Now, plenty of foreigners are confident towards the Chinese markets and considering starting business or work in China. However, leaving hometown to start a business aboard or find a job would not be an easy choice for them. After obtaining Chinese visa and arriving in China, foreigners would also need to pay attention on Chinese policies. Relevant policies could refer to “Regulations of the People’s Republic of China on Administration of the Entry and Exit of Foreigners”.

Temporary Residency Form

Foreigners who stay in China for a long period are familiar to the temporary residency form. However, many foreigners who are new to China may pay less attention on it.

It is stated that in Article 39 of “Exit and Entry Administration Law of the PRC”. When foreigners stay in hotels in China, the hotels shall register their address based on the regulations on the public security administration of the hotel industry and submit temporary residency form to the public security near the hotels. Foreigners who reside or stay in domiciles other than hotels should apply the temporary residency form in police office where they resident within 24 hours after arrival.

The hotel would register the address for foreigners who stay in the hotel. The front desk could provide the temporary residency form to the foreigners. The foreigners, who stay Airbnb or rent apartment or house, would have to go to the local police station to register the address.

Otherwise, foreigners would be warned or fined between RMB 50 and RMB 500. Now, some provinces establish online application for the temporary residency form because of the pandemic and quarantine which many foreigners’ experiences upon arrival in China. Foreigners could apply the temporary residency immediately online after arrival. The public security would check the application time to determine whether register within 24 hours.

Changes of Resident permit

Many foreigners who stay in China for a long time would sometimes experience expiration of passports, residency changes in China and so on. These changes may be related to the residence permit and be notified to the local Exit and Entry Administration.

According to Article 33 in above mentioned law, the information of a foreign residence permit shall include name, sex, date of birth, reason for residence and duration of residence of the holder, date and place of issuance, passport number or other international travel documents number. When the information of the residence permit has changed, the holder shall, within 10 days from the date of change, shall apply the alteration in the exit and entry administration within 10 days from the date of changes.

If foreigners do not notify within 10 days, foreigners would be warned and fined under RMB 2,000.

Illegal employment

While Some foreigners enjoy their trips in China by tourist visa and they unexpectedly get a job offer, then if they do not apply the resident and work permit because their tourist visa does not expire, it would result illegal employment.

Any of the following acts of foreigners shall be deemed illegal employment:

1. Work in China without obtaining work permits or work-type residence permits in accordance with relevant regulations.
2. Work in China beyond the scope prescribed in the work permits.
3. Foreign students violate the policies of the study under a work study program, work beyond the prescribed scope of jobs or prescribed time limit.

The illegal employment would result following penalties:

Repatriation	Not able to enter PRC one to five years within the repatriation date
Fine	No less than RMB 5,000 but no more than RMB 20,000
Detention and fine	Detention for no less than 5 days but no more than 15 days and a fine of no less than RMB 50,000 but not more than RMB 20,000