Ethnically Chinese foreigners can now gain a five-year China visa, under new rules.

 

From tomorrow, foreigners of Chinese origin will be eligible for the five-year residency permit or be allowed multiple entries to China over the same period.

The current system only allows for one-year multiple-entries for this group.

The rule change, announced by the Ministry of Public Security last week, is aimed at tempting more overseas Chinese people to come to the Middle Kingdom to set up businesses and contribute to the economy.

According to the official definition, a foreigner of Chinese origin is the offspring of current or former Chinese citizens or a former Chinese citizen who has since obtained citizenship to another country.

You only need one parent, grandparent or ancestor who was or is a Chinese citizen to qualify, and there is apparently no limit on the number of generations between you.

Applicants will be required to submit copies of their own or their relatives current or former Chinese ID cards to qualify.

If the documents were issued in a country other than China, however, they will first need to be approved by the Chinese embassy in that country.

This will undoubtedly be painful.

The good news is, however, that you can give pretty much any reason for wanting to travel to China on the multiple-entry visa, be it visiting family or conducting business.

Those that want to stay for periods longer than the multiple entries allow can apply for the five-year residency permit.

The new measures have been rolled out across China after being tested since last March in the free-trade and economic reform zones of Shanghai and Guangdong.

Warning：The use of any news and articles published on eChinacities.com without written permission from eChinacities.com constitutes copyright infringement, and legal action can be taken.

Keywords: china visa China visas