I work in Xi'an and my girlfriend is from Kazakhstan. She wants to come to Xi'an to live together. Can I ask for advice from experts on how to apply for a visa?

1. What is a foreigner? What are the regulations on nationality in our country?

Foreigners refer to people who do not have Chinese nationality in accordance with the Nationality Law of the People's Republic of China. Often includes stateless persons.

The Republic of China is a multi-ethnic country, and people of all ethnic groups have Chinese nationality.

The People’s Republic of China does not recognize dual nationality of Chinese citizens. Both or one of the parents is a Chinese citizen, the person was born in China, and has Chinese nationality. If both or one of the parents is a Chinese citizen and the person was born in a foreign country, he/she has Chinese nationality; however, if both or one of the parents is a Chinese citizen and has settled in a foreign country and the person/herself has a foreign nationality at birth, the person does not have Chinese nationality. The parents are stateless or have unknown nationality and have settled in China. I was born in China and have Chinese nationality. Chinese citizens who have settled abroad and voluntarily join or acquire foreign nationality will automatically lose their Chinese nationality. State functionaries and active military personnel are not allowed to renounce Chinese nationality. Foreigners who once had Chinese nationality can apply for restoration of Chinese nationality with legitimate reasons. Those who are approved to restore Chinese nationality may no longer retain foreign nationality.

In recent years, some Chinese have obtained foreign passports through investment immigration, and some have also gone through the procedures for acquiring foreign nationality. The foreign passports and foreign nationalities they obtain must be confirmed by the competent authorities of the Chinese government before they are valid.

2. What are the categories of Chinese visas?

my country’s visas are divided into diplomatic visas, courtesy visas, official visas and ordinary visas, which are issued separately according to the status of foreigners coming to China and the type of passport they hold. Ordinary visas are divided into: settlement visa, professional visa, study visa, visit visa, tourist visa, transit visa, crew visa and reporter visa. They are issued according to the reason for foreigners to apply for coming to China. The corresponding Chinese pinyin letters are marked on the visa. express.

(1) D visa is issued to those who come to China to settle down;

(2) Z visa is issued to those who come to China to work or work and their accompanying family members;

p>

(3) X-type visa is issued to those who come to China to study, further study, or intern for more than 6 months;

(4) F-type visa is issued to those who are invited to visit, inspect, or give lectures in China , people who do business, engage in scientific and technological exchanges, short-term training, internships and other activities for a period of no more than 6 months;

(5) L visa is issued to people who come to China to travel, visit relatives or enter China for other private matters , of which 9 or more people traveling in China in a group can be issued a group visa;

(6) G visa is issued to people transiting through China;

(7) C visa Visas are issued to international train crews, international aircraft crews, and seafarers of international sailing ships who perform cabin crew, aviation, and shipping tasks and their accompanying family members;

(8) J-1 visas are issued to regular visitors to China. For foreign journalists stationed in China, the J-2 visa is issued to foreign journalists who come to China temporarily for reporting purposes.

3. Who is exempted from visa application?

A. Foreigners holding the passport of a country that has signed a mutual visa exemption agreement with the Chinese government.

B. If you hold a connecting ticket and have booked a connecting seat and take an international flight directly transiting from China, staying in the transit city for no more than 24 hours and not leaving the airport, you are not required to apply for a transit visa; you are required to leave If you are at the airport, you must apply for a stay permit at the border inspection station.

C. When an international sailing ship is anchored in a Chinese port, if foreign crew members and their accompanying family members request to land and do not leave the port city, they must apply for a landing permit from the border inspection station. If they require accommodation on land, they must apply for an accommodation permit. . However, if you need to go to areas other than the port city, or if you cannot leave the country with the original ship, you must apply for the corresponding visa from the local public security bureau.

