Residence permit: keep your import business

No published figure yet. The authority does not publish this cost in a form we could verify and quote, so this guide covers the procedure only: what to bring, in what order, and where it goes wrong. We will add the figures the moment there is a source for them.

In order

1. Check your current entry status — Confirm your visa or entry permit matches the work you will do.
2. Confirm your sponsor can support the application — Ask your employer or company for the supporting letter and registration papers.
3. Assemble the document set — Passport, current permit, form, photographs, sponsor letter, address proof, health certificate if required, and copies of each.
4. Go to the correct entry-exit office — Use the office with jurisdiction over your registered address.
5. Submit and keep the receipt — The receipt is your proof of application while it is pending.
6. Respond to any request for more documents — Supply what is asked in the format requested and keep a copy.
7. Check the issued permit at the counter — Verify name, passport number, validity period and stated purpose before leaving.
8. Renew before expiry and report changes — Start renewal before the permit expires and update it if your employer, address or purpose changes.

A residence permit is what lets you stay in China while you run your import business. The process is document-driven and the order matters: you gather papers first, then apply, then keep the permit valid. This is a procedure, not legal, tax or immigration advice.

Before you start

Check what your current entry status allows. Your permit application is tied to the purpose you entered under, so confirm that your visa or entry permit matches the work you intend to do. Confirm your employer or sponsoring entity is registered and able to support the application. If you are self-employed through a company, the company’s papers are part of your file. Keep every document in the same format the authority expects: originals, copies, and translations where the original is not in Chinese. Ask the receiving office which translations they accept before you pay for any.

Documents to assemble

Your passport, valid well beyond the period you are applying for, with blank pages. Your current visa or entry permit and any previous residence permits. The application form, completed in full and signed where indicated. Photographs in the size and background the office specifies. The supporting letter or certificate from your employer or sponsoring company, stating your role and the period of the application. Proof of your address in China, such as a registration form from the local police station for your residence. Any health certificate the office requires, obtained from a clinic they recognise. Bring copies of everything. Offices commonly keep a copy and return the original.

Submitting and tracking

Submit at the entry-exit administration office with jurisdiction over your address, not the one nearest your office unless they are the same. Keep the receipt they give you. It is your proof of application and may be what you show if your status is questioned while the application is pending. If they ask for additional documents, supply them in the format requested and keep a copy of what you handed over. Do not assume silence means approval. Follow up at the office or through the channel they told you to use.

After the permit is issued

Check the permit’s details before you leave the counter: your name, passport number, the period of validity, and the purpose stated. Report errors immediately rather than later. Register your residence with the local police station if your address or permit status requires it, and keep the registration document with your papers. Note when the permit expires and start the renewal process before that date. Do not wait until it has expired. If you change employer, address, or the purpose of your stay, report the change and apply to update the permit rather than carrying on with outdated details.

Common mistakes

Applying at the wrong office for your registered address, which sends you back to the start. Letting the permit expire before renewing. An expired permit is a different and harder problem than a renewal. Handing over originals without keeping copies, which leaves you unable to answer follow-up requests. Assuming a pending application extends your right to stay. Confirm your status with the office in writing if you are unsure.

Confirm before you act

Fees and processing times change. This page was checked on 2026-11-09; confirm the current rule with the authority named in each source above before you rely on a deadline.

Last checked 2026-11-09, next review 2027-05-08. 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.

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