Chapter11 Regulations Regarding Foreign Students’ Visa and Resident Permit Validity Dates

Generally speaking, foreign students who come to China for studying possess an X or F visa. There are also some students who come to China to study on an L visa. Students with a F or L visa must either leave China, apply for extended duration of stay, or apply for a residence permit. Those who hold X visas must apply for a residence permit within 30 days from the date of entering China. The Police Bureau of Emigration and Immigration Affairs in Ganzhou will charge different rates for a residence permit depending on the length of study in China. Our school will give different residence validity periods depending on type of degree, year of study, and situation regarding tuition payments. Please view the following for more details:

Non-degree language students: If tuition is paid for only one semester and have participated in the insurance plan, then usually only a one semester residence permit will be given, which can be extended until the beginning of the following semester. If tuition payment for two or more semesters are made at the same time and insurance is also purchased, then a corresponding resident permit period of time will be given.

Non-degree scholarship students and exchange students can be given a corresponding residence permit period of validity in accordance with the stipulations on the JW202 form, this period cannot exceed one year.

Short term students usually have the period of validity set to two weeks after their study period ends.

Undergraduate students at our school can directly apply for a residence permit period of no more than two years, but this requires participation in the school insurance plan for two to four years. Four year students can have the residence permit validity period set to July 31st of the year they graduate.

Masters and doctorate students can apply for a three year or less resident permit, with the validity period normally being the July 31st of the year of graduation.

Undergraduate students who apply for a master’s program or graduate students who apply for a doctorate program can use the letter of acceptance to extend the resident permit period to September 31st of the upcoming semester at the latest. Those who have already paid tuition in full for the upcoming semester may extend the resident permit period for two semesters.

Students applying for leave of absence from studies, once permission has been granted, should return to the home country to commence this leave. During this period, it is not permissible to apply for a residence permit in China. Those who have been granted leave of absence but do not return to their home country(When returning to school the entry and exit customs records can easily be checked on the students passport), will be allowed to continue studies for the current or upcoming semester and tuition will be not refunded.