4. How to apply for a visa?

When abroad, applications should be made to China’s diplomatic missions, consular offices or other overseas agencies authorized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs; at home, applications should be made to the foreigners’ entry-exit management department of the public security bureau; foreigners holding If you have a letter or telegram from an authorized unit in China, and hold an ordinary passport from a country that has diplomatic relations or official trade relations with China, and come to China for urgent matters but are unable to apply for a visa at my country’s overseas agencies, you can also apply for a visa at a port authorized by the Ministry of Public Security. Apply for a visa with the visa authority. Port visa agencies are located in: Beijing, Shanghai, Tianjin, Dalian, Fuzhou, Xiamen, Xi'an, Guilin, Hangzhou, Kunming, Guangzhou (Baiyun Airport), Shenzhen (Luohu, Huanggang, Shekou), Zhuhai (Gongbei). When applying for a visa, foreigners must answer the relevant questions asked and provide a valid passport or a document that can replace the passport; fill in the visa application form and submit a recent 2-inch half-length, frontal, bareheaded photo; and submit certificates related to the reasons for applying for entry and transit. The relevant certificates refer to:

(1) To apply for a D visa, you must hold a settlement status confirmation form.

The settlement status confirmation form shall be obtained by the applicant or his or her relatives in China by entrusting him or her to apply to the exit and entry administration department of the municipal or county public security bureau where the place of settlement is applied for;

(2) To apply for a Z visa, a Chinese employee must be present. Recruitment or employment certificate from the employer, or a letter from the authorized unit;

(3) To apply for an X visa, a certificate from the accepting unit or the competent department is required;

(4) To apply for an F-type visa, you must have a letter from an authorized unit;

(5) To apply for an L-type visa, those who come to China for tourism must have a reception certificate from the Chinese tourism department. If necessary, they must provide proof of their destination after leaving China. Air tickets, train tickets or boat tickets from the country (region);

(6) To apply for a G visa, you must hold a valid visa for the country (region) you are going to. If the applicant is exempted from applying for a visa to the country (region), he must hold a connecting ticket;

(7) To apply for a C visa, provide relevant certificates according to the agreement;

( 8) To apply for J-1 or J-2 visa, you must have a certificate from the competent department. Foreigners who come to China to settle down or stay for more than one year must also submit a health certificate issued by the health and medical department designated by the government of the host country, or a health certificate issued by the health and medical department and notarized by a notary authority when applying for an entry visa. The health certificate is valid for 6 months from the date of issue.

At present, there are two types of ordinary visas. One is issued by our country’s embassies and consulates in foreign countries. Its entry validity period and stay validity period are separate. The entry validity period means that you can enter the country before this date. The validity period of stay refers to the number of days allowed to stay in China after entry. The other is issued by the public security department, and its entry validity period and stay validity period are unified, that is, entry is allowed within this validity period and stay is only allowed until the validity period expires.

5. How do foreigners apply for visas?

Foreigners who apply for extension or change of various visas and documents must complete the following procedures:

(1) Submit passports, visas, and documents for inspection;

(2) Fill in the extension application form or change application form;

(3) Provide proof related to the reason for extension or change;

(4) Pay visa and document fees as required.

6. How to apply for foster care for foreign children?

(1) When applying for foster care, the applicant must provide documents and supporting materials that are sufficient to prove that the foster child is of foreign nationality. In addition to presenting the valid passport of the foster child, if both or one of the parents is a foreigner, a photocopy of the foreign passport or certificate must be provided; if both or one of the parents is a Chinese citizen, a photocopy of the certificate of residence abroad must be provided.

(2) Parents of foster children must submit a written application for foster care. The application content includes the reasons for foster care, designated custody and guardian, years of foster care, and resumes of the parents of the foster children (including nationality, occupation or identity, when and why they went abroad, when they obtained the right of residence in the host country, when they became foreign nationals), etc.

(3) The foster person must be related to the person being fostered. As a foster carer, you must write a letter of guarantee to ensure that you will be responsible for the foster care and guardianship of the foster carer. The letter of guarantee for being a foster carer should include the following contents: 1. The basic information of the foster carer (including name, work unit, occupation, home address, relationship with the foster carer, etc.); 2. The basic information of the foster carer (including name, date of birth and place of birth); 3. Accept the entrustment of the foster care recipient’s parents and assume the responsibility for raising and guardianship; 4. Ensure that the foster care recipient leaves the country on time unless there are force majeure reasons. The letter of guarantee to be a foster carer must be notarized by a notary public.

(4) Applications for foster care shall be accepted and approved by the local city or county public security bureau.

