以下资讯由香港威尼集团网络信息中心整理:
国务院2003年12月13日批准，公安部、外交部第74号令2004年8月15日发布）
第一条 为规范外国人在中国永久居留审批管理工作，根据《中华人民共和国外国人入境出境管理法》及其实施细则的有关规定，制定本办法。
第二条 外国人在中国永久居留是指外国人在中国居留期限不受限制。
第三条 《外国人永久居留证》是获得在中国永久居留资格的外国人在中国境内居留的合法身份证件，可以单独使用。
第四条 获得在中国永久居留资格的外国人，凭有效护照和《外国人永久居留证》出入中国国境。
第五条 受理外国人在中国永久居留申请的机关是设区的市级人民政府公安机关，直辖市公安分、县局；审核外国人在中国永久居留申请的机关是各省、自治区、直辖市公安厅、局；审批外国人在中国永久居留申请的机关是公安部。
第六条 申请在中国永久居留的外国人应当遵守中国法律，身体健康，无犯罪记录，并符合下列条件之一：
（一）在中国直接投资、连续三年投资情况稳定且纳税记录良好的；
（二）在中国担任副总经理、副厂长等职务以上或者具有副教授、副研究员等副高级职称以上以及享受同等待遇，已连续任职满四年、四年内在中国居留累计不少于三年且纳税记录良好的；
（三）对中国有重大、突出贡献以及国家特别需要的；
（四）本款第一项、第二项、第三项所指人员的配偶及其未满18周岁的未婚子女；
（五）中国公民或者在中国获得永久居留资格的外国人的配偶，婚姻关系存续满五年、已在中国连续居留满五年、每年在中国居留不少于九个月且有稳定生活保障和住所的；
（六）未满18周岁未婚子女投靠父母的；
（七）在境外无直系亲属，投靠境内直系亲属，且年满60周岁、已在中国连续居留满五年、每年在中国居留不少于九个月并有稳定生活保障和住所的。
本条所指年限均指申请之日前连续的年限。
第七条 本办法第六条第一款第一项所指的外国人，其在中国投资实际缴付的注册资本金应当符合下列条件之一：
（一）在国家颁布的《外商投资产业指导目录》鼓励类产业投资合计50万美元以上；
（二）在中国西部地区和国家扶贫开发工作重点县投资合计 50万美元以上；
（三）在中国中部地区投资合计100万美元以上；
（四）在中国投资合计200万美元以上。
第八条 本办法第六条第一款第二项所指的外国人，其任职单位应当符合下列条件之一：
（一）国务院各部门或者省级人民政府所属的机构；
（二）重点高等学校；
（三）执行国家重点工程项目或者重大科研项目的企业、事业单位；
（四）高新技术企业、鼓励类外商投资企业、外商投资先进技术企业或者外商投资产品出口企业。
第九条 申请人申请时需如实填写《外国人在中国永久居留申请表》，并提交下列材料：
（一）有效的外国护照或者能够代替护照的证件；
（二）中国政府指定的卫生检疫部门出具的或者经中国驻外使、领馆认证的外国卫生医疗机构签发的健康证明书；
（三）经中国驻外使、领馆认证的国外无犯罪记录证明；
（四）四张二英寸近期正面免冠彩色照片；
（五）本办法规定的其他有关材料。
第十条 本办法第六条第一款第一项所指人员申请时还需提交外商投资企业批准证书、登记证明以及联合年检证明、验资报告、个人完税证明。
鼓励类外商投资企业还应当提交国家鼓励发展的外商投资项目确认书。
第十一条 本办法第六条第一款第二项所指人员申请时还需提交下列材料：
（一）任职单位出具的本人职务或者职称证明；
（二）《外国专家证》或者《外国人就业证》；
（三）任职单位的登记证明以及年检证明、个人完税证明；任职单位是外商投资企业的，还需提交外商投资企业批准证书和联合年检证明；
（四）在执行国家重点工程项目或者重大科研项目的企业、事业单位中任职的人员需提交省、部级政府主管部门出具的项目证明文件；在高新技术企业中任职的人员需提交高新技术企业证书；在鼓励类外商投资企业、外商投资先进技术企业或者外商投资产品出口企业中任职的人员需提交国家鼓励发展的外商投资项目确认书或者外商投资先进技术企业确认书或者外商投资产品出口企业确认书。
第十二条 本办法第六条第一款第三项所指人员申请时还需提交中国政府主管部门出具的推荐函及有关证明。
第十三条 本办法第六条第一款第四项所指人员申请时，属于配偶的，还需提交婚姻证明；属于未满18周岁未婚子女的，还需提交本人出生证明或者亲子关系证明；属收养关系的，还需提交收养证明。 外国有关机构出具的上述证明需经中国驻该国使、领馆认证。
第十四条 本办法第六条第一款第五项所指人员申请时还需提交其中国籍配偶的常住户籍证明或者其外国籍配偶的《外国人永久居留证》、婚姻证明、经公证的生活保障证明及房屋租赁或者产权证明。外国有关机构出具的上述证明需经中国驻该国使、领馆认证。
第十五条 本办法第六条第一款第六项所指人员申请时还需提交其中国籍父母的常住户籍证明或者外国籍父母的《外国人永久居留证》、本人出生证明或者亲子关系证明；属收养关系的，还需提交收养证明。外国有关机构出具的上述证明需经中国驻该国使、领馆认证。
第十六条 本办法第六条第一款第七项所指人员申请时还需提交被投靠的中国公民常住户籍证明或者外国人的《外国人永久居留证》、经公证的亲属关系证明以及投靠人国外无直系亲属关系证明、经公证的投靠人经济来源证明或者被投靠人经济担保证明、经公证的投靠人或者被投靠人的房屋租赁或者产权证明。外国有关机构出具的上述证明需经中国驻该国使、领馆认证。
第十七条 外国人申请在中国永久居留，由本人或者未满18周岁未婚子女的父母或者被委托人向主要投资地或者长期居留地的设区的市级人民政府公安机关或者直辖市公安分、县局提出申请。 由被委托人代为申请的，需提交申请人出具的委托书。申请人在国外出具的委托书，需经中国驻该国使、领馆认证。
第十八条 公安机关自受理外国人在中国永久居留的申请之日起六个月以内做出批准或者不批准的决定。
