If you are looking to apply for working or residence visas in
Visa Services in China
China is the world’s second-largest economy and is seen as a hugely attractive market for foreign businesses, from Fortune 500 companies to start-ups, China is seen as the place businesses must exist to be competitive in the future. Foreign talents living and working in China come from around the world and in a range of professions, from Engineers, international educators, financial leaders to Big Tech entrepreneurs.
Since Covid-19 the process of obtaining a visa to enter China has become increasingly difficult but is still possible if the right criteria are met.
Gemini Personnel offers Visa Services to support organisations in applications and renewals of employment & business visas for foreign employees and their dependents.
Types of visas (Only applicable for Mainland China)
Visa for China (Mainland only) includes diplomatic visa, courtesy visa, service (official) visa and ordinary visa, different visas have different application requirements and procedures. Gemini can help you to apply for the visas below:
Ordinary Visa:
There are multiple categories of ordinary visa in China, below is a list of different visas you may apply through Gemini:
Please note that due to Covid-19, not all Visas are available at this time (e.g. L-Visa for Tourists). Please contact us to discuss which Visa you should apply for.
| Visa Categories | Description of Visa |
|---|---|
| C | Issued to foreign crew members of means of international transportation, including aircraft, trains and ships, or motor vehicle drivers engaged in cross-border transport activities, or to the accompanying family members of the crew members of the above-mentioned ships. |
| D | Issued to those who intend to reside in China permanently. |
| F | Issued to those who intend to go to China for exchanges, visits, study tours and other activities. |
| G | Issued to those who intend to transit through China. |
| J1 | Issued to resident foreign journalists of foreign news organizations stationed in China, whose intended duration of stay in China exceeds 180 days. |
| J2 | Issued to foreign journalists who intend to go to China for short-term news coverage, whose intended duration of stay in China is no more than 180 days. |
| L | Issued to those who intend to go to China as a tourist. |
| M | Issued to those who intend to go to China for commercial and trade activities. |
| Q1 | Issued to those who are family members of Chinese citizens or foreigners with Chinese permanent residence and intend to go to China for a family reunion, or to those who intend to go to China for foster care, with an intended duration of stay in China exceeding 180 days. "Family members" refers to spouses, parents, sons, daughters, spouses of sons or daughters, brothers, sisters, grandparents, grandsons, granddaughters and parents-in-law. |
| Q2 | Issued to those who intend to visit their relatives who are Chinese citizens residing in China or foreigners with permanent residence in China, with an intended duration of stay in China of no more than 180 days. |
| R | Issued to those who are high-level talents or whose skills are urgently needed in China. |
| S1 | Issued to those who intend to go to China to visit the foreigners working or studying in China to whom they are spouses, parents, sons or daughters under the age of 18 or parents-in-law, or to those who intend to go to China for other private affairs, whose intended duration of stay in China exceeds 180 days. |
| S2 | Issued to those who intend to visit their family members who are foreigners working or studying in China, or to those who intend to go to China for other private matters, with an intended duration of stay in China of no more than 180 days. "Family members" refers to spouses, parents, sons, daughters, spouses of sons or daughters, brothers, sisters, grandparents, grandsons, granddaughters and parents-in-law. |
| X1 | Issued to those who intend to study in China for a period exceeding 180 days. |
| X2 | Issued to those who intend to study in China for a period of no more than 180 days |
| Z | Issued to those who intend to work in China. |
PU Invitation Letter application for ordinary passport holders to enter China
Since March 2020, a PU Invitation Letter has been required for almost all new applications to enter China. A PU (pŭtōng in Chinese – which means ‘ordinary’) Letter is issed to ‘ordinary’ passport owners who wish to enter China for work, business or other purposes.
PU Letters are granted on a case by case basis with decisions made by the local Foreign Affairs Office (FAO) to where the application is made.
Gemini’s team can support you through the PU Letter process and advise on all of the documentation required and guide help you to submit all of the paperwork in support of your application.
Main types of Visas that foreigners can apply for to enter China
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Work Visa (Z-Visa)
This is the Visa that foreigners need to enter China for work purposes. Applicants must already have an offer of employment from a legally registered company in China to apply for this visa.
Applicants for a Z-Visa must first obtain a PU Invitation letter before making their Z-Visa application.
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Business Visa (M-Visa)
The Business M-Visa is issued to those who intend to go to China for commercial and trade activities.
Applicants must provide provide an invitation letter from a China-based company, trade fair or other entity that explains the purpose and nature of your visit to China.
Applicants for an M-Visa must first obtain a PU Invitation letter before making their M-Visa application.
Since Covid, the length of stay permitted has been reduced and the ability to make multiple entries on a single M-Visa has been restricted. Please speak to us to learn about the latest policies on Business M-Visa applications.
