Visas · Work
Z visa: coming to China for work
The Z visa is the entry visa for foreigners taking up employment in China. It is not the end of the process — it gets you into the country, and within 30 days of arrival you convert it into a work-type residence permit. This page covers who qualifies, what your employer must arrange first, and the documents you will be asked for.
Checked against official sources on 13 October 2026. Rules change — confirm with the issuing authority before you apply. Sources at the bottom.
First, the good news
Do you even need a visa?
At a glance
Z visa in one table
| Item | What it means |
|---|---|
| What it is | The entry visa issued to foreigners who intend to work in China. Verified · official source |
| Who can apply | You have a job or engagement in China and your employer or host has obtained one of the required work-approval documents listed below. |
| Validity (entry window) | Set by the visa officer. It is the window in which you must enter China, not the length of your stay. Summary — decided case by case |
| Duration of stay per entry | Also set by the visa officer. Long-stay Z visas are commonly issued so that you arrive and then switch to a residence permit; some Z visas are marked “permitted stay of 30 days after entry”. |
| Entries | Usually issued for the entry you need to start the job; the officer decides single or multiple. Summary — decided case by case |
| Where to apply | The Chinese embassy or consulate-general for your area, or the China Visa Application Service Center that serves it. Summary — the center for your region handles it |
| Official channel | China Visa Application Service Center (visaforchina.cn) · China Online Visa Application System |
Who can apply
The work-approval document is the key
A Z visa is not granted on the strength of a job offer alone. Your employer — or, for some categories, the Chinese authority that supervises your activity — must first produce one of the approval documents below. Which one applies to you decides what you submit at the visa center. Verified · official source
| Your situation | Approval document required | Who issues it |
|---|---|---|
| Ordinary employment in China | Notice for the Work Permit for Foreigners of the People’s Republic of China | The human resources and social security authority (which also handles foreign experts) |
| Chief representative or representative of a foreign company’s resident office | Registration Certificate of the Resident Representative Office of a Foreign (Regional) Enterprise | The market regulation authority |
| Commercial artistic performances | Approval document for commercial performances, plus the Certificate of Short-term Work for Foreigners in China if the engagement is 90 days or less | The cultural administrative authority |
| Offshore petroleum operations | Invitation Letter for Foreigners to Engage in Offshore Petroleum Operations in the People’s Republic of China | China National Offshore Oil Corporation (CNOOC) |
If your work period is 90 days or less, apply for the visa before the start date written on the Notice, and do not work longer than the period it states. Verified · official source
What you need
Documents for a Z visa application
The list below combines the basic documents every applicant provides with the Z-specific approval document. Exact wording, translations and notarization requirements differ by embassy, so treat this as your preparation list and confirm it with the center serving you.
| Document | What to prepare | Varies? |
|---|---|---|
| Passport | Valid for at least 6 months with blank visa pages, plus a copy of the information page. Your passport must stay valid at least as long as the visa validity plus the duration of stay. Verified · official source | Some centers ask for longer validity for a 1-year multiple-entry visa |
| Visa application form and photo | The completed online form, printed and signed, with a recent, front-facing color photo on a white background. | Photo format follows the center’s instructions |
| Proof of legal stay, if you apply outside your own country | Your valid residence, work or study permit — or a valid visa — for the country where the center is located. | Depends on where you apply |
| Work-approval document | One of the documents in the table above. The personal details on it must match your passport exactly. | Verified · official source |
| Previous Chinese passports or visas | Required if you were formerly a Chinese citizen, or if you have held a Chinese visa before and are applying with a new passport. | Only for some applicants |
| Documents for applicants under 18 | Birth or household-register document proving the parent-child relationship, passports or IDs of both parents, and a signed parental consent letter where the parents are not traveling with you. | Varies by center |
The number one confusion
Validity vs duration of stay
Validity period
The window in which you may enter China — for example, “valid until 12 May 2027”. You can enter on any day inside that window. A long validity does not mean you may stay that long.
Duration of stay
The number of days you may remain per entry. Days are counted from the day after you arrive. Overstaying even one day can mean fines and problems with future applications.
| Item | Typical position for the Z visa | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Visa validity | Set by the consular officer when the visa is issued; the officer also fixes the number of entries. | Verified · official source |
| Duration of stay | Set by the officer; a Z visa is normally a bridge to a residence permit, and may be marked “permitted stay of 30 days after entry”. | Verified · official source |
| Residence permit needed? | Yes. Within 30 days of entry you must apply for a work-type residence permit — unless your visa is marked “permitted stay of 30 days after entry”. | Verified · official source |
| Where to apply for it | The exit-entry administration of the public security bureau at or above county level in your intended place of residence in China. | Verified · official source |
| Fees | Visa fees vary by nationality and number of entries — see the official fee schedule. Residence-permit fees are fixed and set out further down this page. | Summary — check the official fee table |
Step by step
How the Z visa process runs
Two things make the work visa different from a tourist visa: your employer acts first, and the visa itself is only the halfway point.
