A stay permit is a short-term visa that allows a foreign visitor or resident to stay in Guangzhou temporarily. This is often useful if your previous visa was lost or damaged, or if you decide to extend your trip in Guangzhou at short notice.
A stay permit is a short-term visa that allows a foreign visitor or resident to stay in Guangzhou temporarily. This is often useful if your previous visa was lost or damaged, or if you decide to extend your trip in Guangzhou at short notice.
Photo: beijingliuxue
According to Exit and Entry Administration Law of the People’s Republic of China, when visa-exempt foreigners need to stay in China longer than the visa-free period, or foreign ship crew workers and their accompanying family members need to leave the cities where the ports are located, or under other circumstances in which foreigners need to apply for a stay permit, they shall apply for such permits in accordance with the relevant regulations.
Applying for a stay permit
Not all foreigners need to apply for a stay permit. If you meet one of the six criteria below, you need to go to the Exit & Entry Administration Department of Guangzhou to apply for a stay permit.
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Those who can stay in China without a visa and who need to stay in China for non-diplomatic or non-official business beyond the visa exemption period.
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Foreign ship crew members and their accompanying family who need to travel beyond the city where their ship’s port is located.
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Those who have renounced Chinese nationality with the approval of the authorities and who need to stay in China.
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Those who need to stay in China for humanitarian reasons after finishing their business in China.
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Foreign infants born in China who need to stay in China.
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Those who need to stay in China under other circumstances.
When you apply for a stay permit, you should submit following 5 different kinds of documents.
1. The applicant’s valid passport and visa (originals and photocopies);
2. A completed Foreigner Visa Application Form;
3. A visa photo conforming to the Guangdong regulations on visa photos for foreign nationals, and the “evaluation confirmation slip” for the photo;
4. A valid Foreigner Accommodation Registration Form issued in Guangzhou;
5. Other supporting documents for the application.
The other supporting documents you will need to provide depend on why you are applying for the stay permit.
Renewal of stay permit
If you have already had a stay permit, but cannot leave China within the period of validity of the stay permit for objective reasons, you should apply to renew the stay permit 7 days before the expiry date.
The specific application materials and requirements for renewal refer to the requirements for your stay permit application.
Replacement of stay permit
If your stay permit has been lost, stolen or damaged in Guangzhou, you can apply for a replacement at the Exit & Entry Administration Department of Guangzhou.
You may need following documents to apply for a replacement:
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A completed Foreigner Visa Application Form;
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A visa photo conforming to the Guangdong regulations on visa photos for foreign nationals, and the “evaluation confirmation slip” for the photo;
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A valid Foreigner Accommodation Registration Form issued in Guangzhou;
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Other relevant supporting documents for the application:
About the Exit & Entry Administration Department of Guangzhou Municipal Public Security Bureau
Address: 155 Jiefang South Road, Yuexiu district, Guangzhou, Guangdong province, China
Phone: 12345, 96897, (020)83115725
Opening Hours:
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Monday-Friday 08:30-12:00; 14:00-17:30
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Saturday 09:00-11:30 (only for emergencies)
Processing Time: 7 working days
(Attention: If the bureau decides your documents need to be verified, the processing time will take longer than seven working days.)
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