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Q: If you qualified, would you want to get a Chinese green card?
10 years 5 weeks ago in Visa & Legalities - China
Of course. I would not be tied to a job if I had one.
Who wouldn't? Work anywhere, live anywhere, receive the same "benefits" as Chinese nationals, and not put up with the visa crap for 10 years...geez...almost like how most countries treat Chinese expats,
Rasklnik: I think you confused the permanent residence with citizenship.
If I could still command the salary I command and I could retain my American citizenship.
Defintely, unless it somehow affected my home visa. I figure I'll probably return there eventually (I've found some nice places to retire and spend my final days here, but probably would be better taken care of at home), but having a second permanent home in Asia would be awesome.
Sinobear:
Unfortunately Sam, you'd have to upgrade from Cheez-its to Ritz first.
Defintely, unless it somehow affected my home pasaporte. I figure I'll probably return there eventually (I've found some nice places to retire and spend my final days here, but probably would be better taken care of at home), but having a second permanent home in Asia would be awesome.
Hotwater:
You sound a bit confused Sam....do you have a home visa or home passport?
I think the key issue for a lot of people, especially Americans, would be their tax status. I'm no longer "tax resident" in the UK and do not have to file any tax returns. The downside of that is I no longer qualify for the UK national health service and other social benefits. I really wouldn't like to be under the American rules of still having to file a US tax return, even though I'm not working there.
sam239:
Not confused, just mistyped and submitted then re-submitted with "passport" edited without realizing the first went through. Certainly it is not a home visa, it is a home passport. I think few Americans here make the $92,000+ income threshold where you have to start paying US income tax, so I think that is no big deal. I would not want to give up the security of knowing I can go back there and be sure that someone will take care of me. I do not trust this country to do that.
Lord_hanson:
@hotwater, you can pay nation insurance still. This will entitle you to the NHS and other benefits should you return to the UK. It will also be added to your state pension fund. You can collect your pension even if you decide to stay abroad. Because you are no longer in the UK the national insurance contributions are very small yet you still get full benefits. I would seriously check this out if I were you. I do this and I have the security of knowing I am still paying towards my pension whilst working here in China. Just google volanterary national insurance payments. The information is available on the net.
As some others above, yes, definitely! I'm married now and feel quite settled in Guangdong. Feels like home know as weird as that might sound to some other people on this site.
As ScotsAlan said.....would mean not being tied to one company (and not being limited to only working for companies that have the right business licence to employ foreigners).
A 10 year "green card" would be much preferably to the 3 year residence permit I have at the moment, which is tied to my current job.
ScotsAlan:
Yes. The Z visa situation does not help one feel secure here. Your employer knows you are shafted without the visa and I do suspect some may take advantage of that situation.
The "green card" would give freedom to be employed anywhere, by any company.
It would also give you the freedom to walk out of a job and get another one easily.
I concur as I am in a similar situation. I would certainly make life less complicated for me also.
iWolf:
I feel special. I have a downvoting stalker on each and every post 
everyone wants freedom and tension free life. so definitely it will be the wise choice....!!!
Does it really count for something? Is there really a Chinese green card?
ScotsAlan:
Yup. The Chinese green card is the fabled "D" visa.
They are as rare as hen's teeth, rocking horse shit, sober Scotsmen and Americans who were not Navy seals.
Google it..... but maybe wait a few weeks before you try that 
I would, just so I didn't have to deal with wondering where my new visa renewal will come from or how...
Of course for anyone intending to settle long term, this is a very interesting item.
The problem with Chinese D visa is that the requirements are ridiculous and obviously intended for people who don't really need it in the first place (people who have been working X years, have a house and investments yadee yada probably can live on RPs without too much hassle anyway).
But that's how the Chinese system is designed. People are supposed to be the bitch of someone, so having a bunch of guys, especially foreigners, with administration hassle-free residence surely is a super big worry. Which is why D visas are only delivered to people with solid assets they could lose in China.
expatlife26:
i agree with that assessment.
Keeping the laws as vague as possible ensures that you are never fully in compliance.
I've talked to plenty of smart locals who are working at completely legitimate jobs in cities other than their Hukou and they have NO idea whether they are fully in compliance...nor can they get a straight answer if they ask a govt office.
I kinda think you're supposed to just break the law and hope for the best because then if someone has a problem with you, they can always find something you are doing wrong and you don't have any recourse.
