I.Conditions for investors to apply for permanent residence in China:
Foreign investors who meet one of the following conditions and have a good tax payment record can apply for permanent residence in China:
1.Investors who have invested in China with a total actually paid registered capital of over 2 million USD (the amount should not fall below the standard for three consecutive years);
2.Investors who have invested in the central region of China with a total actually paid registered capital of over 1 million USD (the amount should not fall below the standard for three consecutive years);
3.Investors who have invested in the western region of China and in the national key counties for poverty alleviation and development with a total actually paid registered capital of over 500,000 USD (the amount should not fall below the standard for three consecutive years);
4.Investors who invest in the encouraged categories of industries as announced in the "Catalogue for the Guidance of Foreign Investment Industries" with a total actually paid registered capital of over 500,000 USD (the amount should not fall below the standard for three consecutive years);
5.Investors who invest directly in Shanghai as an individual or through a company where they are the controlling shareholder as an individual, with stable investment over three consecutive years and a total investment amount of over 1 million USD (for investments in the encouraged categories of industries as announced in the "Catalogue for the Guidance of Foreign Investment Industries", the total investment amount reaches over 500,000 USD). The foreign spouses and unmarried children under the age of 18 of the aforementioned personnel may apply for permanent residence in China along with them.
The foreign spouses and unmarried children under the age of 18 of the aforementioned individuals may also apply for permanent residence in China.
II.Procedures for investors to apply for permanent residence in China:
1.Investors (principal applicants) need to submit the following documents:
(1)Fill in the "Application Form for Permanent Residence of Aliens in China" completely, submit two 2-inch recent ID photos and burn a CD with the electronic version (see the notes for details).
(2)The original and two copies of a valid passport and a valid visa (or residence permit).
(3)The original and one copy of the tax payment certificate for the individual income tax paid consecutively for the past three years issued by the tax authority up to the date of application (applicants who meet the conditions of category 5 need to submit the tax payment certificate issued by the Shanghai tax authority).
(4)The original and two copies of the "Enterprise Business License"duplicate, "Foreign-invested Enterprise Approval Certificate"or the "Foreign-invested Enterprise Establishment Filing Receipt" (not required for domestic enterprises), along with the proof of the relevant annual inspections for the past three years.
(5)The original capital verification report after the company's capital reaches the required standard and the audit reports for the continuous three years, along with two copies of each. For investments in industries encouraged under the "Guidance Catalogue for Foreign Investment Industries" issued by the state, it is necessary to provide a confirmation letter of a foreign investment project encouraged by the state, or a certificate that the enterprise is a foreign-invested enterprise encouraged by the state for development. For investments made by a company as a controlling shareholder, additional relevant investment and shareholding documentation must be submitted. If issued abroad, such documents must be authenticated by a Chinese embassy or consulate abroad.
(6)The original health certificate issued by the domestic entry-exit inspection and quarantine authorities (or a health certificate issued by a foreign medical institution and authenticated by a Chinese embassy or consulate abroad), along with one photocopy. The health certificate is valid for six months from the date of issuance.
(7)The original certificate of no criminal record verified by the Chinese embassy or consulate abroad and one photocopy. The name on the certificate must match the name on the holder's valid passport; if the applicant has changed their name, the former name must be indicated on the certificate; if the applicant has resided continuously for more than two years in a country or region outside the passport-issuing country after reaching the age of 18, a certificate of no criminal record from that country or region is also required. The certificate of no criminal record is valid for six months from the date of issuance.
2.For a foreign spouse, the following documents must be submitted:
(1)A fully completed "Application Form for Permanent Residence in China" must be submitted, along with two recent 2-inch passport photos and a CD containing the electronic version of the photos (see the notes for details).
(2)The original and two photocopies of a valid passport and visa (or residence permit).
(3)The original and two photocopies of the marriage certificate. If issued abroad, the certificate must be authenticated by the Chinese embassy or consulate, and this authentication is valid for six months from the date of issuance. Additionally, two photocopies of the identification documents used at the time of marriage registration must be submitted.
(4)The original and one photocopy of the health certificate issued by the domestic entry-exit inspection and quarantine department (or a health certificate issued by a foreign medical institution authenticated by the Chinese embassy or consulate). The health certificate is valid for six months from the date of issuance.
(5)The original and one photocopy of the foreign non-criminal record certificate authenticated by the Chinese embassy or consulate. The name on the certificate must match the name on the valid passport; if the applicant has changed their name, the former name must be indicated on the certificate; if the applicant has resided continuously in a country or region other than the passport-issuing country for more than two years after reaching 18 years of age, anon-criminal record certificate from that country or region is also required. The non-criminal record certificate is valid for six months from the date of issuance.