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R-Visa application
An R-Visa is open to high-level foreign talents needed in China and talents whose skills are urgently needed in China.
Applicants for the R-Visa are judged using the Evaluation Criteria for Foreigners Employed in China, details of which can be found here. Examples of eligible applicants according to the criteria include Nobel Prize winners and atheles who have finished in the top 8 places in an Olympic games.
There are numerous benefits to receiving an R-Visa, but the requirements are very tough. Please contact us for further information.
Applicants who obtain the R-Visa do not need to apply for a PU Letter.
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Dependent Visa (New, renewal, transfer and cancel) (Q & S-Visa)
Gemini can help to make applications for family members of a Foreign Talent who is working in China to allow their family to join them in China. We can also help handle all renewals, transfers and cancellations of Dependent Visas
Other Visa services we provide
In addition to handling Visa applications to enter China, Gemini’s team can also support with a range of other services for foreign nationals who are currently in China, including Visa renewals, transfers and cancellations.
We can alos provide support for your Chinese employees to obtain Business Visas to travel globally, as well as supporting them to apply for local ID (Hukou ) cards in Shanghai and other major cities in China.
Below is a summary of the supplementary services that we can offer, please contact us for more details.
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Work Visa ( Renewal, transfer and cancel) (Z-Visa)
Gemini can support to with Work Visa applications including applying for the Residence Permit, renewals, transfer of a Visa to another company when changing jobs, and cancelling of the Work and Residence permits at the end of employment
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Business Visa application for China employee to travel overseas
If your company has Chinese staff who need to conduct business travel overseas, Gemini can help to make the application for Business Visas around the world. We can advise on the documentation needed, the processing time, the online reservation procedure and all fees applicable.
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China Permanent Residence Application - Green Card
For foreigners who hold a China Permanent Residence (PR)/Green Card, they can leave and enter China freely and have no restrictions on the ability to work in China. The PR card also provides foreigners with many other benefits including access to education for their children, transportation benefits, housing and social insurance support and more.
The process of applying for Permanent Residence can be quite complex, but Gemini’s team can guide you through each step of the process to assist you in making the application.
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China documents notarising and legalising service
Gemini can to help notarize and legalize important documents including non-Criminal record certification; education certification; birth certification; employment certification and other documents that might be needed for employment or business use.
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Shanghai ID card application for Chinese Nationals
For Chinese nationals living and working in Shanghai who wish to obtain the Shanghai Hukou (户口), we can help prepare all of the documents and to help you with the online submission in-person application process.
China Visa
The application process through Gemini
- Consultation regarding the work visa application, the likelihood of successful application
- Obtain all documents required from the applicant and sponsor company
- Assist with the preparation of all forms and documentation required
- Cross-check with our application checklist
- Submit all documents to the bureau
- Ongoing liaison with bureau
- Regular update with the applicant and sponsor company
- Collect and deliver the visa to the applicant
Who can apply for a work visa in China?
To apply for a work permit, the following requirements must be met. (Please note that the requirements can vary for different Visas, as well as applications from different countries, please do check with us in advance)
- Valid passport
- Bachelor’s degree or above
- A minimum of 2 years relevant work experience
- Legalised non-criminal record
- Health Certificate
- Employment offer from a registered legal entity in China
- Copies of any previous China Visas
- More…depending on the Visa and current situation when applyin
Disclaimer
Gemini will help every applicant to make sure all required documents are submitted however, we do not and cannot guarantee the success of the application as this is entirely down to the local Foreign Affairs Office of China where the application is made.
China has implemented a strict quarantine on arrival policy which applies to everyone who enters China regardless of nationality or the visa they hold. Please check with us for the latest entry and quarantine requirements before arranging flights.
CONTACT US FOR FREE CONSULTATION
Our visa specialist will contact you within the next business day, please leave your message and contact details below
Frequently asked questions (FAQ)
In general it takes around 6-8 weeks from the date of document submission, but all cases may vary and this should be taken as a guide.
Yes, the requirements have gotten much stricter, and there can be delays in the approval process depending on the number of Covid cases in the applicant’s country.
At the current time yes. There is a mandatory 14 days in hotel quarantine upon arrival, with additional time spent in hotel quarantine or home isolation, which varies on the City and Province you are travelling to. Please check with us for the latest quarantine rules.
No, your employment visa is specific to the employer/sponsor company only. Should you wish to change employer, you need to apply for a change of sponsorship visa.
No, the sponsor company must be a registered legal entity in China.
Yes you can apply, but due to Covid-19 restrictions, approval is not guaranteed. Please contact us to discuss your situation.
