Permanent residence · Overview
Permanent residence in China
Permanent residence means your right to live in China has no time limit. It is granted to a narrow group of foreigners, and it is proved by the Foreign Permanent Resident ID Card — the card known as the "Five-Star Card". This page covers who qualifies, the documents, the process, and what the card actually gives you.
Checked against official sources on 13 October 2026. Rules change — confirm with the issuing authority before you apply. Sources at the bottom.
At a glance
What the card is
A legal ID in its own right
The card is the legal identity document for a foreigner who has been approved to live in China permanently. In China it can be presented on its own — you do not have to show your foreign passport as well.
How long it lasts
Valid for 5 years if you were under 18 when approved, or 10 years if you were 18 or over. Renew it within the month before it expires, or within a month of any change to its details.
Eligibility
The seven categories
You must obey Chinese law, be in good health and have no criminal record — and then fit one of the categories below. Every year count means the consecutive years immediately before you apply.
| Category | Core conditions |
|---|---|
| 1. Investors | You have invested directly in China, with the investment stable for 3 consecutive years and a good tax record. The minimum amounts are in the table below. |
| 2. Senior employees | You have held a post at deputy general manager or deputy factory director level or above, or an associate senior professional title (associate professor, associate researcher or equivalent) — continuously employed for 4 years, having actually spent at least 3 years in China during those 4, with a good tax record. The employer must be a qualifying body: a State Council or provincial government institution, a key university, a national key project or research body, a high-tech enterprise, or a qualifying foreign-invested enterprise. |
| 3. Outstanding contribution | You have made a major, outstanding contribution to China, or you are specially needed by the state. |
| 4. Family of the above | You are the spouse or an unmarried child under 18 of someone in category 1, 2 or 3. |
| 5. Spouse of a citizen or resident | You are married to a Chinese citizen, or to a foreigner who already has permanent residence. The marriage must have lasted 5 years, you must have lived in China continuously for 5 years while spending at least 9 months a year here, and you must have a stable income and a place to live. |
| 6. Children | You are an unmarried child under 18 joining a parent. |
| 7. Older relatives | You are 60 or over, have no direct relatives abroad, and are joining a direct relative in China. You must have lived in China continuously for 5 years, at least 9 months a year, with a stable income and housing. |
These conditions come from the governing national measure. They are applied strictly. Verified · official source
Category 1 in detail
How much you must invest
For the investor route, the amounts below are the paid-in registered capital of your investment in China. One of these thresholds must be met.
| Where and how you invest | Minimum paid-in capital |
|---|---|
| In industries on the encouraged list of the foreign-investment guidance catalog | USD 500,000 |
| In western China, or in counties formerly listed as national priority areas for poverty alleviation | USD 500,000 |
| In central China | USD 1,000,000 |
| Anywhere in China, regardless of region or industry | USD 2,000,000 |
Meeting a threshold is not enough on its own — the investment must also have been stable for 3 consecutive years, and your tax record must be in order. Verified · official source
Documents
What you will need to prepare
Start with the four core documents. Everything else depends on which category you are applying under.
| Document | Notes |
|---|---|
| Valid foreign passport | Or another document that can stand in for a passport. |
| Health certificate | Issued by a Chinese health and quarantine authority, or by an approved foreign medical institution and authenticated by a Chinese embassy or consulate. |
| Criminal-record certificate | A foreign police record, authenticated by a Chinese embassy or consulate. |
| Four color photos | Recent, 2-inch, front-facing, no hat. |
| Investor route (category 1) | Foreign-invested enterprise approval certificate, registration and joint annual inspection certificates, a capital verification report, and your personal tax record. Encouraged-industry investments also need the project confirmation document. |
| Employment route (category 2) | Proof of your position or title, your work permit (the older separate foreign-expert and employment certificates were merged into it), the employer's registration and annual inspection certificates, and your personal tax record. |
| Family routes (4, 5, 6) | Marriage certificate; or a birth or parent-child certificate; or an adoption certificate. Documents made abroad must be authenticated by a Chinese embassy or consulate. |
| Older-relative route (7) | Proof that you have no direct relatives abroad, a notarized financial guarantee or proof of income, and proof of housing. |
Legalization and translation requirements are strict and vary by country. Budget weeks, not days, for this stage. Summary — confirm current rules
The process
From application to card
Confirm your category
Work out which of the seven categories fits, and check that you really meet the year counts and thresholds. Confirm your case with the local exit-entry administration or the 12367 hotline first.
Collect and legalize documents
Passport, health certificate, criminal-record certificate, four 2-inch photos, and the category-specific papers. Foreign documents must be authenticated by a Chinese embassy or consulate.
Where to apply
The application goes to the city-level public security exit-entry administration for the place of your main investment or your long-term residence — not to an embassy. You submit it in person, or through someone you authorize in writing; an authorization signed abroad must be authenticated by a Chinese embassy or consulate. Being abroad does not move the application: if you are outside China when approved, you then apply to a Chinese embassy or consulate for a D visa, and collect the card after you arrive. Official source Verified · official source
Wait for the decision
The public security authority decides within 6 months of accepting the application. In practice, preparing the documents can take longer than the decision itself.
Collect the card
Approved applicants receive the card from the national immigration authority. If you were abroad when approved, you get a confirmation form, use it to obtain a D visa, and collect the card within 30 days of arriving in China.
Once you have it
What the card gives you
Move in and out freely
Travel in and out of China multiple times using the card plus a valid passport, without arranging a visa each time.
Prove who you are, day to day
Buy and board domestic flights, trains and ships; check into hotels; open bank, insurance and securities accounts; and handle telecom, tax, property registration and legal matters.
Use it online and in government systems
Registered with major internet platforms and with government apps such as the national government service platform, the Railway 12306 train app, the traffic management 12123 app and the personal income tax app.
The conditions attached
What you must keep doing
Keep the card current
Renew before expiry and report changes. After a change of details, apply to have the card reissued within a month; if it is damaged or lost, apply promptly. Reissue is normally done within a month.
When status can be revoked
The status can be cancelled if you act against national security or interests, are deported by court order, obtained the status with false materials, or fail the residence requirement without approval.
Related guides
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Sources & disclaimer
Facts on this page are linked to the official sources below, checked on 13 October 2026. Requirements, fees and timelines change — always confirm with the issuing authority. This page is for reference only — official sources prevail; always check the latest version with the relevant Chinese authority. General information, not legal advice.
- National Immigration Administration — Measures for the Administration of the Examination and Approval of Foreigners' Permanent Residence in China: the seven categories, the investment amounts, the documents, where and how to apply (Articles 17–19), the 6-month decision window, card validity, the residence requirement and the grounds for cancellation
- National Immigration Administration — press conference on the redesigned Foreign Permanent Resident ID Card: the "Five-Star Card" nickname, the 18-digit lifetime number, and its uses
- National Immigration Administration — first "Five-Star Cards" issued on 1 December 2023: the card is the legal identity document and can be used alone
- National Immigration Administration — five measures to facilitate foreigners' entry (January 2024): uptake of the new card and its role as a standalone ID
- National Immigration Administration — 14th Five-Year-Plan press conference (July 2025): permanent-residence facilitation and where the card is now accepted
- National Immigration Administration — contact page: the 12367 hotline for immigration questions (round-the-clock, multilingual)