The acceptance receipt: staying legally while your passport is being processed
When the exit and entry administration authority keeps your passport to process a visa or residence permit application, it gives you a receipt of acceptance. Under Article 13 (visa matters) and Article 18 (residence permit matters) of the Regulations on Administration of the Entry and Exit of Foreigners (State Council Decree No. 637), you may stay in China legally on the strength of that receipt while your passport is retained.
See also X1 or X2 on this site.
When a receipt is issued
A receipt is issued only if the application meets the acceptance provisions. Article 13 covers an application to extend, change or reissue a visa, or to obtain a stay permit. Article 18 covers an application for a residence permit, or to extend, change or reissue one.
| Matter | Source | Receipt valid for | Decision |
|---|---|---|---|
| Extension, change or reissue of a visa, or a stay permit | Regulations, Article 13 | Not exceeding 7 days | Decision on whether to issue the visa, within the validity period of the receipt |
| Residence permit, or extension, change or reissue of one | Regulations, Article 18 | Not exceeding 15 days | Decision on whether to issue the visa, within the validity period of the receipt |
| Residence permit | Residence permit service guide (English page), Section VII, item 2, and Section VIII | 15 working days after the date of acceptance | Decision on whether or not a residence permit will be issued, within the validity period of the receipt |
Article 18 gives the period as 15 days. The service guide gives it as 15 working days. This page does not reconcile the two.
Staying legally while the passport is kept
Article 13, third paragraph, says that during the period when the applicant's passport or other international travel documents are retained for processing a visa application, the applicant may stay in China legally on the strength of the receipt of acceptance.
Article 18, third paragraph, says the same for a residence permit application, using the words "may reside in China legally".
What the application must include
Article 12 lists what an application for extension, change or reissue of a visa, or for a stay permit, must contain:
- A filled-in application form.
- The passport or other international travel documents.
- Qualified photos.
- Material relating to the purpose of the application.
Article 17 lists the same four items for an application for a residence permit or for its extension, change or reissue.
If the file is incomplete
Article 13, third paragraph, and Article 18, third paragraph, use the same wording. If the procedures followed or the material submitted do not conform to the relevant provisions, the authority notifies the applicant, in a one-off manner, of the procedure(s) to be followed and the material to be supplemented and corrected.
Section VII, item 2, of the residence permit service guide words it differently. Where the formalities and materials are incomplete, the authority informs the applicant at one time of the formalities to be completed and the materials to be supplemented.
Questions
How long is the receipt of acceptance valid?
For visa matters, Article 13 of Decree No. 637 says the receipt is valid for a period not exceeding 7 days. For residence permit matters, Article 18 says not exceeding 15 days. The residence permit service guide, Section VIII, gives the residence permit limit as 15 working days after the date of acceptance.
Can I stay in China while my passport is with the office?
Article 13, third paragraph, says that while the passport is retained for processing a visa application, the applicant may stay in China legally on the strength of the receipt of acceptance. Article 18, third paragraph, says that while the passport is retained for processing a residence permit application, the applicant may reside in China legally on the strength of the receipt.
Sources
- Regulations of the People's Republic of China on Administration of the Entry and Exit of Foreigners (State Council Decree No. 637), English text — National Immigration Administration
- Service Guide on residence permits for foreigners, English page — National Immigration Administration
Checked 11 October 2026.
This page is an unofficial summary. It is not legal or immigration advice, and it is not published by the bodies named. If the official text differs from this page, the official text and the instructions of the body handling your case prevail.