Mainland China: Passports Now Returned During Residence Permit Application

Foreign nationals can now keep their original passport during the Residence Permit application process, whereas previously they had to submit their passport to government authorities (Residence Permit processing usually takes seven business days). The policy provides more flexibility for foreign nationals, since they will have their passport on hand for in-country processes that may require a passport, and they may be able to travel abroad while their Residence Permit application is processing. Residence Permit applicants will still need to bring their passport back to the government office to obtain a visa label after the Residence Permit is approved. It is not clear if this policy already will apply across all of Mainland China; the government is expected to provide more implementation details in the near future. Affected applicants should contact their immigration professional for case-by-case advice.