experts Certificate, the host institution should present the introduction letter from
the authoritative agent; cultural and education experts should present the contract, agreement between the governments or universities, Visa Z or its duplicate, and 2 personal photos.
This certificate is valid for one year at most. When it expires, it should be renewed, otherwise it will be
invalid. When work units change, the certificate should be returned to the issuer and a new one applied for in the new work place.
9.
What are the points for attention in issuing the foreign experts documents?
The host institution should pay attention in the following points concerned with employee's card, residence
permit for foreigners, and medical card.
(1) When cards of various types are issued, the valid date should be clearly filled out, i.e., from which
day which month which year to which day which month which year. The medical card should be in conformity with the valid period of the contract, while residence permit for foreigners and employee's
card should not exceed the valid period of passport of the foreign expert.
(2) As a rule, cards of various types issued by the host institution should be taken back upon experts
' leave and exit. Some experts may request to take the employee's card or school badge as a souvenir, and in this case, it is up to the host institution to make a decision, but the medical card
must be withdrawn. The residence permit or temporary residence permit should be taken back by the exit border control.
(3) In case the employment of foreign experts is renewed, the host institution should re-apply or
extend the valid period of the original cards for the foreign experts, to avoid troubles arising out of the experts holding overdue cards.
IV. CREDENTIALS FOR FOREIGN CULTURAL AND EDUCATIONAL EXPERTS AND THEIR PROCEDURES (4) (553)
10.
What procedures should be followed in obtaining residence permit for foreign experts?
For an expert with an employment term of one year or longer, a visa of over one-year period should be
applied, and the expert is required to take an overall health checkup including AIDS test before coming to
China. After entrance into China, Validation Certificate of Health Examination Record of Foreigners may be
obtained by presenting the Health Examination Record of Foreigners to local hygienic and quarantine
departments. On the basis of this validation certificate and the Foreign Experts Certificate, the Public
Security Organs of local regions can issue the Residence Permit to foreigners. A foreigner without health
checkup and staying shorter than one year in China is allowed to receive only temporary residence permit.
11.
What are the differences between residence permit and temporary residence permit for foreign experts?
According to the Implementary Rules of Law on the Entry and Exit of Aliens promulgated by Ministry of
Public Security, foreigners living in China for over one year should apply and obtain residence permit for
foreigners; those living for shorter than one year may apply and obtain temporary residence permit.
Residence permit for foreigners is dark green in color, with holder's photo; and temporary residence permit for foreigners is light green in color, without holder's photo.
12.
What to do in case items in the residence permit for foreigners change?
Items to be filled in the residence permit for foreigners include name, nationality, occupation or position, host
institution, address, and passport number. In case of change of any of the items, the change should be
registered in the public security bureau in the pace of residence within 10 days, and no private alteration or overdue is allowed.
IV. CREDENTIALS FOR FOREIGN CULTURAL AND EDUCATIONAL EXPERTS AND THEIR PROCEDURES (5) (557)
13. How To extend visa or residence card?
In case of need to continue stay or residence in China after expiration of the via or residence permit, the
expert should bring the valid passport, residence permit and letter from the host institution to public security
bureau to apply for extension and fill in the application form o\for extension of foreigner's credentials.
14.
What credentials should foreign experts bring and what procedures to go through when traveling?
Foreign experts with valid passport, residence permit, employee's card and Foreign Experts Certificate can
travel in those areas open to aliens without travel permit, but should apply for travel permit in the public security bureau and get approval before they can go to the places not open to aliens.