Your employer applies for the work permit
The employer files online through the Management and Service System for Foreigners Working in China, reached via the National Human Resources and Social Security Government Affairs Service Platform at 12333.gov.cn. Verified · official source
You receive the approval document
Once the authority approves, your employer sends you the Notice for the Work Permit for Foreigners of the People’s Republic of China (or the equivalent document for your category). Check that your name and passport number match exactly.
Apply for the Z visa
Complete the online form and submit your passport and documents at the Chinese embassy, consulate-general or visa center for your area. Give fingerprints if asked.
Enter China inside the validity window
Check every date on the visa sticker the day you collect your passport. If a date looks wrong, fix it before you travel.
Register your address within 24 hours
A hotel registers your stay for you. If you stay anywhere else, you or your host must register at the local police station within 24 hours of arrival. Details on the living page and the pre-departure checklist.
Convert to a work residence permit within 30 days
Apply at the local exit-entry administration with your passport, your work permit and a letter from your employer. Verified · official source
After you arrive
The work-type residence permit
This is the document that lets you live and work in China long-term. It is the reason the Z visa exists.
| Item | What the official guide says |
|---|---|
| When to apply | Within 30 days of entering China. Verified · official source |
| What you submit | Your valid passport, a completed visa/residence application form with a compliant photo, the work permit issued by the local human resources and social security or foreign expert authority, and a letter of certification from your employer. Verified · official source |
| Health certificate | Required if you apply for a permit valid for more than 1 year, issued by a local health and quarantine authority or a health institution at or above county level. Verified · official source |
| How long it can be valid | Up to 1 year for most people; up to 2 years for people working in registered entities with a good track record; up to 5 years for high-level foreign talents, urgently-needed specialists and investors. Verified · official source |
| Decision time | The exit-entry administration makes a residence-permit decision within 15 working days of acceptance. Verified · official source |
| Fee | CNY 400 for a permit valid up to 1 year; CNY 800 for 1–3 years; CNY 1,000 for 3–5 years. Each accompanying person added costs the same; removing one or changing information is CNY 200. Verified · official source |
| Extending it | Apply 30 days before your residence permit expires. Work-permit extensions go to the local administration of foreigners working in China, also 30 days before expiry. Verified · official source |
Before you pay or fly
Four things people get wrong
Visa fees are not one price
Fees depend on your nationality and the number of entries, and some nationalities pay under a bilateral agreement. We deliberately do not quote a number — read the official fee schedule at the visa center that serves you. Summary — see the official fee table
Your passport must have room and time
At least 6 months of remaining validity and blank visa pages, and it must stay valid for the whole visa validity plus duration of stay. Verified · official source
Register your address within 24 hours
Hotels do it for you. If you stay anywhere else — an apartment, a friend’s place — you or your host must register with the local public security authority within 24 hours of moving in. Since 21 September 2026 registration can be filed online nationwide, alongside the offline counter. Verified · official source Living in China guide.
Never inflate your paperwork
Fraudulent documents or false details can mean refusal, a cancelled visa or being denied entry. The official route — employer, permit, visa, residence permit — is also the fastest reliable one.
Keep reading
Related pages
Work & residence permits
The full permit sequence after you arrive, from work permit to residence permit.
Open the guide →All Chinese visa types
Compare L, M, Z, X, Q, S and R visas side by side.
Back to the visa hub →Before you go
Documents, medical checks, insurance and what to pack in your carry-on folder.
Pre-departure checklist →Enjoyed this guide?
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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.
- Ministry of Foreign Affairs, China Consular Service Network — Visa Application Instructions of the People’s Republic of China: Z visa definition, the four work-approval documents, the 90-day rule, and the 30-day residence-permit note.
- Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in Sweden — Instructions for Applying for a Visa (2026): basic documents, the passport-validity rule, and the reminder that Z visa holders apply for a residence permit within 30 days of entry.
- National Immigration Administration — Service Guide on Issuance of Residence Permit for Foreigners: documents for a work-type permit, validity caps of 1 / 2 / 5 years, the health certificate rule, the 15-working-day decision time, and the fee schedule (CNY 400 / 800 / 1,000).
- National Immigration Administration — Guidelines for foreigners’ visa, stay permit and residence permit applications: residence-permit documents for Z visa holders, application in person, and time limits.
- The State Council of the People’s Republic of China (English) — Guide to Working and Living in China: the employer files the work permit online through 12333.gov.cn, the 30-day residence-permit deadline, and the documents a work permit application requires.
- National Immigration Administration — Regulations on Filing Accommodation Registration for Foreigners: the 24-hour registration duty for anyone not staying in a hotel, and the penalties for missing it.
- National Immigration Administration — List of Countries Covered by Unilateral Visa Exemption Policies (as of 17 February 2026): 30-day visa-free entry for business, tourism, family visits, exchange visits and transit — not for work.
- China Visa Application Service Center — notice that reduced Chinese visa fees continue to 31 December 2026, with a national-flag table showing why fees differ by nationality and number of entries.
- China Visa Application Service Center (visaforchina.cn) — the official application portal, the online visa form and the fee schedule for the center serving your region.
- National Immigration Administration — Announcement No. 7 of 2026 (21 September 2026): nationwide online filing of accommodation registration for foreigners staying outside hotels, with the offline counter retained and equal legal effect.