第十九条 被批准在中国永久居留的外国人，由公安部签发《外国人永久居留证》；申请人在境外的，由公安部发给《外国人永久居留身份确认表》，申请人持《外国人永久居留身份确认表》到中国驻外使、领馆办理“D ”字签证，入境后30日以内向受理其申请的公安机关领取《外国人永久居留证》。
第二十条 被批准在中国永久居留的外国人，每年在中国累计居留不得少于三个月。确因实际需要每年不能在中国累计居留满三个月的，需经长期居留地省、自治区、直辖市公安厅、局批准，但五年内在中国累计居留不得少于一年。
第二十一条 《外国人永久居留证》的有效期为五年或者十年。
被批准在中国永久居留的未满十八周岁的外国人，发给有效期为五年的《外国人永久居留证》；被批准在中国永久居留的十八周岁以上的外国人，发给有效期为十年的《外国人永久居留证》。
第二十二条 《外国人永久居留证》有效期满、内容变更、损坏或者遗失的，持证人应当向其长期居留地的设区的市级人民政府公安机关或者直辖市公安分、县局申请换发或者补发。公安机关经审核对没有丧失在中国永久居留资格规定情形的，一个月以内换发或者补发证件。
第二十三条 持有《外国人永久居留证》的外国人应当在证件有效期满前一个月以内申请换发；证件内容变更的，应当在情况变更后一个月以内申请换发；证件损坏或者遗失的，应当及时申请换发或者补发。
第二十四条 具有在中国永久居留资格的外国人有下列情形之一的，公安部可以取消其在中国永久居留资格，同时收缴其所持《外国人永久居留证》或者宣布作废：
（一） 可能对国家安全和利益造成危害的；
（二）被人民法院判处驱逐出境的；
（三）通过提供虚假材料等非法手段骗取在中国永久居留资格的；
（四）未经批准每年在中国累计居留不满三个月或者五年内在中国累计居留不满一年的。
第二十五条 本办法实施前被批准在中国永久居留的外国人，应当在本办法实施之日起六个月以内到原居留证件签发地或者长期居留地的设区的市级人民政府公安机关或者直辖市公安分、县局换领《外国人永久居留证》。
第二十六条 申请在中国永久居留以及签发、换发、补发《外国人永久居留证》，有关收费项目和标准按照国务院价格和财政主管部门的规定执行。
第二十七条 本办法中下列用语的含义：
（一）“直系亲属”指父母（配偶的父母）、祖父母（外祖父母）、已满18周岁的成年子女及其配偶、已满18周岁的成年孙子女（外孙子女）及其配偶；
（二）“以上”、“以内”皆包括本数。
第二十八条 本办法由公安部、外交部负责解释。
第二十九条 本办法自发布之日起施行。
威尼信息中心为方便海外人士,整理了对上述法规的英文摘要性说明如下:
Regulations on Examination and Approval of Permanent Residence of Aliens in China
Issued by the Ministry of Public Security and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
August 20, 2004
Upon the approval of the State Council, the Minister of Public Security Zhou Yongkang and the Minister of Foreign Affairs Li Zhaoxing jointly endorsed Decree No.74 and officially issued the Regulations on Examination and Approval of Permanent Residence of Aliens in China for implementation on August 15.
Eligibility for permanent residence is granted by the government of a country to aliens who meet certain requirements, and with this eligibility they can reside in the country without limit to the period of stay. Aliens with eligibility for permanent residence in a country are granted certificates of identification, commonly known as "Green Cards". The Issuance of Regulations on Examination and Approval of Permanent Residence of Aliens in China indicates the official implementation of the "Green Card" system in China. This is a significant move by the Chinese Government to adapt to economic globalization, push forward reform and opening-up and the modernization of socialism still further, and normalize the regulation of examination and approval of permanent residence of aliens in China.
