SilkExpats

Guide

The Z visa, step by step

Updated 16 September 2026

To work in mainland China you need three things, in this order: a work permit notice arranged by your employer, a Z visa from a Chinese embassy or consulate, and — once you have arrived — the work permit and a residence permit. Working on a tourist, business or student visa is illegal, and the consequences (fines, detention, deportation) fall on you as well as the employer.

Who qualifies

Most foreign hires fall into the “foreign professional” category (Category B). The usual conditions are:

  • a bachelor’s degree or higher;
  • at least two years of relevant work experience;
  • being 60 or younger;
  • no criminal record, and good health.

Language teachers teach their native language. Beijing’s rules waive the two years of experience for teachers with a degree in education, languages or pedagogy, a teaching qualification from their own country, or an international language-teaching certificate such as TEFL. Other cities apply the rules in their own way, so ask the employer what their local office expects.

Highly qualified people can be classed as Category A, with a simpler process; short-term, seasonal and some service roles fall under Category C, which is tightly limited.

The documents

  • Passport, with plenty of validity left and blank pages.
  • Degree certificate, authenticated (see below).
  • Criminal record check from your home country or where you live, issued within the last six months, and authenticated.
  • Proof of experience — usually reference letters from past employers on letterhead, with dates.
  • Medical report, issued within the last six months. Many cities also ask for a check at a designated clinic after you arrive.
  • Teaching certificate (TEFL or similar), if you are relying on it.
  • A recent passport photo, taken within six months.
  • The employment contract, in Chinese, signed by you and stamped by the employer.

Authentication: the apostille

Since 7 November 2023, China accepts an apostille for public documents from other countries that belong to the Hague Apostille Convention — no more legalisation at a Chinese embassy. Get the apostille in the country that issued the document. Documents from countries outside the Convention still need consular legalisation. This is usually the slowest part of the whole process, so start early.

Step by step

  1. The employer applies for your work permit notice

    Online, with your documents. Beijing, for example, quotes three working days for the pre-check and eight for the decision; other cities differ. You receive the Notification Letter of Foreigner’s Work Permit.

  2. You apply for the Z visa

    At a Chinese embassy, consulate or visa application centre, with the notification letter. A Z visa is normally single-entry and must be used within its validity — typically three months.

  3. You arrive and register where you live

    Hotels register guests automatically. In a flat, you or your landlord must register with the local police within 24 hours of arrival.

  4. Within 15 days: the work permit

    The employer completes the work permit application after your arrival. Since December 2024 there is no physical permit card: the permit is linked to an electronic social security card.

  5. Within 30 days: the residence permit

    Apply at the local exit-entry administration. The residence permit replaces the Z visa as your right to stay and lets you leave and re-enter. It is usually issued for one or two years in line with the contract (longer for some high-level talent).

Renewals and changing jobs

  • The employer applies to extend the work permit at least 30 days before it expires, and changes to your name, passport or position must be reported within 10 working days.
  • Permits are tied to the employer and the city. When a job ends, the permit is cancelled; the residence permit should be cancelled within 10 days. Ask your employer for the cancellation paperwork (often called a release letter) — your next employer will need it.
  • A new employer must apply for a new work permit. Whether you can switch without leaving China depends on the city and on the timing — ask the new employer to confirm with the local office before you resign.

Before you sign

  • Confirm in writing that the employer will process a work permit and Z visa — a listing on SilkExpats says so up front.
  • Ask who pays for authentication, the medical check, flights and the first weeks of housing.
  • Check the job title and city on the notification letter match the job you are taking.
  • Read the contract before you travel. Our contract guide lists the clauses that matter.

General information from official sources, checked in September 2026 — not legal advice. Requirements differ between cities and change; your employer and the local authorities have the final word.