3.The following documents must be submitted for foreign children under the age of 18:
(1)Fill in the "Application Form for Permanent Residence in China"completely, submit two recent 2-inch ID photos and provide an electronic version on a CD (see the notes for details).
(2)The original and two copies of a valid passport and visa (or residence permit).
(3)The original birth certificate (or proof of parent-child relationship, adoption certificate) and two copies. If issued abroad, they must be authenticated by the Chinese embassy or consulate.
(4)The original identification documents of both parents and two copies of each.
(5)The original marriage certificate of the parents and two copies (if the parents are divorced, proof that the main applicant has custody of the child, such as a court decree, should be provided). If issued abroad, they must be authenticated by the Chinese embassy or consulate.
(6)If one or both parents were of Chinese nationality at the time of the child's birth, procedures for nationality verification must be completed first.
★Matters for Attention for Investors Applying for Permanent Residence in China
(1)Applicants who are 18 years of age or older must appear in person to proceed with the application. For children under the age of 18, both parents must come together to handle the application (in case of divorced parents, the one with custody responsibility for the applicant may proceed).
(2)The identification photo should be a color photo with a frontal view and a plain white background, sized 48mm×33mm. The width of the face in the portrait should be greater than or equal to 18mm±1mm, with the top of the head to hairline distance being 1.5mm to 2.5mm from the top edge of the photo. The lower part of the portrait should ideally show the complete tip of the shirt collar or the collarbone.
(3)If the applicant has changed his/her nationality, he/she is required to submit a certificate of joining a foreign nationality. The applicant had Chinese nationality, the former mainland residents also need to provide the original China's private passport, proof of settlement abroad (holders of official passports to join the foreign nationality, need to first apply for withdrawal of Chinese nationality); former residents of Taiwan also need to provide the cancellation of the household registration of Taiwan; the former residents of Hong Kong and Macao also need to provide the Hong Kong and Macao no longer have a resident identity card. If necessary, certificates issued abroad must be certified by the Chinese Embassy(Consulate) abroad.
(4)If the applicant has undergone a name change, they must provide original proof of the name change or certification that both names belong to the same person, along with two photocopies of the document. If the document is issued from outside of China, it must be authenticated by the Chinese embassy or consulate in the country of issue.