(5) Foreign children over the age of 16 are not allowed to be fostered in China.

7. What issues should foreigners pay attention to when entering the country?

Foreigners holding valid passports and Chinese visas and documents can enter China through ports open to the outside world. However, foreigners and foreigners’ means of transportation at ports designated by the visa authorities must enter from designated ports. port of entry. When foreigners arrive at the port, they must submit a valid passport and Chinese visa and documents to the border inspection station for inspection, fill in an entry and exit card, and enter the country after being inspected and approved by the border inspection station with a stamp of approval.

8. Which foreigners are not allowed to enter?

The following foreigners are not allowed to enter the country:

(1) Those who have been deported by the Chinese government and have not completed the period of inadmissibility;

are considered likely to undergo Those who engage in terrorist, violent, or subversive activities;

(2) Those who are considered likely to engage in smuggling, drug trafficking, or prostitution activities after entering the country;

(3) Those who suffer from mental illness, leprosy, AIDS, sexually transmitted diseases, open pulmonary tuberculosis and other infectious diseases;

(4) The expenses required during their stay in China cannot be guaranteed;

(5) It is considered that they may undergo medical treatment after entry Other activities that endanger my country’s national security and interests.

For the following foreigners, the border inspection station has the right to prevent entry:

(1) Those who do not hold a valid passport, certificate or visa;

(2) Holding forged, altered or other people’s passports or documents;

(3) Refusing to accept verification of documents;

(4) Not allowed to enter the country as notified by the Ministry of Public Security or the Ministry of National Security.

If a foreigner who is blocked from entering cannot return immediately with the original means of transportation, the border inspection station can take necessary measures to limit the scope of his activities and order him to leave the country by the nearest means of transportation.

9. How to register for temporary accommodation?

Foreigners who want to stay in hotels, restaurants, hostels, hostels, schools and other enterprises, institutions or institutions, groups and other Chinese institutions must present a valid passport or residence permit and fill out a temporary accommodation registration form. When staying in a closed area, a travel permit is required. If a foreigner is staying at a Chinese resident's home in an urban area, the host or the host must go to the local public security bureau to declare and fill out a temporary accommodation registration form within 24 hours after arrival with the host's passport, ID and the host's household register; If you are in rural areas, you must report to the local police station or household registration office within 72 hours. When a foreigner stays in a foreign institution in China or in a foreigner's home in China, he or she must report to the local public security agency within 24 hours after the guest's arrival. And fill out the temporary accommodation registration form. Foreigners who have been residing in China for a long time must also declare their accommodation registration when they leave their residence and temporarily stay elsewhere. Foreigners temporarily staying in mobile accommodation must report to the local public security agency within 24 hours. Organizations or individuals that provide space for foreigners’ mobile accommodation should report to the local public security agency 24 hours in advance.

10. What are the types of residence documents for foreigners? How to apply for a residence permit?

Foreigner’s residence permit is divided into foreigner’s residence permit and foreigner’s temporary residence permit. Foreigner residence permit is issued to those who have stayed in China for more than 1 year. Temporary residence permit for foreigners is issued to those who have stayed in China for less than one year.

Foreigners holding D, Z, You must apply for a foreigner's residence permit or foreigner's temporary residence permit at the city or county public security bureau of your place of residence within 30 days from the date of entry. The validity period of the above-mentioned residence certificate is the period for which the holder is allowed to reside in China. Foreigners holding visas marked F, L, G, or C can stay in China within the period specified on the visa without applying for a residence permit.

Foreigners applying for a residence permit must answer relevant inquiries and perform the following procedures:

(1) Submit passport, visa and certificates related to the purpose of residence for inspection;

(2) Fill out the residence application form;

(3) Those who apply for a foreigner’s residence permit must also submit a health certificate and a recent 2-inch half-length, full-face, bareheaded photo.

