Recently, a seminar for expats on visa issues was held in Shenzhen. Police officers from local Entry and Exit Administrative Department elaborate on the latest visa policies amid COVID-19. Check the details to know more about the quarantine policy for foreigners upon entry. During the prevention and control period of COVID-19, many foreigners face the issues of visa renewal and are keen to know about the automatic extensions. In order to help them to receive clear and adequate policy information about visa applications amid the outbreak, a special seminar for expats on visa issues, especially during the COVID-19 epidemic, was held both online and on site at the Shekou Management and Service Center for Expats (MSCE). At the seminar, two officers from the Entry-Exit Department of the Shenzhen police gave answers to visa-related questions forwarded online or offered in person. The questions raised on site were mainly about the quarantine policy for foreigners upon entry, the conditions for applying for the humanitarian visa, the fast track between China and foreign countries, and document requirements for foreign experts who want to come back to work in China. Here are the most-concerned Q&As at the seminar:
Q1: If the expats are now abroad and their residence permits expire before the borders reopen, can they apply for any type of visa to return to China and reapply for the residence permit or they have to start with the Z visa again?
Foreigners who could not enter the Chinese mainland within the validity period of their residence permits due to the epidemic could enter with visas of type Z, L, M, F, Q and S when the epidemic is over. They shall submit applications for work permit extension to the foreign experts affairs authorities before applying to the Entry and Exit Administrative Department of the Shenzhen police for the extension of residence permits.
Q2: Which department will be responsible for announcing new regulations and how will it be disseminated so that SMEs can find this information easily?
New regulations and policies will be published on official WeChat accounts and websites of government departments. You can follow WeChat account “国家移民管理局” (National Immigration Administration) or visit NIA's official website to get information on the latest policies and regulations. Also, you can follow WeChat accounts or websites of the local foreign affairs office to get the info.
Q3: Will individuals still have to be quarantined when they come back?
For now, any individual, whether a Chinese citizen or a foreign citizen, needs to be quarantined when they come back to China. And please check the epidemic prevention and control measures of your destination city in China before your flight. For example, if your destination is Beijing, your entry port will be arranged in other cities, and only after your quarantine in the entry city, you may enter Beijing.
Q4: What should I do if my visa is going to expire?
First, your current stay can automatically be extended for 60 days during the epidemic, but the 60-day free automatic extension can only be used once. If this 60-day extension is going to expire, then you need to go to the Entry and Exit Administrative Department of the city to apply for a stay permit.
Q5: How do individuals contact the closest Chinese embassy or consulate to them to apply for a visa?
You can visit the website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China, which has a list of all Chinese embassies and consulates around the world. You can search on the map and find the nearest one to contact.
As a professional business service provider, HACOS always closely stir our concern about the visa policy. If you want to know more about the latest policies in China, contact us right now! Our previous article about exit-entry policy
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