China Immigration Alert -Changes to Hangzhou Immigration Requirements -November 25,2013

Alien Employment License

A criminal background check is part of the required documentation for an Alien Employment License application. Legalization of said document is now required.

The legalization process must be completed at the Chinese embassy of the home country where the background check is issued. For example, if the criminal background check is issued in America, then said document must be legalized by the Chinese embassy in America before it can be used in Hangzhou.

Relationship Certificates
Relationship certificates that are used to support dependent visa applications, such as marriage certificates and birth certificates, must be translated into the Chinese language by an accredited translation company and subsequently legalized by the Chinese embassy based in the country where the certificate is issued.

The translation company must be a qualified translation company (no further details have been provided).

We advise our clients to arrange translations with companies that are registered, have track records in performing translation work and are reachable by phone. In addition, all translations must be stamped with the official stamp of the translation company.

Invitation Letter - Employment Sponsor in Yuhang District
For companies located in the Yuhang District, Hangzhou: the following steps must be followed when applying for Invitation Letters as part of the Z-visa application requirements:

(1) Submit the application to the Subdistrict Office where the company is physically located.

(2) Secure approval from the Chief Officer of the Yuhang District Commercial Department.

(3) Apply for the invitation letter from the Hangzhou Municipal Foreign Affairs Department.

Previously, Step 1 was not required. The approval granted during the Step 2 process was available on the spot and the applicant could proceed directly to Step 3. However, there is no guarantee that the Chief Officer will always available at the Yuhang District Commercial Department. If the Chief Officer is not available at the time of application, the documents must be left with the Commercial Department and the applicant must go back for them once the Chief Officer has returned to the office and approved the application.

Please note that the new procedures may result in considerable delays to the application process, as all additional approvals are made at the discretion of the local officers.

Kit Tang, Regional Immigration Manager - Asia
kittang@crownww.com