China Gives More Rights To Permanent Residents

Keywords: China, permanent resident permit, green card

Twenty-five central governmental departments have recently jointly issued the Administrative Measures for Entitlements of Foreigners with Permanent Residency in China, specifying that foreigners who hold a China permanent residence permit (i.e., Chinese "Green Card") are entitled to the same rights and obligations as Chinese citizens. These rights do not include the political rights and other special rights and obligations excluded by laws and regulations.

Specifically, a foreigner in China who obtains permanent residency under the "Green Card" system will have the same rights in respect of (among other things) pension, employment, visa and residence, custom declaration, technical title, house purchase, financial services, theme park tickets, travelling, and driving license as would a Chinese citizen, under new regulations already announced. They can participate in all aspects of social insurance and housing