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Sign up with Google Sign up with FacebookQ: On what grounds can a foreigner get a permanent residence permit in China?
Must you marry a Chinese citizen in order to qualify for a permanent residence permit? What's the deal people?
Marrying a Chinese national will not qualify one for permanent resident status; there is a special visa status for those married to Chinese nationals and the duration of the residence permit is generally one year, increasing by increments thereafter up to a maximum of five years and always at the discretion of the local authorities.
To secure the coveted "D" visa status, one must have made a significant contribution to the People's Republic, etc ., etc. Precious few of these "D" visas are issued in any given year, regardless of what the scuttlebutt may be.
You cannot get PERMANENT residence unless you open a 'business' to the tune of $5,000,000 dollars, or more, and even then it is subject to refusal.
Those of us who have married a Chinese person can get temporary residence permits, the first one for 6 months, the second for a year and subsequent ones last two years, but they aren't permanent.
Two different things have been mentioned so far, a residence permit which can not be ever permanent, it is always temporary, and a resident visa ("D"). So, please, do not be confused on this.
For a temporary residence permit there are certain conditions that will allow one to be granted if you are in China under a visitor's (tourist) visa. And one of them is marriage to a local person. This permit does take over your visa, an once obtained, you do not need to renew visa but the permit, since it does work as a visa, but allows you to stay for the length of the period granted without exiting the country. Depending on area, normally first one granted for 6 months, next one for one year and after 5 years maybe for 2 years.
The temporary residence permit is also granted for those here under a work visa.
and as you can see, there is no such a thing as a permanent residence permit.
A resident visa (D) is very seldom granted, and thus very hard to obtain. It does requires, among other things, great contributions to China in outlined areas, among those investments to the tune of over $ 3 million dollars. In some specific areas, higher investments are required.