Q & A

Q: What is X1 visa?

A: International students who will study in China for more than 6 months are required to obtain X1 visa. X1 visa will be valid for only 30 days from the date you enter China. You must apply for the Residence Permit within 30 days upon arrival in order to have legitimate identity in China. When you apply for Residence Permit, you must submit other supporting documents, such as the Temporary Residence Registration Card, Certificate of Physical Report, etc.

Q: What is X2 visa?

A: International students who will study in China for less than 6 months are required to obtain X2 visa. You must check the validity of your X2 visa and calculate carefully. For example, if you enter China on August 25thm and your X2 visa is valid for 90 days, then the expiration date is November 23rd.  

Q: What is L visa?

A: L visa is given to those who want to travel in China. If you enter China with a group to travel, you will be given a L visa.

Q: What is S1/S2 visa?

A: S1 visa is given to the spouse, parents, children under 18, the spouse’ parents of those who study or work in China for longer time. S2 is given to the spouse, parents, children under 18, the spouse’ parents of those who study or work in China for shorter time.  

Q: What is Z visa?

A: Z visa is given to those who work in China.

Q: What is residence permit?

A: International students who study in China for more than 180 days must get residence permit. The expiration date will be written on the visa. Within expiration date, you can enter China for multiple times.

According to the related laws and regulations, International students must get the residence registration card. Within 24 hours after you enter China, you must get the residence registration card from the hotel, or the local police station.

Q: What if I live on campus?

A: If you live on campus, you can get the residence registration card from the front desk of International Cultural Exchange Center.

Q: What if I live off campus?

A: If you live off campus, you must go to the closest police station with your landlord to get the residence registration card.  

Q: What else information should I know?

A: After you changed a new passport, or moved to a new place, or got a new visa, you must update your information with International Students Office so that we can contact you. You must also get a new residence registration card within 10 days, otherwise, penalties might apply.

Q: What if my visa got expired and I forgot to renew it?

A: If your visa got expired, or you don’t update your accommodation registration information, you already broke the law, and your stay in China will be counted as illegal, you will receive warning, detention or deported. The fines will apply as well (￥500/day).

If you have those records in file, you will be automatically disqualified for the scholarship application.

Q:  What shall I do, if I lost my passport?

A: Before coming to the International Students office, you should go to the Police Station for a police report and get an Enrollment Certificate from the related offices in Renmin University of China. Then you can apply for the student visa in the International Students Office with these materials.

•Undergraduate and Graduate Students can get the Certificate of Enrollment from the Office of Student Affairs (Room 609,North Canteen).

•Junior and Senior Visiting Students and Chinese Language Students can get the Certificate of Enrollment from the International Students Office (Room 108, International Cultural Exchange Center).

Q: What shall I do with the expired visa?

A: Before coming to the International Students Office, you should accept the punishment from Public Security Bureau, Haidian Branch. Then come back to International Students Office with the ticket to apply for the new visa. Other documents applied.

Q: What shall I do after replacing a new passport?

A: You should apply for a new visa within 10 days after you get a new passport in China. If you get the new passport in your own country, please take both the new and old passports to enter China. Before the old one gets expired, please come to the ISO for the visa extension.

Q: How to apply for a Residence Registration Card?

A: For the students living on campus, please get the Residence Registration Card at the reception desk of International Cultural Exchange Center.

For the students living off campus:

A. Hotel: please get the Residence Registration Card at the reception desk of the hotel.

B. Apartment or Local Residence: please get the Residence Registration Card at the local police station.

After you got the new passport, moved to a new house or got a new visa, you should immediately get a new Temporary Residence Registration Card. If you enter China with exempt visa, you could not apply for other visas and Residence Permit and only departure by the expiration date.

Q: If I want to extend my residence permit, do I need to do the physical examination?

A: No, you don’t need to.

Q: What if I enter China with the exempt visa?

A: Citizens from several countries can enter China with exempt visa. If you hold this type of visa, you cannot change it to residence permit or other types of visa. You can only leave China by expiration date and come back to China with appropriate visa.

Q:  When can I come to International Students Office to apply the visa?

A: You can come to International Students Office every Monday, Wednesday and Thursday, from 14:00 to 17:00.

Q: What is the office hour of visa agency?

A: The office hour for the visa agency is 13:00 to 16:00 p.m., Monday, Wednesday and Thursday. The agency has service point located in the lobby of International Cultural Exchange Center.

Q: What is the office hour of the Exit and Entry Bureau?

A: The Exit and Entry Bureau is open from 09:00 a.m. to 16:30 p.m., Monday to Saturday. You can take subway line 2 and get off at Lama Temple station (take exit B).

Q: What is the procedure to apply residence permit?

A: Bring your passport and residence registration card with you during the office hour of visa application.  You can choose the visa agency to apply on your behalf or go to the Exit and Entry Bureau directly. Please note that the visa agency will charge addition service fees.

If you choose the visa agency, you must bring the note from International Students Office, passport, residence registration card, ID picture (with white background) and other documents (admission notice, JW202 form, certificate of physical examination) to the agency. You will be given a receipt. Please get your passport back by the designated date shown on the receipt. After you get back your passport/visa back, please get an updated residence registration card immediately.

If you choose to go to the Exit and Entry Bureau on your own, you must bring the visa application form (with the stamp from ISO), passport, residence registration card, ID picture (with white background) and other documents (admission notice, JW202 form, certificate of physical examination) to the Bureau. You will be given a  yellow receipt with your picture on it. Please get your passport back by the designated date shown on the yellow receipt. After you get back your passport/visa back, please get an updated residence registration card immediately.