Exit-entry policies facilitate expats' work and life in SZ

Shenzhen currently has 15 Category 1 ports open to the public that have won the approval of the State Council. People can visit Shenzhen through its ports and enjoy speedy and convenient customs clearance.

In July 2016, Shenzhen fully implemented the exit-entry policies and measures of Guangdong Province to promote construction of the China (Guangdong) Pilot Free Trade Zone (Guangdong FTZ) and boost Guangdong's innovation-driven development. This further simplified the visa-approval process and procedures for foreigners, providing greater convenience for high-level foreign talents in terms of applying for visas and residence permits.

1) 16 exit-entry policies facilitate foreigners' employment and settlement

Policy 1: High-level foreign talents and their spouses and children who are still minors and who meet the recognition criteria can directly apply for permanent residence in China upon the recommendation of the Office of the Guangdong FTZ. The Guangdong Provincial Public Security Department is authorized to work with relevant departments to formulate the recognition criteria, which will be submitted to the Ministry of Public Security for approval before implementation.

Policy 2: Foreign members of innovation and entrepreneurship teams in the Guangdong FTZ and foreign technical talents selected by Guangdong FTZ enterprises shall be scored according to the FTZ talent points-based assessment criteria.Those who reach a certain amount of points may apply for permanent residence in China. Again, the Guangdong Provincial Public Security Department is authorized to work with relevant departments to develop a points-based assessment system, which will be submitted to the Ministry of Public Security for approval before implementation.

Policy 3: Foreigners can apply for permanent residence in China if they invest directly in the Guangdong FTZ as a natural person or through a company in which they are the controlling shareholder, provided their investment remains stable for three consecutive years and the total amount exceeds US$1 million (US$500,000 for those industries encouraged in the Catalogue of Industries for Guiding Foreign Investment promulgated by the State. They must also have unblemished tax records.

Policy 4: Chinese or foreign nationals who have a doctoral degree or above, or who have worked in Guangdong FTZ enterprises for four consecutive years, can directly apply for permanent residence in China. However they must have resided in China for at least six months per year.

Policy 5: Chinese or foreign nationals (not subject to the age limit of 60) who start a business in the Guangdong FTZ can directly apply for a five-year work-type residence permit by providing a work permit and a letter of sponsorship from their employer. They can also directly apply for a five-year private affairs-based residence permit (with "start-up" marked) by providing a business plan.

Policy 6: Foreign students from overseas universities who are invited for an internship by enterprises in the Guangdong FTZ through the exit-entry administration of Guangdong public security organs can apply for short-term private affairs visas (these must be marked as an"internship") at the port visa authorities in order to enter the country to pursue their internship. Those who enter with other types of visas can also apply for short-term private affairs visas (with "internship" marked) in the country to undertake their internship.

Policy 7: Foreigners who have continuously worked in Guangdong for four years, have resided in China for at least six months a year, have a stable living income and residence, and whose annual income and annual personal income tax payment meet the prescribed standards may apply for permanent residence in China upon the recommendation of their work units. The Guangdong Provincial Public Security Department is authorized to work with relevant departments to set the aforesaid annual wage income and tax payment standards in accordance with the multiples of the per capita level of Guangdong Province in the previous year, which will be submitted to the Ministry of Public Security for approval before implementation.

Policy 8: High-level foreign talents recognized by the competent talent department of Guangdong Province, senior professional foreign talents employed and guaranteed by enterprises recognized by the competent scientific and technological innovation department of Guangdong Province and the Office of the Guangdong FTZ, as well as high-level foreign talents employed by universities and scientific research institutes of Guangdong Province, are not subject to the age limit of 60 years old, and can be issued a work-type residence permit (with "talent" marked) with a valid period of up to five years. After three years of work, they can apply for permanent residence in China upon the recommendation of their work units, and the approval time limit will be further shortened.

Policy 9: High-level foreign talents recognized by the competent talent department of Guangdong Province, senior professional foreign talents employed and guaranteed by enterprises recognized by the competent scientific and technological innovation department of Guangdong Province and the Office of the Guangdong FTZ, high-level foreign talents employed by universities and scientific research institutes of Guangdong Province, and other foreigners who rank as high-level talents as certified by the inviting units can apply to the visa authority for an R (talent) visa at the port of arrival if they do not have a visa for China. After entering the country, they can apply for a work-type residence permit valid for less than five years. Foreigners who come to China with other visas can apply for a different R visa or a work-type residence permit valid for up to five years after entry.

