After you enter on an X1 visa: the residence permit within 30 days

If your X1 visa states that you need a residence permit after you enter China, you must apply within 30 days of your date of entry. Article 30 of the Exit and Entry Administration Law sets this period and says where to apply. The X1 or X2 page explains the visa types, and this page covers only what the official texts say about the steps after arrival.

The 30-day deadline

The first paragraph of Article 30 of the Exit and Entry Administration Law says that where a visa specifies that a foreigner needs to apply for a residence permit after entry, the foreigner shall, within 30 days from the date of entry, apply for it.

Article 36 of the Measures for the Administration of Schools Recruiting and Educating International Students (Order No. 42 of the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Public Security) gives the same period for international students. The Chinese text is rendered in English by this site. It says that where the study visa held by an international student states that residence documents must be handled after entry, the student shall, within 30 days from the date of entry, apply for a study-type foreigner's residence permit.

The Embassy of the PRC in the United Kingdom, in its visa guide, lists the X1 visa among the visa types with a duration of stay of "000". Its guide states that holders of such visas shall, within 30 days from entry, apply for residence permits.

Where to apply

The first paragraph of Article 30 of the Exit and Entry Administration Law names the place. The application goes to the exit-entry administration of the public security organ under the local people's government at or above the county level in the place where you propose to live.

Article 36 of Order No. 42 names the same office in other words: the public security exit-entry administration at the intended place of residence.

The first paragraph of Article 16 of the Regulations on Administration of the Entry and Exit of Foreigners (State Council Decree No. 637) says that the applicant shall go through the formalities in person with that administration.

What to submit

Article 16 of the Regulations (State Council Decree No. 637) lists the following:

• your passport or other international travel documents;
• qualified photos;
• material relating to the purpose of the application;
• biometric identification information such as fingerprints.

Item (2) of Article 16 of the Regulations says that for a study residence permit, the applicant shall submit, in accordance with the relevant provisions, a letter indicating the duration of study provided by the admission institution.

The National Immigration Administration's service guide for residence permits (Chinese text, rendered in English by this site) sets out the study item in item 2 under its heading on documents required for a residence permit application. For holders of an X1 visa, the guide says the applicant submits a letter from the school stating the study period, together with an admission or enrolment certificate. If the material is already registered in the National Management Information System for Foreign Students in China, paper copies may be exempt. Holders of other visa types shall also submit a certificate issued by the competent authority. The guide says a study residence permit may be issued with a validity matching the study period stated by the school.

Health certificate

The last paragraph of Article 16 of the Regulations says that when applying for a residence permit valid for more than one year, a foreigner shall submit a health certificate in accordance with the relevant provisions. The health certificate is valid for six months from the date of issue.

The National Immigration Administration's service guide says the health certificate is issued by the local health quarantine department or by a county-level or higher health medical department. It certifies that the applicant has no serious mental disorder, no infectious pulmonary tuberculosis, and no other infectious disease that may cause major public health harm.

Processing and the permit's length

Article 30 of the Exit and Entry Administration Law says the exit-entry administration shall, within 15 days from the date of receipt, examine the application and make a decision.

The service guide's section on time limits says that if the application meets the conditions for acceptance, the administration accepts it and issues a receipt, and then decides whether to issue the permit within the receipt's validity. The guide says the receipt is valid for no more than 15 working days from the date of acceptance.

Article 30 of the Exit and Entry Administration Law sets validity ranges. A work-type residence permit is valid for at least 90 days and at most five years. A non-work-type residence permit is valid for at least 180 days and at most five years.

The two periods above are separate. The 15 days in Article 30 concern the examination and decision. The 15 working days in the guide concern how long the receipt stays valid.

Steps after you arrive

1. Check whether your X1 visa states that you need a residence permit after entry.
2. Go in person to the exit-entry administration at your intended place of residence within 30 days of entry.
3. Submit your passport or other travel documents and your photos.
4. Submit the material for your study purpose, including the school's letter stating the study period.
5. Provide your fingerprints.
6. If the permit is valid for more than one year, submit a health certificate.

Questions

What is the deadline for applying?

Article 30 of the Exit and Entry Administration Law says within 30 days from the date of entry. Article 36 of Order No. 42 gives the same 30 days for international students.

Where do I apply?

You apply to the exit-entry administration of the public security organ at the county level or above where you propose to live, under Article 30 of the Exit and Entry Administration Law.

Do I need a health certificate?

Article 16 of the Regulations says a health certificate is required when applying for a residence permit valid for more than one year. The certificate is valid for six months from the date of issue.

Sources

• Exit and Entry Administration Law of the People's Republic of China (English text published by the National Immigration Administration), National Immigration Administration
• Measures for the Administration of Schools Recruiting and Educating International Students (Order No. 42), Ministry of Education of the PRC
• Regulations of the People's Republic of China on Administration of the Entry and Exit of Foreigners (English text published by the National Immigration Administration), National Immigration Administration
• National Immigration Administration service guide for issuing, extending, replacing and reissuing foreigners' residence permits (Chinese), National Immigration Administration
• Part One: Visa for China (Mainland only), Embassy of the PRC in the United Kingdom

Checked 11 October 2026.

This page is an unofficial summary, is not legal or immigration advice, and is not published by the bodies named. The official text and the instructions of the body handling your case prevail if they differ.