(5)Relevant documents issued from abroad, such as criminal record certificates, marriage certificates, birth certificates, kinship certificates, adoption certificates, name change certificates, etc., can be provided by the competent authorities of the relevant country and authenticated by the Chinese embassy or consulate in that country. Alternatively, these documents can be the certificates issued by the embassy or consulate of the issuing country in China (self-declarations are not acceptable).
(6)Foreign-language documentation must be translated into Chinese by a domestic translation company with the appropriate qualifications and be stamped with the company's seal. Additionally, a photocopy of the translation company's business license must be provided.
(7)If the applicant requires their Chinese name to be printed on the"Foreigner's Permanent Residence ID Card," they should specify "Chinese name to be printed on card" in the "Other matters needing explanation" section of the application form.
一、投资人员申请中国永久居留办理条件：
凡符合以下条件之一且纳税记录良好的外国人，可以申请在华永久居留：
1.在中国投资、实际交付的注册资金合计在200万美元以上（连续3年内不得低于该标准）的投资者；
2.在中国中部地区投资，实际交付的注册资金合计在100万美元以上（连续3年内不得低于该标准）的投资者；
3.在中国西部地区和国家扶贫开发重点县投资，实际交付的注册资金合计在50万美元以上（连续3年内不得低于该标准）的投资者；
4.在国家颁布的《外商投资产业指导项目》鼓励类产业投资，实际交付的注册资金合计在50万美元以上（连续3年内不得低于该标准）的投资者;
5.以自然人身份或者通过本人以自然人身份作为控股股东的公司企业，在上海直接投资，连续3年投资情况稳定，投资数额合计达到100万美元以上（国家颁布的《外商投资产业指导项目》鼓励类产业投资合计达到50万美元）的投资者。
上述人员的外籍配偶及未满18周岁未婚子女可随同申请办理外国人永久居留。
二、投资人员申请中国永久居留办事手续：
1.投资人员（主申请人）需提交下列材料：
(1)填写完整的《外国人在中国永久居留申请表》，2寸近期证件照2张并刻录光盘提交电子版（详见注意事项）。
(2)有效护照及有效签证（或居留证件）原件及2份复印件。
(3)税务机关出具的申请之日前连续3年缴纳个人所得税的完税证明原件及1份复印件（符合条件5的申请人需提交上海税务机关出具的完税证明）。
(4)《企业营业执照》副本、《外商投资企业批准证书》或《外商投资企业设立备案回执》（内资企业免交）原件及近3年相关年检证明，并提交2份复印件。
(5)公司金额达标后的验资报告原件及连续3年的审计报告，并提交2份复印件。在国家颁布的《外商投资产业指导项目》鼓励类产业投资的需提供国家鼓励发展的外商投资项目确认书或该企业为国家鼓励发展的外商投资企业的证明。作为控股股东的公司企业投资的，另需提交相关投资及控股证明，国外出具的，须经中国驻外使（领）馆认证。
(6)国内出入境检验检疫部门出具的健康证明（或经中国驻外使领馆认证的外国医疗机构签发的健康证明）原件及1份复印件。健康证明自出具之日起6个月内有效。
(7)经中国驻外使（领）馆认证的国外无犯罪记录证明原件及1份复印件。该证明上的姓名须与所持有效护照上的姓名一致；申请人如变更过姓名的，须在该证明上注明曾用名；申请人如满18周岁后在护照所属国以外的国家或地区连续居留2年以上的，还需提供在该国家或地区无犯罪记录证明。无犯罪记录证明自出具之日起6个月内有效。
2.外籍配偶需提交下列材料：
(1)填写完整的《外国人在中国永久居留申请表》，2寸近期证件照2张并刻录光盘提交电子版（详见注意事项）。
(2)有效护照及签证（或居留证件）原件及2份复印件。
(3)婚姻关系证明原件及2份复印件。国外出具的，须经中国驻外使（领）馆认证，该认证自出具之日起6个月内有效。另需提交结婚登记时使用的身份证件复印件2份。
(4)国内出入境检验检疫部门出具的健康证明（或经中国驻外使领馆认证的外国医疗机构签发的健康证明）原件及1份复印件。健康证明自出具之日起6个月内有效。
(5)经中国驻外使（领）馆认证的国外无犯罪记录证明原件及1份复印件。该证明上的姓名须与所持有效护照上的姓名一致；申请人如变更过姓名的，须在该证明上注明曾用名；申请人如满18周岁后在护照所属国以外的国家或地区连续居留2年以上的，还需提供在该国家或地区无犯罪记录证明。无犯罪记录证明自出具之日起6个月内有效。
3.未满18周岁外籍子女需提交以下材料：
(1)填写完整的《外国人在中国永久居留申请表》，2寸近期证件照2张并刻录光盘提交电子版（详见注意事项）。
(2)有效护照及签证（或居留证件）原件及2份复印件。
(3)出生证明（或亲子关系证明、收养证明）原件及2份复印件。国外出具的，须经中国驻外使（领）馆认证。
(4)父母双方的身份证件原件及2份复印件。
(5)父母的结婚证明原件及2份复印件（如父母离异的，应出具主申请人对该子女具有监护责任的证明，如法院裁决书等）。国外出具的，须经中国驻外使（领）馆认证。
(6)子女出生时父母双方或一方为中国籍的，须先办理国籍认定手续。
★投资人员申请中国永居注意事项
(1)年满18周岁的申请人需本人前来办理。18周岁以下子女需父母双方一同前来办理（父母离异的可由对申请人具有监护责任关系的一方办理）。
(2)证件照应为正面免冠白色背景彩照，尺寸48mm×33mm，人像脸部宽度大于等于18mm±1mm，头顶发迹距照片上沿1.5mm～2.5mm,人像下方以露出完整的衬衣领尖或锁骨为宜。
(3)申请人变更过国籍的,需提交加入外国国籍证明。申请人曾具有中国国籍的，原内地居民还需提供原中国因私护照、国外定居证明（持因公护照加入外国籍的，需先办理退出中国国籍手续）；原台湾居民还需提供台湾注销户籍证明；原港澳居民还需提供不再具有港澳居民身份证明。必要时，国外出具的证明须提供中国驻外使（领）馆认证。
(4)申请人姓名发生变更的，需提供更名证明或两个名字为同一人的证明原件及2份复印件，国外出具的，须经中国驻外使（领）馆认证。
(5)国外出具的无犯罪记录证明、婚姻证明、出生证明、亲属关系证明、收养证明、更名证明等相关材料，可由有关国家主管部门出具并经中国驻该国使（领）馆认证，也可以提交所属国驻华使（领）馆出具的证明（不可为本人声明）。
(6)外文证明材料需经国内有资质的翻译公司译成中文并加盖公司印章，另需提供该翻译公司营业执照复印件。
(7)申请人如需在《外国人永久居留身份证》上打印中文姓名，应在申请表上“其他需说明事项”栏目中写明“制证时需打印中文姓名”。
sources from SFBC
