The National Immigration Administration (NIA) has decided to launch a new version of three types of documents, namely, visas, group visas and residence permits, for purposes of further improving the efficiency of issuance and inspection regarding foreigners' visas and residence permits and enhancing the anti-counterfeiting performance of the documents. Relevant matters are hereby announced as follows:

 

1. The exit-entry departments of China's public security organs across the country will start to issue the new version of visas, group visas and residence permits from June 1, 2019, while ceasing the issuance of the current version of visas, tourist visas for Special Economic Zones (SEZ), group visas and residence permits for foreigners. Tourist visas for SEZs will be made and issued in line with the new version.

 

2. The new version of visas, group visas and residence permits for foreigners are sticker-type documents designed and made in accordance with the machine-readable standard DOC9303 formulated by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). Employing a number of physical anti-counterfeiting technologies, the new version of visas and residence permits allow printing color photos of the document holders. 

 

3. The new version of visas, group visas and residence permits for foreigners, after being put into use, shall be subject to procedures and requirements that remain unchanged, including the application conditions and channels, the procedures and standards of review and approval, charging items and standards, and inspection requirements. Previously issued documents within their validity period are still valid for use as normal.

 

The above is hereby announced for the information of the public.

 

National Immigration Administration

                                      May 31, 2019

 

Attachment: samples of the new version of documents

 

Visa

 

Group Visa

 

Residence Permit

 

 

Notice: This English version is only for reference. To learn more, please refer to the authoritative Chinese version.