Regulations on Examination and Approval of Permanent Residence of Aliens in China has altogether 29 articles, which include explicit provisions on the prerequisites for aliens to apply for permanent residence permits in China, required supporting documents, steps to be followed, limits of authority, and cancellation of eligibility, etc.
According to the prerequisites specified in the Regulations, eligibility for permanent residence mainly applies to high-level foreign personnel who hold posts in businesses which promote China's economic, scientific and technological development or social progress, foreign citizens who make relatively large direct investment in China, persons who have made outstanding contributions or are of special importance to China, and people who come to China to be with family, such as husband and wife, minors dependent on their parents, and senior citizens dependent on their relatives.
To apply for permanent residence in China, the applicant or the parents or guardian of unmarried children shall submit an application to the public security organ of the People's Government at the city level or the branch office or county office of the public security bureau of a municipality directly under the central government, which is in charge of the community of the applicant's major investment or long-term residence, and at the same time, provide the specified application documents. After the public security organ receives the application, it shall investigate and verify the conditions of the applicant according to the specified prerequisites, and submit the application to the Ministry of Public Security for examination and approval. The public security organ shall decide whether to approve or reject the application for permanent residence permit within 6 months of receiving the application. Upon the approval of the Ministry of Public Security, the applicant shall be granted an Alien Permanent Residence Permit by the Ministry of Public Security. To applicants outside China, an Alien Permanent Resident Status Confirmation Letter shall be issued by the Ministry of Public Security, with which they may apply for D Visas from a Chinese embassy or consulate abroad, and receive the Alien Permanent Residence Permits from the public security organ which handles their applications within 30 days of entering China.
According to relevant provisions, there is no limitation on the period of stay of aliens with permanent resident status in China, and they need not obtain visas and can enter and leave the country with their valid passport and Alien Permanent Residence Permits. For aliens with Alien Permanent Residence Permits of China, the Alien Permanent Residence Permit is their legal identity document during their stay in China and can be used alone.
Alien Permanent Residence Permits are valid for five or ten years. Certificates with five-year validity are granted to minors, while certificates with ten-year validity are granted to adults. In case of expiration, loss, damage or content change of the certificates, the holders may apply for recertification. The public security organ may reissue certificates to them after confirmation that they have not lost permanent resident status, without going through the examination and approval procedures again.
In order to safeguard national security and interests and maintain the solemnity and authority of permanent resident status, the Regulations on Examination and Approval of Permanent Residence of Aliens in China stipulates that aliens with permanent resident status in China will be deprived of such status in any of the following four circumstances: endangering national security and interests, being sentenced to expulsion from China by the People's Court, those who have gained the permanent resident status in China by fraud, and those whose periods of residence in China do not reach the specified number of years. In any of the above-mentioned circumstances, the Ministry of Public Security will confiscate the Alien Permanent Residence Permit or declare it invalid.
According to the provisions in the Regulations on Examination and Approval of Permanent Residence of Aliens in China, the Chinese Government grants Alien Permanent Residence Permits to aliens who meet certain requirements, which is in conformity with the common international practice and the practical situation of China. Through over 20 years of reform and opening-up, China has made significant achievements in its socialist modernization, with great advancement of productivity, prominent strengthening of the overall capacity of the country, further improvement of its international standing, political stability, unity of various nationalities, harmonious economic and social development, and the people living and working in peace and contentment. Along with the further development of economic globalization, the further deepening of China's reform and opening-up and the establishment and improvement of its socialist market-oriented economic system, China's demand for high-level foreign personnel is becoming even urgent, and at the same time, some foreigners' desire for permanent residence in China and more freedom in entering and leaving China is strengthening. In order to adapt to this situation, attract more high-level personnel and investors of foreign nationalities to China, and promote the economic and social development and external communication and cooperation, the Chinese Government has published a series of laws and regulations on aliens' entry and exit, and long-term and permanent residence in China. According to statistics, since the implementation of the Law of the People's Republic of China on Control of the Entry and Exit of Aliens adopted by the Standing Committee of the People's Congress in November 1985 and the Enforcement Regulations on Law of the People's Republic of China on Control of the Entry and Exit of Aliens revised in July 1994, the Chinese government has approved permanent residence for over 3,000 foreigners.
The Chinese laws have provisions on permanent or long-term residence of aliens in China and the public security organs also have some practice in examination and approval management. However, generally speaking, examination and approval management in this aspect is not normative and concrete enough at present. In recent years, the public security organs in China have made a great deal of exploration into examination and approval management of aliens' permanent residence in China pursuant to the Law of the People's Republic of China on Control of the Entry and Exit of Aliens and on the basis of generalizing experience and conducting earnest research and studies, have accumulated much successful experience for the establishment of China's "Green Card" system. The issuance and implementation of the Regulations on Examination and Approval of Permanent Residence of Aliens in China will promote the legislation, institutionalization and normalization of the examination and approval management of China's "Green Card".
