Beijing gives 2-year residency permit for families of expats

Foreign family members of Chinese citizens will be eligible for a two-year residency permit in Beijing based on a family visit visa, according to the Beijing Municipal Public Security Bureau.

北京市公安局表示，只要持有探亲签证，中国公民的外籍家庭成员就可以获得为期两年的北京居留许可证。

The bureau announced a new policy on 26th that extends by one year the time allowed under the previous policy. The two-year permits are renewable.

北京市公安局表示，与之前的政策相比，1月26日出台的新政策延长了一年的居留时间。为期两年的居留许可证还可续签。

Family members of a Chinese citizen－including spouses, parents, spouse's parents or children, siblings, grandparents, grandchildren and spouses of the children－are now allowed to live in Beijing for two years. Formerly they had to go to the Department of Entry and Exit for an annual renewal.

中国公民的家庭成员——包括配偶、父母、配偶的父母或孩子、兄弟姐妹、祖父母、孙辈和孩子的配偶——现在都可以在京居住两年。之前，他们必须每年去出入境管理局更新许可证。

The policy affects only people whose residency permits are based on a family visit visa. It does not change the time for foreigners living and working in Beijing under a work visa.

该政策仅对持有探亲签证的家庭成员的居留时间有影响，不改变持有工作签证在北京居住和工作的外国人的居留时间。

Under the new policy, anyone applying for renewal of a residency permit will not be required to hand in certain papers, such as a marriage certificate, to prove a relationship with a Chinese citizen.

新政策下，任何申请更新居留许可证的成员都无需提交一些必要文件，例如可以证明与中国公民婚姻关系的结婚证书。

The policy is one of a dozen newly adopted measures to streamline procedures relating to foreigners living in Beijing. Foreign applicants for a residence permit under a work visa are exempt from submitting a copy of a business license of the place they work.

该政策只是众多最新实施的政策中的一个，这些最新政策都是为了精简外国人居留北京的程序。国外申请人通过工作签证申请居留许可证时无需提供他们工作地点的营业执照的副本。

Lin Song, a police officer at the Department of Entry and Exit in Beijing, said foreign applicants need to apply for renewal of their residency in China no more than 30 days before the residency permit expires. He underscored that foreigners who live somewhere other than a hotel have 24 hours after arrival to register with the local police. The person who accommodates them can also handle the registration.

北京市出入境管理局警官林宋表示，国外申请人需要在居留许可证有效期前30天内申请更新在中国的居留许可证。林宋强调，不在酒店居住的外国人在当地公安局登记之后可以在当地停留24小时。留宿他们的个人也可以办理登记。

To assist Chinese nationals traveling outside the mainland, an additional 25 police stations in the city were authorized to receive applications for passports and other certificates for Chinese citizens to enter and exit the country, bringing the number to 47 in its nine districts.

为了促进中国公民出境旅游更便利，另外25家派出所被授权为中国公民办理方便出入境的护照或其他证书的申请，自此北京市9个区内办证点增至47个。