Applying for your Residency Permit (Hangzhou)

One of our staff members recently went to the entry-exit bureau in Hangzhou to apply for their residency permit.

*Please note, documents needed will vary from city to city and requirements are updated all the time*

Before you go, you will need:

• 2 passport photos (these can be taken when you are there for 10 RMB)

• Passport and current visa & scanned copies

• An official stamped copy of your company’s business license

• Work permit card – scanned copies of front and back

• Work permit card – scan the QR code and print off the information

• Company application report (organised by your new company/school)

• Temporary residence form plus scanned copies (this is the form you got from the police station)

• A Chinese person’s contact phone number and their ID number

If you need to visit the Entry-Exit bureau in Hangzhou, you will find it at Jinjiang Station (Lines 1 & 4), exit E, and it’s literally a 5 minute walk from there. Walk straight out of the station, turn right at the corner and on the right you’ll see an entry to a building where a guard will check your temperature.

Go into the building and turn right to go up the escalators to the second floor.

Straight ahead, you will see some machines to print off a document to show what you are applying for. First you will need to scan your passport, and from there your information should be straight-forward to fill out as the instructions are both in Chinese and English.

Once your form has been printed, if you need photos, head over to the room where they take them. If you don’t, head straight to the desk with your form and documents. A person will check them and give you a ticket number.

Helpful tip:

If you book an appointment officially online, you will be given a number – but you’ll be ahead of all the people who didn’t book ahead!

Then you wait until your number is called….

When your number is called, head to the desk and pass over your documents. You may get someone who knows English, or you may not – but you shouldn’t have to say anything anyway.

They will take a photo of you, and then give you a receipt which you should keep safe! Try not to lose this. If you need to travel within China, this is recognised at all train stations and airports.

If you do lose your receipt:

You will need to contact the police station in order to get your passport back. If your Chinese isn’t strong, we recommend asking a Chinese person you know to help.

We hope this helps and gives you an idea of what to do and how to do it. Your new job should assist you in this process too.