| Document Name: | People's Republic of China Foreign Permanent Resident ID Card |
| Using Jurisdiction: | National Immigration Administration |
| Document Type: | Personal identification document |
| Purpose: | Identification |
| Expiration: | 10 years (18 years old and above)5 years (under 18 years old) |
| Cost: | ¥300/card (for the first application and renewal upon expiration) ¥600/card (for lost replacement and damaged replacement) |
The People's Republic of China Foreign Permanent Resident ID Card, colloquially referred to as the PR Card (Chinese: PR卡), Green Card (Chinese: 绿卡) or Five-Star Card (Chinese: 五星卡) by expats, is an identity document for permanent residents in China.
On August 15, 2004, the Ministry of Public Security and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China issued Order No. 74 to implement the "Administrative Measures for the Approval of Foreigners' Permanent Residence in China", which stipulate the qualifications, application materials, approval procedures, approval authority, and disqualification of foreigners for permanent residence in China.[1]
On September 30, 2014, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang stated that it will be easier for foreigners to get green cards in China in the future, which will make it more convenient for foreigners to carry out teaching and research in China and invest in business.[2]
On January 12, 2016, the Ministry of Public Security of China released 20 entry-exit policy measures to support Beijing's innovative development on its website, including foreign Chinese with a doctoral degree or above or working in Zhongguancun enterprises for 4 consecutive years, and each year in China. Accumulated actual residence is not less than 6 months, you can directly apply for permanent residence in China.[3]
From December 9, 2016, the "New Ten" entry-exit policy for the construction of Shanghai Science and Technology Innovation Center will be officially implemented, which will provide more convenience in attracting overseas talents to innovate and start businesses, and foreign talents can live and work in peace and contentment.[4]
On April 17, 2017, the Ministry of Public Security introduced a reform plan to improve permanent residence permits for foreigners, which includes renaming the permit and a redesign to align with the second-generation resident ID card, include a chip for storing management information, and work with existing ID card readers.[5]
On February 27, 2020, the Ministry of Justice publicly solicited opinions on the Regulations on the Administration of Permanent Residence of Foreigners. After the public opinion draft of this regulation was published, it immediately aroused almost one-sided opposition from the public.[6]
On August 11, 2022, the National Immigration Administration stipulated that foreign Chinese with a doctorate degree can apply for permanent residence in China after submitting relevant materials.[7]
On December 1, 2023, the 2023 new version of Foreign Permanent Resident ID Card began to be issued. On the first day, a total of 50 qualified foreigners received the first batch of cards.[8]
The 15-digit ID number is printed in the top right-hand corner, and the issuing authority (Ministry of Public Security of the People's Republic of China) is printed at the bottom of the card.
The combination of the 18-digit ID number is as follows:
Its format is similar to resident ID card numbers, sharing the same length and checksum system, but the meaning of different digit positions changes.The combination of the 15-digit ID number is as follows:
Regarding the issuance of the "Permanent Residence Permit for Foreigners of the People's Republic of China", Article 19 of the "Measures" stipulates: "Foreigners who are approved for permanent residence in China, the Ministry of Public Security shall issue a "Permanent Residence Permit for Foreigners"; Overseas, the Ministry of Public Security will issue the "Confirmation Form of Permanent Residence Status for Foreigners", and the applicant will go to the Chinese embassy or consulate abroad to apply for a residence visa (D visa) with the "Confirmation Form of Permanent Residence Status of Foreigners", 30 days after entry They can obtain the "Permanent Residence Permit for Foreigners" from the public security organ that accepts their application within the country."[9]
Article 20 of the "Measures" stipulates: "Foreigners who have been approved for permanent residence in China shall stay in China for not less than three months in total each year. Approved by the public security department or bureau of the province, autonomous region or municipality directly under the Central Government where the long-term residency resides, but the cumulative stay in China within five years shall not be less than one year."
According to a report in 2004, "foreigners come to China for short-term residence, long-term residence and permanent residence." In 2003, there were 230,000 foreigners living in China for a long time. The newly launched "Permanent Residence Permit for Foreigners of the People's Republic of China" is an important reform of the People's Republic of China on the entry and residence of foreigners since 1949.[10]
The foreign permanent resident ID card is a legal identification document for individuals residing in China, and it can be used independently when proving personal identity in various affairs such as financial transactions, education, healthcare, transportation, accommodation, communication, employment, taxation, social insurance, property registration, litigation, etc.
According to the National Immigration Administration, the conveniences of holding the permanent residence ID card mainly include the following aspects:
According to the Management Measures for the Permanent Residence Approval of Foreigners in China approved by the State Council of China,[9] foreigners applying for permanent residence in China shall abide by Chinese laws, be in good health, have no criminal record, and meet one of the following conditions:
The time limits referred to in this article all refer to the continuous period before the application date.