Conditions of Application

Under any of the following circumstances, foreigners may apply to the exit/entry administration of public security organ at the place of stay for stay permits:

1. Visa-exempt foreigners need to stay longer than the visa-free period for non-diplomatic and non-official reasons;

2. Foreign seamen and their family members need to leave the city where the port of call is located;

3. Persons whose Chinese nationality has been renounced upon approval need to stay in China;

4. Foreigners whose purpose of residence has been terminated need to stay longer for humanitarian reasons;

5. Foreign infants born in China need to stay in China; or

6. Other circumstances in which stay permits should be applied for. 

Required Documents

When applying for stay permits, the applicant is obliged to answer relevant inquiries and submit the following documents:

1. Original and photocopies of valid passport or other international travel documents, and the visa used in the latest entry;

2. A completed “Visa Application Form for Foreigners”;

3. A visa photo, which has met the requirement of the Entry/Exit Administration Department of Public Security of Guangdong Province, and a Receipt of China Visa Photograph for Foreigners in Guangdong Province;

4. A valid “Registration Form of Temporary Residence for Visitors” in Guangzhou;

5  Other documents relating to the purpose of stay:

1) Visa-exempt foreigners need to provide relevant supporting documents for the purpose of stay;  

2) Seamen and their family members need to provide seamen’s certificates or other international travel documents, shipping agencies’ letters of guarantee, air/bus/boat fares at a designated date, or other relevant supporting documents for the purpose of stay; 

3) Persons who have renounced their Chinese nationality need to provide “Certificate of Renunciation of Nationality of the People’s Republic of China” and other relevant supporting documents for the purpose of stay;

4) Persons whose purpose of residence has terminated need to provide residence permits and proof of termination of purpose of residence (such as certificates of employment termination issued by the original work unit, graduation diplomas or certificates of completion of studies issued by schools ); or

5) For newborn infants, their birth certificates and their parents’ passports and valid visas need to be provided. 

Renewal of Stay Permits

Where foreigners who hold stay permits are not able to leave China within the validity period of their stay permits due to objective reasons, their stay permits may be renewed; application documents and requirements should be in compliance with those of Application for Stay Permits.

Re-issuance of Stay Permits

Where stay permits held by foreigners need to be reissued due to loss, theft, robbery or damage, such foreigners shall go through the formalities in accordance with the following regulations:

Other documents relating to the application matters

1) Where stay permits are lost, stolen or robbed, foreigners shall submit their “Confirmation of Reporting the loss of Passport”, or notes issued by embassies or consulates of their countries stationed in China, as well as their new passports or other international travel documents.

2) Where stay permits are damaged, foreigners shall submit their damaged passports, or notes issued by embassies or consulates of their countries stationed in China, as well as their new passports or other international travel documents.
Notices:

1. Foreigners who apply for visas, stay permits or residence permits, shall visit the website WWW.GZJD.GOV.CN, and select “FOREIGNER” part to make an online appointment at “application section”, or go in person to the Division of Exit/Entry Administration of Guangzhou Public Security Bureau, and visit the “Area of Online Application for Overseas Personnel” to make an on-the-spot appointment on the computers. The units which provide letters of certification to foreigners in application for visas, stay permits or residence permits, also need to visit the website WWW.GZJD.GOV.CN and enter “Application Section” to file records online at “Filing Records for Foreign-related Units” part. The units which have passed the inspection of record-filing do not need to submit registration certificates again.       

2. Foreigners who apply for extension of the duration of stay shall apply to the exit/entry administration authorities of public security organs seven days prior to the expiry of the validity period specified in their visas and stay permits.  
Foreigners who apply for extension of the duration of residence shall apply to the exit/entry administration authorities of public security organs 30 days prior to the expiry of the validity period specified in their residence permits.  
Handling and issuing visas and stay permits need seven working days and handling and issuing residence permits need 15 working days. 

3. Where children under the age of 16 who hold foreign passports, for the first time, apply for visas, stay permits or residence permits in Guangzhou, for the purpose of confirming nationalities, they shall, submit their own birth certificates, photocopies of their foreign parents’ passports or photocopies of their Chinese parents’ passports and certificates of permanent residence in the country of residence (to be checked against the original). 

4. In accordance with Nationality Law of the People’s Republic of China, China does not recognize dual nationality. For applicants who have been naturalized as foreign nationals, only after they have cancelled their Chinese household registers, can they apply for visas, stay permits or residence permits for foreigners.

5. Proof of family relationship and kinship refer to proof of marriage, birth certificate, proof of fosterage, other proof of kinship issued by competent departments of the State, and corresponding documents notarized by notary organs, as well as proof of marriage, birth certificate and proof of kinship issued by embassies and consulates of residing countries stationed in China. 

6. Proof of marriage, birth certificate, proof of kinship, or proof of information change such as name, which is issued by overseas institutions, shall be authenticated by Chinese embassy or consulates in the country of residence. 

7. Relevant documents in foreign languages shall be translated into Chinese by organs of domestic notarization.

8. Foreigners who apply for visas，stay permits or residence permits must pay fees in accordance with relevant regulations of competent departments of the Chinese government.

9. Validity period and number of entries specified in visas, stay permits or residence permits shall be in accordance with the final decisions made by exit/entry administration departments of public security organs.

10. Decisions made by exit/entry administrations of public security organs on rejecting applications for visa extension, change or reissuance, or on not issuing foreigners’ stay permits or residence permits, or on not extending the duration of residence shall be final. The exit/entry administrations of public security organs have the power to cancel the issued visas, stay permits or residence permits or declare them null and void.   

11. Foreigners who reside or stay in China illegally or commit other illegal acts or persons held responsible shall, in accordance with the law, be punished by public security organs.