China Z Visa: It Leads to a Residence Permit
Steps to arrange the employer's work permit notification, recognised medical, Z visa application, and post-arrival residence permit.
What it costs
| Figure | Period | Source | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|
| 160 元/人 | 零次签证 | www.nia.gov.cn — 零次签证 元 / 人 160 | |
| 206 元/人 | 一次签证（非对等国家） | www.nia.gov.cn — 一次签证（非对等国家） 元/人 206 | |
| 313 元/人 | 二次签证（非对等国家） | www.nia.gov.cn — 二次签证（非对等国家） 元 / 人 313 | |
| 413 元/人 | 半年多次签证（非对等国家） | www.nia.gov.cn — 半年多次签证（非对等国家） 元 / 人 413 | |
| 619 元/人 | 一年多次（含以上）签证（非对等国家） | www.nia.gov.cn — 一年多次（含以上）签证（非对等国家） 元 / 人 619 |
In order
- Obtain the work permit notification — Ask the employer to complete the employment approval and provide the work permit notification before you submit anything.
- Confirm a recognised clinic — Ask the employer or relevant visa authority which medical clinics are accepted for the Z visa application.
- Complete the medical examination — Attend the recognised clinic, finish the examination, and obtain the medical report.
- Prepare the application — Assemble the work permit notification, medical report, and any other items requested by the visa authority.
- Confirm the visa fee — Ask which fee schedule applies; for example, the published one-entry fee for non-reciprocal countries is 206 元/人.
- Submit the Z visa application — Apply to the relevant Chinese visa authority abroad, submit the required documents, and pay the confirmed fee.
- Apply for the residence permit after arrival — Take the Z visa and employment paperwork to the local exit-entry administration to convert it into a residence permit.
The Z visa is issued for employment in China. It is not the final stay document, because it is converted into a residence permit after arrival. The employer’s work permit notification must be in place before the visa application is submitted.
How the Z visa and residence permit fit together
A Z visa is issued for employment and supports entry for that job. After arrival, the employee applies to convert it into a residence permit. The visa and the residence permit are two documents issued by two different authorities. The visa is issued by the relevant Chinese visa authority abroad; the residence permit is issued by the local exit-entry administration.
Work permit notification comes first
The employer must provide the work permit notification before the employee applies for the Z visa. The notification comes before the visa application, not after. Wait until the notification is available before arranging the rest of the visa submission.
Medical examination
The medical examination is part of the Z visa application. It must be completed at a recognised clinic. Ask the employer or visa authority which clinics are recognised, then obtain the medical report for the application.
Visa fee
The published fees are 160 元/人 for a zero-entry visa, 206 元/人 for a one-entry visa for non-reciprocal countries, 313 元/人 for a two-entry visa for non-reciprocal countries, 413 元/人 for a half-year multiple-entry visa for non-reciprocal countries, and 619 元/人 for a one-year-or-longer multiple-entry visa for non-reciprocal countries. Confirm which fee applies to the specific Z visa application before paying.
Confirm before you act
Fees and processing times change. This page was checked on 2026-10-27; confirm the current rule with the authority named in each source above before you rely on a deadline.
Last checked 2026-10-27, next review 2027-04-25. Every figure above names its source and the date it was read. This page is a guide, not legal, tax or immigration advice — confirm with the authority before acting on a deadline.