Residence permit & Visa: not the same ?

[youpii]

I thought a residence permit was like a super visa, but now I'm confused...

http://www.shanghaidaily.com/art/2006/07/25/287155/Foreigners_warned_they_still_need_visas.htm

[roddy]

What's a 'Shanghai Residence Permit' exactly? Is it different to the resident permit you get anywhere else in the country? That article mentions one valid till 2008, which is unusual, though not impossible.

[mrtoga]

For some reason I cannot open that link, but I was similarly confused until recently.

Last year I applied to change my X visa to a working visa in Harbin (they did it for 200 RMB back then!). However all I got in my passport was a "Residence Permit" with category "任职" marked on it. I had heard I needed a Z visa but nowhere was it stamped Z and nowhere did it say visa. However this document got me out of China and back in. Just recently when I went to renew (RMB 800!!!) it was confirmed to me that this was indeed both my visa and residence permit rolled into one. So no worries there.

Unfortunately they refused to issue me with a three year visa - they like their annual 800 RMB renewal fee! Probably would need to grease a few palms to persuade them to issue a three-year visa........

[liuzhou]

A Z visa is an entrance visa. It allows you to enter China to take up previously arranged legal employment. It must then be exchanged within 30 days for a residence permit.

So, if you are already in China, there is no point issuing a Z visa. Go straight to residence permit. And you can, then, come and go as you please during the validity of the permit.

(No idea what a Shanghai Residence Permit is!)

[mrtoga]

Thank you Liuzhou - that is a wonderfully succinct explanation and I had never thought about it that way before.

However I know a bunch of students who always have to renew their X or F or L visas, I guess this is because they are not residents then.

[imron]

You can't get a residence permit for F and L visas. Residence permits are only required for X and Z visas (and presumably also the 'D' visa).

Also, the Visa/Residence Permit rolled into one is a relatively recent thing (a little over a year old). Previously you used to have a separate book that was your residence permit, and you needed to get re-entry visas anytime you were planning to leave and come back to the Chinese mainland (assuming you had a single-entry visa). Then they combined the two, making it lots easier (no need to get re-entry visas), but then they also got more expensive.

It's strange that you say X visas don't work like this - I thought they would have done the same with that as they did with the Z visa (both used to require you get a separate residence permit booklet). How long ago did the student have to renew their X visa? and did they have a separate residence permit booklet, or was their residence permit a fixed page on their passport?

[mr.stinky]

visas and residence permits are often confused.

visa is granted by a consulate outside the country. it allows you to enter the country,

for a limited time, for a specified number of entries.

residence permit is granted by the local psb in your area, must be done within 30

days of entry. (gee, i hope) this permit allows unlimited exit/entry within the validity

period.

both the visa and residence permit are 2"x3" (approx) stickers applied to your

passport.

http://losangeles.china-consulate.org/eng/visa/chinavisa/t27602.htm

"The X visa is for single entry and valid for 3 months, with the duration of stay being "000 days after entry". The holder of X visa should enter China with 3 months of the issue date, and go through procedures for obtaining residence permit in the local public security bureau within 30 days of entry."

http://www.gucas.ac.cn/gscasenglish/Channel/Content.aspx?ContentID=434

" Those with an "X" visa are required to apply for the Foreign Residence Permit within 30 days after your arrival in China. ..... Once a residence permit is applied, it will automatically serve as a multi entry visa within the valid period."

[roddy]

Once a residence permit is applied, it will automatically serve as a multi entry visa within the valid period."

This is what I understand to be the case currently - but then what's happening with these people in the article? They have (Shanghai) residence permits, so what's the issue? I thought Shanghai was the first place to implement residence permits that doubled up as multi-entry visas.

[mrtoga]

Thanks for clearing that up. The last student I knew of who tried to renew an X visa was in fact just over a year ago, so maybe that has changed now. Good to know.

[youpii]

so that 'Shanghai Residence Permit' is not the thing sticked inside the passport, right ?

[liuzhou]

I'm beginning to think the 'Shanghai Residence Permit' is not something given to laowai, but to Chinese residents. There is no application for laowai.

(But I don't live in Shanghai. Thank god!)

[youpii]

liuzhou: the article in Shanghai Daily was speaking of foreigners holding that 'Shanghai Residence Permit',so I don't think it's the 户口

[Qcash3]

Now I am some what confused...should I apply for a multi-entry visa, or just a single entry and not worry about it because I have to get a residency permit?

[heifeng]

Somewhat related; Do I just drag the landlord to the closest paichusuo and bring my passport or what? If I are "subletting" a room do I just bring the person whose name is on the lease with me?? (I have no clue who the landlord is at my 小区and I am sure they don't know me...is this a problem?) I have changed my address before but at the time my uni gave me a form with my address printed out. My current school just said to bring my landlord to the paichusuo....now I'm a bit confused...

[mr.stinky]

don't know if this will help...

my roomie got the apartment before i arrived. she had to drag the landlord to the local

psb with the contract.

when i arrived, roomie and i went to psb with the contract.

last week, i moved in with my girlfriend. she went with me to her psb, no contract or

papers required on her part.

your mileage may vary.

[heifeng]

I think this helps. How many days after moving are you suppose to update your address? probably ASAP right?

[mr.stinky]

supposedly within 24 hours.