Which Chinese visas come with a 30-day residence permit duty

2026-10-11

Six of the sixteen visa classes in the consular instructions carry the 30-day residence permit sentence, and the visa itself states the deadline under Regulations, Article 9.

Six of the sixteen visa classes in the consular instructions carry a "Please note" sentence requiring a residence permit application within 30 days of entry: D, J1, Q1, S1, X1 and Z. The Z section adds an exception. The other ten class sections carry no such sentence.

The legal basis

Exit and Entry Administration Law, Article 30, first paragraph: "where visas held by foreigners specify that foreigners need to apply for residence permits after entry, such foreigners shall, within 30 days from the date of their entry, apply to the exit/entry administrations of public security organs under local people's governments at or above the county level in the proposed places of residence for foreigners' residence permits."

Regulations on Administration of the Entry and Exit of Foreigners, Article 9: "Where the applicant needs to obtain a residence permit after entry, the visa authority shall specify on the visa the time limit for applying for such permit after entry."

So the deadline is written on the visa. Read the visa itself for the time limit, because Regulations, Article 9 places it there.

Classes whose section carries the 30-day sentence

The D, J1, Q1, S1 and X1 sections each carry this sentence under "Please note":

"The holder must, within 30 days of entering China, apply for a residence permit at the exit-entry administration of the public security bureau of the people's government at or above the county level of the intended place of residence."

D Visa section
J1 Visa section
Q1 Visa section
S1 Visa section
X1 Visa section

The Z Visa section carries the same sentence with one addition. It reads: "except for those whose visas are marked with 'permitted stay of 30 days after entry'."

Z Visa section, with the exception quoted above

Classes whose section carries no such sentence

The following ten class sections contain no "Please note" sentence about a residence permit:

C Visa section
F Visa section
G Visa section
J2 Visa section
L Visa section
M Visa section
Q2 Visa section
R Visa section
S2 Visa section
X2 Visa section

Article 30 still applies to any visa that specifies a residence permit after entry, so check the visa for that wording.

Suggestion

Before you travel, compare the wording on your visa with the section for your visa class in the consular instructions. The section tells you the class-specific sentence, and the visa tells you the deadline.

Sources

Checked 11 October 2026

This page is an unofficial summary. It is not published by or affiliated with the National Immigration Administration, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, any embassy, consulate or visa application service centre. It is not legal or immigration advice. If the official text or the current notice of the office handling your case differs from this summary, the official text and that notice prevail.