Legal updates and
industry insights

The China temporary residence permit, formally known as the Temporary Residence Registration Form (临时住宿登记表, or TRRF), is not a permit you apply for in the traditional sense. It is a registration record issued to every foreigner who stays anywhere in China outside a licensed hotel.

The confusion between a China residence permit and a visa is one of the most common immigration mistakes foreigners make before and after arriving in China. A visa gets you through the border. A residence permit is what allows you to legally stay.

A China residence permit for foreigners (居留许可) is the document that replaces your entry visa and allows you to legally live in China for an extended period. It is stamped directly into your passport by the local Public Security Bureau (PSB) Exit-Entry Administration office.