The Permanent Residence Permit, or the Chinese "green card", is a valid personal ID for foreigners who have obtained permanent residence status in China. Foreigners who hold valid passports and a Chinese green card are not restricted in the duration of their stay in China, and can also enter and exit China without a visa. It is valid for 10 years, or five years for foreigners under 18.

Foreigners applying for permanent residence in China must abide by Chinese laws, be in good health, have no criminal record and meet at least one of the following criteria:

I. Made a direct investment in China resulting in stable operations and a good tax-paying record for three consecutive years.

1) Investment in any industry encouraged under the Catalogue for the Guidance of Foreign Investment Industries: at least $500,000;

2) Investment in western China or any key county under poverty alleviation efforts or development program: at least $500,000;

3) Investment in Central China: at least $1 million;

4) Investment in China: at least $2 million.

II. Hold the post of deputy general manager, deputy factory director or above; or of associate professor, associate research fellow and other associate senior titles of professional post or above, or enjoying the equivalent treatment, for at least four consecutive years, with a minimum period of residence in China for three cumulative years within four years, and with a good tax-paying record.

Requirement for the employer:

1) An institution subordinate to any department of the State Council or to the people's government at the provincial level;

2) A key college or university;

3) An enterprise or government-sponsored institution implementing a national key engineering project or major scientific research project;

4) A high-tech enterprise, foreign-invested enterprise in encouraged fields, advanced technology enterprise with foreign investment or export-oriented enterprise with foreign investment.

III. Made a great and outstanding contribution to China or being specially needed by China.

IV. Be the spouse or unmarried child under 18 years old of a person in I, II or III.

V. Be married to a Chinese citizen or a foreigner with permanent residence status in China, for at least five years, with at least five consecutive years of residence in China and at least nine months of residence in China each year, and having stable source of subsistence and dwelling place.

VI. Be an unmarried person under 18 years old who comes to China to live with parents in China.

VII. Be at least 60 years old, with no direct relatives abroad and have sponsoring relatives in China, stayed in China for at least five consecutive years with at least nine-month residence in China each year, and have stable source of subsistence and dwelling place.

Note: To know more about eligibility, please consult the public security bureau of the city where you want to apply.