China : Visa and immigration

Do I need a visa and/or work permit?

British nationals require visas to enter the mainland of China, but not Hong Kong. Visas must be obtained prior to arrival.

Your passport should have a minimum validity of six months on arrival in China. If you intend to stay longer than one year, a minimum validity of 18 months is required.

If you are entering China for employment, study or private purposes for a stay of over six months, you must produce a health certificate, which includes a blood test for HIV, which has been legalised by the Chinese Embassy.

Further information is available from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) .

How do I apply for a visa and/or work permit?

A visa known as a Z visa is required for foreign nationals taking up employment in China.

A visa known as an X visa is required for foreign nationals wishing to study for six months or more in China.

An F visa, or Business Visa, is for foreign nationals visiting China for periods of less than six months, e.g. for short term study, ‘intern practice’, research, lecturing, business, exchanges and attending trade fairs or exhibitions.

Visa application forms are available to download from the website for the Embassy of the People's Republic of China in the United Kingdom , along with full details of the application procedure and all the documents and fees required. Details and forms are also available from the Chinese Visa Application Center (CVAC) . Applications for visas cannot be accepted without having first made an appointment with the CVAC, a service established by the embassy.

If you are not a UK national, contact the Chinese embassy in the country where you are currently residing about how to obtain visas and work permits. If you are living in the UK, go to the Embassy of the People's Republic of China in the United Kingdom .

You might also find it helpful to contact your ministry of foreign affairs (or your own embassy if you are not living in your home country) to ask whether there are any issues to be taken into account when considering working in China.

How do I apply for permanent residency?

A Permanent Residence Visa (or D Visa) can be issued to foreign nationals if they abide by China’s laws, are in good health, have no record of breaking the law and fall in one of the following categories:

• They have invested directly in China and the investment is stable.
• They hold a position of great responsibility in a workplace, or hold the title of professor, assistant professor or researcher and have held this position for more than four years.
• They have made an important, outstanding contribution to China and are particularly needed by China.
• They are the spouse or minor child of any of the above persons.
• They are the spouse of a Chinese citizen or a foreigner with permanent residence in China, provided they have been married for five years, they have lived in China for five years during which they have spent at least nine months per year in China and they have a stable income and residence.

Full information is available on the Central People’s Government of the People’s Republic of China  website. This includes how to apply, along with full details of the documentation required.