Q: Which type of visa should I apply to come to China?
A: International students must apply a student visa (X1 or X2 visa) in the Chinese Embassy or Consulate with ordinary passport as well as the Admission Notice and visa application form JW202 / JW201 issued by school.

Q: Can I get student visa in Shanghai if I enter China with a landing visa or without a visa?
A: The answer is NO! If you come to China with a landing visa or without a visa, you must leave the country before current visa expires and apply a student visa to re-enter.

Q: What is the difference between X1 and X2 visa?
A: X1 visa only valid for 30 days so you must come to school for registration and to apply a residence permit before it expires. X2 visa may valid for a maximum of 6 months and you can study with it before it expires.

Q: Can I leave China and re-enter with residence permit?
A: Yes, you can have multiple entries within the valid period of your residence permit.

Q: Who should apply for the residence permit?
A: Those who enter China with X1 visas should apply for the residence permit within 30 days after entry. Those who hold X2 visas and study for more than 3 months with plans to leave China should apply for it before the visa expiration date. Students who enter China with other kinds of visas should apply for the residence permit as soon as possible.

Q: What documents should I prepare for applying residence permit?
A: You need to prepare the following documents when applying residence permit for the first time:

1. Passport;
2. One 2-inches photo;
3. Registration Form of Temporary Residence;
4. Original copy of health certificate issued by Shanghai International Travel Healthcare Center within 6 months.

Q: How long is the valid period of residence permit?
A: Your residence permit validity will be the same as your paid study period and can’t exceed one year for each application. You can apply to extend residence permit before it expires.

Q: How can I apply to add one more entry to my X2 visa?
A: You need to prepare the following documents:

1. Passport;
2. One 2-inches photo;
3. Registration Form of Temporary Residence.

Q: How long will it take to apply visa?
A: The residence permit normally takes two weeks to be ready and to add one more entry to X2 visa normally takes one week.

Q: What is the Registration Form of Temporary Residence?
A: The Registration Form of Temporary Residence is a certificate showing foreigner’s legal residence in China. You must get this form within 24 hours after your arrival in China, otherwise you will be fined. If your living address changed, you must get a new Registration Form of Temporary Residence within 24 hours after moving too.

Q: How to get the Registration Form of Temporary Residence?
A: If you live in the international students’ dorm on campus or a hotel off campus, you can get the Registration Form of Temporary Residence from the reception directly while checking in.
If you live in a rented place, you should get a “Registration Form of International Students Living off Campus” from the International Students Office first and go to local police station with your passport as well as the leasing contract to get the Registration Form of Temporary Residence.

Q: What should I do if I lost my passport?
A: If you lost your passport in mainland China, please consult the International Students Office immediately about how to get a new passport and visa. Normally you need to do the following procedures:

• a. To claim passport lost in local police station;
• b. To get the Attest of Enrollment and a letter of presentation in the International Students Office;
• c. To register passport lost in the Shanghai Exit-Entry Administration Bureau;
• d. To apply a new passport in the Embassy or Consulate of your home country in China;
• e. To get visa application documents in the International Students Office after having new passport;
• f. To apply new visa in the Shanghai Exit-Entry Administration Bureau.

Please pay special attention that you must apply new visa within one month after you register lost in the Shanghai Exit-Entry Administration Bureau with your new passport. If you cannot get new passport within one month, you should register again in the Shanghai Exit-Entry Administration Bureau. If you didn’t apply new visa or register again within one month, you will be fined for visa expiration.

Q: What should I do if my passport expires?
A: If your passport is going to expire soon, please contact the Embassy or Consulate of your home country in China to apply a new one and you must get new visa application documents in the International Students Office within 10 days after getting new passport.
Please keep your old passport while applying new visa. If your old passport will be taken by the Embassy or Consulate of your home country, please keep a copy of your old passport information page as well as visa page beforehand.

Q: What will happen if my visa expires?
A: It is strictly stipulated in China that if you remain in China with an expired visa, the fine range is from 500 RMB per day to 10,000 RMB. If the circumstances are serious, you may be detained or required to leave China.

Q: What should I do if my visa expires?
A: You must report to the International Students Office immediately once your visa expires and report to the Shanghai Exit-Entry Administration Bureau as well as accepting punishment. You should also apply new visa within required period afterwards.

Q: What can I do if my family members want to come visit me in China?
A: If your parents, spouse, and children under 18 years old want to come to China to visit you or live with you, they can apply a dependent visa. They can apply to extend the dependent visa in the Shanghai Exit-Entry Administration Bureau as well. You may consult the International Students Office for more details.

Q: Should I report to police if my information in China changed?
A: According to the laws and regulations of exit and entry, if your information changed, such as the reason of residence permit (i.e. changing to working permit), passport number, living address, school, etc., you must get the visa application documents in the International Students Office within 10 day to change visa in the Shanghai Exit-Entry Administration Bureau.