POSTERN

China

Foreigner work permit and work-type residence. China’s foreign employment option requires separate work permission and a work-type residence permit after the appropriate entry process.

Free, with the law behind every answer

Foreigner work permit and work-type residence

Permission for approved employment and a work-type residence permit, subject to separate entry and job conditions.

Who qualifies

You keep your U.S. citizenship.

1

Does it fit your family?

2 questions, from the program’s own rules.

How old are you?

Not legal advice.

2

What it takes.

Age
18 or older.
Time
The issuing authority decides the application after the complete sponsored file and prerequisite approvals are lodged.
Cost
Government charges are assessed under the issuing authority’s schedule; sponsor, translation and document costs are separate.
The hard part
Employer work-permit sponsorship and completing residence formalities after entry.
3

This visa doesn’t lead to a passport.

  1. 2027
    First residence permit

    1 year, renewable for 1 year at a time.

Two passports
Usually not: new citizens are asked to give up their other citizenship.
  • Time on this program does not count toward permanent residence or citizenship; the family would need to switch to one that does.
  • The issued residence term follows the approved job and local decision; work residence creates no years-based entitlement to the Nationality Law’s discretionary naturalisation.
The law behind these dates
4

Living there.

Time you must spend there
The program sets no minimum number of days. Renewal still expects it to be your home.
Tax
Where you become tax resident follows the days you spend there and where your home is. We map it for your family before you move.

We never file a tax return. We tell you what applies and brief the professional who does.

5

Start today.

  1. Have the China employer start the foreigner work-permit process before arranging entry and work-type residence.Open en.nia.gov.cn ↗
  2. Gather these documents.
    • The signed job offer, salary, and recognized qualifications
    • Request your FBI Identity History Summary
    • Health cover for the move
6

Postern can run this for you.

$900for your first year as a founding member. Then $399 a year, automatically.One membership, the whole family. Bank accounts and help putting your plan into action are included.

Postern runs it for one adult US citizen already in Shanghai on an issued Z visa and holding an approved ordinary Foreigner's Work Permit: accommodation registration, first residence filing and issued passport endorsement for up to one year, then same-employer work-permit extensions and repeated residence extensions; the original work-permit and US entry-visa applications are outside this scope.

14 steps, from the first paper to every renewal. You do 4 of them: send what we ask for, sign, and show up. We run the rest, and keep every permit renewed on time. Opening your bank accounts there is included, whether you move now or keep the plan ready. Government fees, record fees and other costs you approve are extra.

Run it for my family →
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ISSUED TO

YOUR FAMILY

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