How to get permanent residence in China in 2026

12 min read · Published 7 October 2026

Through work after 4 years, through marriage after 5 years, for investors from $500,000 after 3 years. No language exam, fees of about $280, and a card valid for 10 years.

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Key facts	2026
How long	through work 4 years, through marriage 5 years, for investors 3 years
Immediately	children under 18 joining parents and people with outstanding contributions to China
Language and exam	not required
Income	through work, a salary no lower than six times the city average; through marriage, stable income and housing
Fees	~$280 per person for the application and the card
Duration	indefinite; a 10-year card, and you must live in China at least 3 months a year
To citizenship	no set period; China does not recognise dual citizenship

Data checked: 07.10.2026

Permanent residence in China is granted to a narrow group of foreigners: investors, executives and academics, highly paid specialists and families of Chinese citizens. There is no general rule on years of residence: each ground has its own count, from three years for an investor to five for the spouse of a Chinese citizen.

On the other hand, permanent residence requires no Chinese language exam, the fees are about $280, and the permanent resident card replaces a visa and a work permit. Below: which grounds exist, how the period and days in the country are counted, what documents you need, why applications are refused and how the rules differ by nationality.

We will work out online the investment or income your family needs and what the permit costs for each member.

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How many years until permanent residence in China

Residence ground	Years to permanent residence	Special conditions
Investment in a company in China	3 years in a row	from $500,000 in encouraged industries and western regions, from $1 million in central regions, from $2 million elsewhere; a clean tax record
Employment: deputy general manager, associate professor or a higher position	4 years in a row	at least 3 of those years in China; an employer from the approved list; a clean tax record
Employment based on salary and tax	4 years in a row	at least 6 months in China each year; salary no lower than six times the city average, tax no less than 20% of that threshold
Marriage to a Chinese citizen or a foreigner with permanent residence	5 years	the marriage has lasted 5 years; at least 9 months in China each year; stable income and housing
Unmarried child under 18 joining parents	immediately	a parent is a Chinese citizen or a foreigner with permanent residence
Relative aged 60 or over with no close family abroad	5 years	at least 9 months in China each year; stable income and housing
Outstanding contribution to China and specialists the country especially needs	immediately	a recommendation from a government agency
Studies	do not count	after studies you move to a work residence permit

All periods are years in a row immediately before filing. Together with an investor, executive or specialist, their spouse and unmarried children under 18 get permanent residence. How to get a first residence permit is explained on our China residency page.

The salary and tax ground has applied nationwide since 1 August 2019 and does not require an executive position. The threshold is calculated from the average salary in the city for the previous year, so it is higher in Beijing and Shanghai than in the provinces: ask an expert.

Not every employer qualifies for the position-based ground. The list includes institutions under the government and ministries, key universities, enterprises with state and major research projects, high-tech companies and encouraged enterprises with foreign capital.

Who can apply for permanent residence in China

The general requirements are the same for all applicants: obey Chinese law, be in good health and have no criminal record. You must then fit one of the grounds: investment, work, outstanding contribution or family.

Each ground adds its own conditions:

for an investor: three years of stable investment and a clean tax record;
for an employee: a certificate of position or salary, a work permit and personal income tax paid;
for a spouse: a marriage of at least 5 years, owned or rented housing and a notarised certificate of means;
for an elderly relative: proof of having no close family abroad and housing with the host family.

The application is filed with the public security bureau of the city where your main investment is located or where you have long lived. The decision is approved by the National Immigration Administration, which also issues the card.

There is no insurance requirement. Health is confirmed by a certificate from the Chinese health and quarantine service or a foreign certificate legalised by a Chinese consulate.

How residence time and absences are counted

Each ground has its own count. An executive or academic needs 4 years in the position in a row and at least 3 of those years actually in China. On the salary and tax ground you need 4 years of work and at least 6 months in the country each year.

The spouse of a Chinese citizen and an elderly relative need 5 years in a row and at least 9 months in China each year: you may be away for no more than 3 months a year. An investor's days in the country are not counted, but the investment must remain stable for 3 years.

Visa-free trips and short visas do not count: you need a residence permit for work or family. Study years do not count either, so after university you move to a work residence permit and the count runs from there.

After permanent residence is granted you must be in China for at least 3 months a year. If that is impossible, you obtain permission from the provincial public security department, and then one year in total over 5 years is enough.

The status is cancelled if this rule is broken, if permanent residence was obtained with false documents, if a court orders expulsion or if the person threatens national security.

Documents for permanent residence in China

application on the official form and 4 colour photos;
valid passport;
health certificate;
criminal record certificate from your country of citizenship, legalised by a Chinese consulate;
for an investor: the company licence, a capital verification report, annual accounts and a tax payment certificate;
for an employee: a certificate of position or title, a work permit, the employer's documents and a tax payment certificate;
for a spouse: the marriage certificate, the spouse's documents, a housing document and a notarised certificate of means;
for a child or elderly relative: a birth certificate or proof of kinship and the host family's documents.

Foreign certificates on criminal record, marriage, birth and kinship are legalised at a Chinese embassy or consulate and translated into Chinese. The application and all documents are filed in Chinese.

Language and exams

Permanent residence in China requires neither a Chinese language exam nor a history or law test: there are no such requirements in the 2004 rules or in the 2019 measures. Documents are filed in Chinese with translations.

The Nationality Law provides for no exam either: the decision on admission is made by the Ministry of Public Security.