Policy 10: Foreigners who come to work in Guangdong Province with a work permit issued by local human resources and social security departments and foreign expert affairs departments can directly apply for a work-type residence permit valid for up to one year after entering China with their work permit. If they come to China without a visa, they can apply for a Z (work) visa from the visa authority at the port of arrival and apply for a work-type residence permit according to the regulations after entering China.

Policy 11: For foreigners working in Guangdong Province, if they have applied for a work permit for two consecutive times and have not violated any laws or regulations, they can be issued a work permit valid for up to five years when they make an application for the third time.

Policy 12: For Chinese or foreign nationals who were born in Guangdong or whose original household registration was in the province, with the corresponding certificates or guarantees for visiting relatives, negotiating business, carrying out scientific, educational, cultural and medical exchanges, and handling private affairs, a valid visa can be issued for multiple entries and exits within five years. For those who work, study, visit relatives, or engage in private affairs in Guangdong Province and need to stay for a long time, a residence permit valid for up to five years can be issued in accordance with the regulations.

Policy 13: Shenzhen supports foreign students who wish to start their own business in Guangdong Provinceimmediately after they graduate from institutes of higher education in China (including those in Hong Kong and Macao). Foreign students who are willing to start their own business in Guangdong can apply for a residence permit for private affairs (with "start-up" marked) valid for up to two years using their certificate of graduation from an institute of higher education, which will allow them to undertake an internship as well as other business or entrepreneurial activities. During this period, if a foreign student is employed, they can apply for a work-type residence permit in linewith the regulations.

Policy 14: Foreign students who are enrolled in primary or secondary schools and who come to Guangdong to study for urgent reasonscan apply to the provincial port visa authority for an X1 visa using the admission notice and letter of proof from their school in Guangdong. After entering the country, they can apply for a study-type residence permit according to the regulations. Those who enter the country with other visascan receive a study-type residence permit on the strength of the school admission notice and letter of proof.

Policy 15: High-level foreign talents and high-level talents from Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan who have obtained permanent residence or a work-type residence permit in China may apply for a private affairs-type residence permit for the corresponding period of time for any foreign domestic helpers they employ (with "domestic helper" marked) by providing a personal guarantee and an employment contract.

Policy 16: Shenzhen actively supports Guangdong Province in applying to the State Council to optimize and improve the visa-free policy for foreigners in transit. The scope of the existing 72-hour visa-free transit service for foreigners from 51 countries in Guangdong at Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport will be further expanded. The entry ports will be expanded from that airport to also include Shenzhen Bao'an Airport and Jieyang Chaoshan Airport, while the exit ports will be expanded from the Baiyun airport to all land, sea and air ports open to foreign visitors in the province, so as to realize the linkage of air, land and sea ports. During the visa-free period, the scope of activities is limited to the administrative region of Guangdong Province, and the duration of stay is extended from 72 hours to 144 hours.

For more information on the exit-entry policies, please refer to the official website of the Shenzhen Municipal Public Security Bureau.

2) Integrated service for foreigners’ work and residence permit applications so they can be completed within 7 working days

On Dec. 11, 2020, the Shenzhen Employment and Residence Service Center for Foreigners was officially opened, and the Shenzhen Foreigner Integrated Service Management Platform was also put into operation. The Exit-entry Administration of the Shenzhen Municipal Public Security Bureau and the Shenzhen Municipal Science, Technology and Innovation Commission (Shenzhen Municipal Bureau of Foreign Experts Affairs) integrated the functions of the two departments in serving and managing foreigners. They also made full use of information technology to promote departmental data sharing, service window integration and business process re-engineering by building a comprehensive service management platform for foreigners. The two services handling foreigners' work permits and work-type residence permits in China were integrated into a one-stop service.

Through this one-stop integrated service, Shenzhen has realized the one-time application for work permits and work-type residence permits for foreigners, and shortened the approval time to seven working days. As of Aug. 31, 2021, the Shenzhen Foreigner Integrated Service Management Platform had accepted 5,880 new files of foreign-related unit information and 2,667 concurrent work permit and residence permit applications, saving applicants 21,336 working days based on a saving of seven working days per application.

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