1. State Council ExitEntry Rules Take Effect 15 September

The new rules emphasize the authenticity of applications and the standardized management of intermediary agencies. Going forward, both applicants and inviting entities will bear clearer responsibilities. Two items deserve special attention:
 

(A) Exit-entry intermediary services will be placed under recordfiling management

From now on, agencies and practitioners providing exit-entry intermediary services will be subject to recordfiling management.

At the same time, the new rules explicitly require that:

• Intermediary agencies must meet prescribed conditions;
• They must not provide or assist in providing false materials;
• They must not help others illegally obtain exit-entry documents or related formalities.

This means:

The exit-entry intermediary industry will become more standardized. When choosing a service provider, applicants are advised to give priority to legitimate, compliant professional agencies to avoid any impact on subsequent applications due to documentation issues.
 

(B) Visa reviews will become stricter

In the future, reviews of the authenticity of application materials for visas and related residence applications are expected to become even more rigorous.
 

During the review process, exit-entry administration authorities may, based on actual circumstances:

• Verify the applicant’s identity;
• Inquire about the purpose of the application;
• Request supplementary supporting materials or electronic data;
• Conduct authenticity checks on invitation letters and related application materials.

At the same time, the entities or individuals that issue invitation letters or other application materials are also responsible for the authenticity of those materials and must cooperate with relevant authorities in their reviews.
 

If false materials or false statements are provided, applicants may face:

• Refusal of visa or residence permit issuance;
• Denial of entry or exit;
• Corresponding legal liability.

2. Newly Incorporated Companies: Allow Extra Lead Time for Foreign Hires

If your company has just completed registration and plans to recruit foreign staff, note that you must wait 10 working days before you can register with SAFEA and complete the foreignentity filing.

Full timeline:

Company registration → wait 10 working days → SAFEA account (57 days) → foreignentity filing (25 days) → work permit application (46 weeks).
 

Action: Plan the registration and filing schedule early to avoid mismatches with the employee’s start date.

3. Beijing PhD Permanent Residency: Stricter Criteria by Applicant Type Ethnic Chinese PhD holders:

In Beijing, applications for Chinese permanent residence by PhD holders now have different requirements depending on the applicant’s status.

For foreign-born Chinese PhD holders

Must meet:

• Have worked in Beijing for at least 1 year;
• Graduated from a top100 university worldwide or a domestic "Double FirstClass" university;
• Field of study relevant to the position;
• Annual income of at least RMB 420,000;
• Good tax payment record.

For nonethnic Chinese foreign PhD holders

Must meet:

• Have worked in Beijing for at least 3 years;
• Same educational/income/tax requirements.

4. Internship Visa Extension Now Requires Additional Documents

For overseas university students currently interning at companies in Shanghai, if they need to extend their internship period, they must now additionally provide:
 

• An extension explanation letter from the internship company, along with relevant internship project descriptions;
• A latest certificate of enrollment issued by the university.