China Visa Services for Foreign Investors
Once your Chinese company is registered, the next milestone is getting yourself — and your team — into the country legally. Rheaura Group provides China visa services for foreign investors: work permit coordination, consulate application support and on-arrival residence permits, handled together with your company registration so nothing falls between two government windows.
Since 1994 we have guided foreign investors into the Chinese market, assisting 2,000+ companies with incorporation, banking and the visa pathway that turns a registered entity into a working operation. This page covers the visa classes investors actually use, the process for each, and how we handle the paperwork for you.
New to the entity side? See China Company Registration Services or our WFOE registration guide first — in practice, you cannot get a long-term work or residence visa without a Chinese sponsor company.
Which China Visa Do You Need?
| Visa | Purpose | Typical stay | Family can join? |
|---|---|---|---|
| M (business) | Commercial visits, meetings, supplier trips, supervising your company setup | Up to 90 days per entry; single, double or multi-entry | No |
| Z (work) | Full-time employment by your Chinese company | Up to 1 year per entry, renewable | Yes — spouse and children via S1/S2 |
| F (visit) | Non-commercial exchanges (academic, cultural, training) | Up to 90 days | No |
| L (tourist) | Tourism only | Up to 30 days | No |
Most founders start with an M visa for the company setup trip, then move to a Z visa once the entity is registered and ready to employ them. If your spouse or family will relocate with you, S1/S2 visas follow the Z route. The sections below walk through each path.
Z Work Visa: The Long-Stay Route
The Z visa is what you need to actually work at your Chinese company. It runs in two phases: preparation in your home country, then conversion after you arrive.
Phase A — Before you fly
- Foreigner’s Work Permit Notice — your company applies online through the local Foreign Experts Bureau using your passport, CV, degree certificates, work history and job description. Founders and executives usually qualify under the high-level or professional talent category. Approval takes 5–10 working days.
- Z visa at the Chinese consulate — with the Notice in hand, you apply at the consulate in your jurisdiction: passport with 6+ months validity, application form, photo, the Notice, proof of accommodation, and sometimes a health certificate. Processing takes 4–7 working days.
Important: the Z visa is normally issued as a single-entry permit valid for 30 days after arrival. Once issued, the clock starts — plan your flight within that window.
Phase B — After arrival (within 30 days)
- Health check — a medical examination at a designated hospital (required for everyone over 18)
- Work Permit card — issued by the Foreign Experts Bureau once the medical clears
- Residence Permit — applied for at the local Public Security Bureau (PSB) Exit-Entry Administration; this is what actually lets you live in and re-enter China, typically valid for one year on first issuance and renewable
- Social security and tax registration — your company enrols you; you receive a social security card and individual income tax file
A realistic end-to-end timeline is 4–8 weeks from “Work Permit Notice approved” to “Residence Permit in hand”, assuming clean documents. Start the Notice application as soon as the business licence is issued — do not wait until you have flown to China, because the Notice must be obtained before you apply for the Z visa at home.
M Business Visa: Regular Visits Without Relocating
If you are not moving to China yet but need to visit regularly for setup, supervision or supplier meetings, a multi-entry M visa is the practical choice — typically valid for 1–2 years with each stay capped at 90 days.
Application requirements:
- An invitation letter from your Chinese company, printed on letterhead with the company seal and legal representative’s signature
- A copy of the company’s business licence
- Your passport and application form
- Sometimes round-trip tickets, hotel bookings or an itinerary
The invitation letter does not need notarisation, but it does need the seal and signature. Most consulates accept a scanned PDF.
One rule to respect: the M visa does not permit actual work. Meetings, contract signing, office inspections and supervision are fine — being on the company payroll or signing employment documents is not. For that you need the Z route.
S1/S2 Visas: Bringing Your Family
Once you hold a Z visa and Residence Permit, your spouse and minor children can apply for an S1 visa (long-term family visit, converted to a family Residence Permit after arrival) or an S2 visa for shorter stays.
Documents typically required:
- Marriage certificate (apostilled and translated) for a spouse
- Birth certificates (apostilled and translated) for children
- A copy of your Residence Permit
- Proof of relationship and an invitation letter from you or your company
The family Residence Permit is usually valid for the same period as yours. Children can attend local public schools once their permit is issued, and a spouse with a Residence Permit can apply for a work permit of their own.
Five-Year Residence Permit and Permanent Residence
After 3–4 years on renewable Residence Permits, most foreign investors qualify for a 5-year Residence Permit, removing the annual renewal cycle. The requirements are steady employment, tax compliance and a clean criminal record.
Permanent Residence (China Green Card) is the next milestone. The talents category is the most relevant route for investors: substantial direct investment in China, or a senior position in a recognised Chinese enterprise. It is not automatic — applications are reviewed case by case and processing can take 6 to 18 months — so we advise clients to start gathering tax records, employment history and integration documents early.
What Rheaura Handles for You
Visa paperwork is a multi-agency, multi-language workflow with real deadlines. Under one engagement, our team coordinates:
- Document gap analysis before you apply — the single biggest cause of rejection is an incomplete file
- Coordination of apostilles, notarisation and certified translation for marriage, birth and education documents
- Work Permit Notice application and follow-up with the Foreign Experts Bureau
- Consulate appointment booking and form preparation for Z and M applications
- Guidance and accompaniment for the on-arrival health check and PSB Residence Permit application
- Timeline management that sequences your registration, Notice and visa appointments so nothing expires while you wait
Common Pitfalls — and How We Avoid Them
- Applying before the entity exists — attempting a Z visa without a registered sponsor company is the most common reason applications fail
- Apostille gaps — a single parent document without its apostille stalls the whole file; since November 2023 the apostille is accepted for the 125 Hague contracting states
- Missing the Z visa entry window — it is a 30-day single-entry permit; miss it and you restart abroad
- Working on an M visa — border agents and tax auditors do check; employment requires the Z route
- Leaving the bank account until last — the corporate account is often the bottleneck; we open it in parallel with visa steps
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does a China work visa take?
The Work Permit Notice takes 5–10 working days and the Z visa application 4–7 working days. Plan roughly 4–8 weeks from Notice approval to Residence Permit in hand.
Can my family live in China while I work there?
Yes. Once you hold a Residence Permit, your spouse and minor children apply for S1 visas, which convert to family Residence Permits after arrival.
Can I run my own company on a business (M) visa?
You can supervise, attend meetings and sign contracts — but you cannot be employed by or receive salary from the company. Operating long-term requires the Z visa route.
How long before I can apply for permanent residence?
There is no fixed minimum for the talents route, but in practice most investors build several years of clean Residence Permit history and tax compliance first. Applications are reviewed case by case.
Do you help with visas for employees, not just founders?
Yes — the same Work Permit Notice and Z visa process applies to executives, engineers and other staff your company needs to relocate.
Plan Your China Visa Pathway
Company registration and visa applications belong on one timeline — getting the sequence wrong costs months. See our full China market entry services, or contact Rheaura Group and message us on WhatsApp (+86 134 6589 2035) to map your route.