11. What issues should foreigners holding residence documents pay attention to?

Foreigners who need to continue to stay or reside in China after the expiration of their visa or residence permit must apply for an extension before expiration. If a foreigner is found to have a disease that prohibits entry during his stay in China, the Chinese health authorities may request the public security authorities to order him to leave the country in advance. If the items filled in the foreigner's residence permit (name, nationality, occupation or identity, work unit, address, passport number, accompanying children, etc.) are changed, the holder must go to the public security bureau of the place of residence to register the change within 10 days . If a foreigner holding a residence permit moves out of the city or county, he must register with the public security bureau of the original place of residence before moving. After arriving at the place of residence, he must register with the public security bureau of the place of residence within 10 days. Foreigners who have settled down and apply for relocation must apply in advance to the public security bureau of the place of destination for a certificate granting permission to move in. With this certificate, relocation registration shall be carried out in accordance with the provisions of the preceding paragraph. For reasons of safeguarding national security, social order or other public interests, municipal or county public security bureaus may restrict foreigners or foreign institutions from establishing residences or offices in certain areas; those who have established residences or offices in the above restricted areas If required, they must move to the permitted area within the time limit specified in the relocation notice from the city or county public security bureau. Foreigners who have settled in China must submit their foreigner residence permit to the public security bureau of their place of residence at the designated time once a year. When the Public Security Bureau deems it necessary, it may notify the foreigner to submit the foreigner's residence permit to the exit-entry administration department for inspection. The foreigner shall go to the immigration administration department to submit the foreigner's residence permit for inspection at the time specified in the notice. Foreigners over the age of 16 who are residing or staying in China must carry their residence documents or passports with them for inspection by the foreign affairs police. For foreign babies born in China, their parents or agents must declare to the local public security bureau with their birth certificates and go through registration procedures within one month after birth. If a foreigner dies in China, his family members, guardians or agents must report to the local public security bureau within three days with the death certificate and surrender the deceased's residence permit or visa. If a foreigner dies abnormally, the relevant person or the person who discovers the death shall immediately report it to the public security organ.

12. How do foreigners apply for employment?

The employment of foreigners in China refers to the behavior of foreigners who have not obtained the right to settle in China to engage in social labor and obtain labor remuneration in accordance with the law. The labor administrative departments of the people's governments of all provinces, autonomous regions, and municipalities directly under the Central Government and their authorized prefecture-level labor administrative departments are responsible for the management of foreigners' employment in China.

Foreigners must meet the following conditions for employment:

1. The positions held by foreigners should have special needs, there is a temporary shortage of suitable candidates in the country, and the positions do not violate relevant national regulations;

2. Over 18 years old and in good health;

3. Have the necessary professional skills and corresponding work experience to perform the job;

4. No criminal record;

5. Have a confirmed employer;

6. Hold a valid passport or other international travel documents that can replace the passport.

To hire foreigners, the employer must fill out the "Application Form for Employment of Foreigners" and submit an application to the industry competent department at the same level as the labor administrative department. The competent department will approve it and then submit it to the labor administrative department for approval. . Only those who have obtained the "Foreign Employment Permit" and foreigner residence permit are approved to work in China. For foreigners' residence permit, apply to the local public security bureau with the "Foreigner Employment Permit". The following foreigners are exempt from employment certificates:

1. Foreigners holding the "Foreign Expert Certificate";

2. Holding the "Foreigners in the People's Republic of China and the State Foreign workers with special skills who are engaged in offshore oil operations and do not need to log in;

3. Perform commercial arts and cultural activities with the approval of the Ministry of Culture with the "Temporary Business Performance Permit" Performing by foreigners.

13. What regulations does my country have for foreigners traveling? How to apply for a travel permit?

Cities and counties in my country are divided into those open to foreigners and those not open to foreigners. Foreigners can travel freely to foreign countries with a valid passport and a Chinese visa or residence permit. People traveling to cities or counties that are not open to foreigners must apply for a travel permit from the local city or county public security bureau in advance, and can only travel after being approved. The relevant procedures are:

1. Submit your passport or residence permit for verification;

2. Provide proof related to the purpose of travel;

3. Fill in the travel application form .

The validity period of a foreigner’s travel permit is up to one year, but shall not exceed the validity period of the visa or residence document held by the foreigner. After receiving the travel permit, foreigners who want to extend the validity period of the travel permit, add travel locations that are not open to foreigners, or increase the number of people traveling with them must apply to the Public Security Bureau for an extension or change. Foreigners are not allowed to enter places closed to the public without permission.