How much permanent residence in China costs and how long it takes

Item	Cost
Permanent residence application	~$230
Permanent resident card	~$45
Card replacement on expiry	~$45
Card replacement if lost or damaged	~$90
Our support	a manager will calculate it in the chat

Permanent residence costs one applicant about $280 in government fees: about $230 for the application and about $45 for the card. The application fee is paid for each family member.

The decision is made within 6 months of the application being accepted: three months for the city-level check, two at provincial level, then approval by the National Immigration Administration. The decision is final and cannot be appealed.

On approval your previous visa or residence permit is cancelled and you are issued the card. An applicant abroad receives a confirmation: it is used to obtain a visa, and the card is collected within 30 days of entry.

The status itself is indefinite; only the card is replaced: it is issued for 10 years to adults and for 5 years to children under 18. Replacement is filed a month before expiry. Dollar amounts use the People's Bank of China rate of 30 September 2026, the last working day before the holidays.

Government fees for the permanent residence stage for a family of three: from $840. We will calculate the exact amount for your family in the chat.

The decision is final: a second attempt starts from zero

The law does not prevent you from applying for permanent residence on your own. But mistakes cost more than the fees: a refusal in China is not explained in detail and cannot be appealed, a position one step below the required one or an employer outside the list closes the ground, and an extra month abroad breaks the count of years for a marriage case. Murblz support removes these risks: we match the ground to your position, salary and family, count your days in the country from the passport, check your tax record and prepare the file with consular legalisation before filing. We guarantee professional work and a transparent process.

The support fee depends on your ground and family size; a manager will calculate it in the chat.

Find out the support fee

Why permanent residence is refused in China

a position below deputy general manager or an employer outside the approved list;
an investment below the threshold or held for less than 3 years;
broken continuity: fewer than 9 months a year in China for marriage cases or fewer than 3 years out of 4 for work cases;
salary or tax paid below the threshold, or breaches in the tax record;
a marriage shorter than 5 years, or no proof of housing and means;
a criminal record or health problems;
documents without consular legalisation or false information.

A refusal is not explained in detail and cannot be appealed, so the file is checked before filing: the position and the employer, days in the country from the passport, the tax record and the legalisation of every certificate.

What permanent residence in China gives and how it differs from citizenship

Question	Permanent residence	Citizenship
Duration	indefinite if you live in China at least 3 months a year	for life
Entry and exit	visa-free, with your own passport and the card	with a Chinese passport
Work	no work permit needed	no restrictions
Daily life	the card serves as an identity document in hotels, banks and when buying tickets	citizen's identity card
Elections and public service	not available	available
Previous citizenship	kept	cannot be kept: China does not recognise dual citizenship

Permanent residence gives almost all the rights needed to live and do business in China: work without a permit, social insurance, buying a home for yourself and school for your children where you live. The new-style card issued since 1 December 2023 works as a standalone identity document.

Foreigners very rarely obtain Chinese citizenship. The law names no period of residence: close relatives of Chinese citizens and those who have settled in the country may be admitted, and in practice these are permanent residence holders. Your previous citizenship has to be given up. Details are on our Chinese citizenship page.

Restrictions for specific nationalities

The permanent residence rules do not divide applicants by nationality, and there are no quotas. There is a concession for foreigners of Chinese descent: a doctoral degree or 4 years of work in a key development zone is enough for them.

Citizens of Russia enter China visa-free for up to 30 days, and this regime has been extended until 31 December 2027. Citizens of Belarus may stay up to 30 days per trip and no more than 90 days a year; citizens of Kazakhstan up to 30 days per trip and no more than 90 days in 180. China allows citizens of most European Union countries to enter visa-free for up to 30 days until the end of 2026. Citizens of Ukraine and the United States need a visa; without one only transit of up to 240 hours is available.

Such trips do not count towards permanent residence. The route starts with a work or family residence permit, and certificates from your country of citizenship are legalised at a Chinese consulate.

This topic in other countries

Permanent residence in other countries:

About this country:

FAQ

Can a foreigner get permanent residence in China?

Yes, but the group is narrow: investors from $500,000, executives and academics, highly paid specialists, and spouses and children of Chinese citizens and permanent residents.

How many years until permanent residence in China?

An investor after 3 years of stable investment, an employee after 4 years, the spouse of a Chinese citizen after 5 years of marriage and residence. Children under 18 joining parents qualify immediately.

What do I need for permanent residence in China?

A passport, health and criminal record certificates with consular legalisation, and documents for your ground: on the investment, on position and taxes, or on marriage, housing and means.

Is it hard to get permanent residence in China?

Harder than in most countries: there are few grounds, the requirements for position, salary and periods are strict, and a refusal cannot be appealed.

What does permanent residence in China give?

The right to live in the country indefinitely, enter without a visa, work without a permit, use social insurance and buy a home for yourself. The card serves as an identity document.

How much does permanent residence in China cost?

About $280 in government fees per person: about $230 for the application and about $45 for the card.

Do I need to speak Chinese for permanent residence?

No. There is no language, history or law exam for permanent residence; documents are filed in Chinese with translations.

Does marriage give permanent residence in China?

Yes, if the marriage has lasted at least 5 years, you have lived in China for 5 years in a row for at least 9 months a year, and you can prove stable income and housing.

When is Chinese permanent residence lost?

If you live in the country for less than 3 months a year without permission, obtained the status with false documents, a court orders expulsion or you threaten national security.

Don’t want to figure this out alone?

We handle the whole process end to end: we check your documents, match a program to your situation and give you honest timelines and costs. Ask your question in the chat: the free consultation starts right here. Legal representation before authorities and courts is handled by Murblz specialists together with locally licensed partners.

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