How to Transfer the Residence Permit to Your New Passport

According to the regulations of the Public Security Bureau Entry and Exit Division (PSB), there are 10 days you can transfer your residence permit to the new passport after receiving. 

Some embassies or consulates will mail you the new passport, just keeping the package to prove that you have received the passport. If there is a lot of time between the issue date of your new passport and the pick up date, others may question you. 

In some cities, employers and agents claim that the ten days start when your new passport is issued, so you should check the details about your own situation.

If the residence permit can’t be transferred, you will be demanded to explain when you applied for the residence permit renewal and you would end up facing a warning or a fine at the PSB office, which might impact your future visa or “Green Card” applications.

Below are the details of the correct transferring procedure to you. (Four steps below.)

Bringing your old passport, new passport, and current Temporary Residence Certificate from the local police station to get an updated one after receiving your new passport.

You should update the work permit. Whether you still hold the old work permit booklet, old foreign expert certificate, or already hold the new work permit shaped like an ID card, you need to have your work permit information updated before the residence permit can be updated. Work permits should be updated at the State Administration of Foreign Affairs (SAFEA).

You can start to transfer the residence permit now. Your application must be processed by the PSB.

The list of documents required are as follows:

① Old and new passport

② Copies:

• Main page of new passport

• Valid China residence permit on the old passport

③ Original and copy of local police registration (with new passport number)

④ The updated work permit

⑤ Two 2-inch passport photos

Update the Police Registration Again

This step you can choose at some police stations but nevertheless we list it here so you should check with your local police station if this is needed or not.

Once you have finished step 1  through 3 and the residence permit is now fully transferred to the new passport, you may go back to the police station with the following documents to have an updated police registration issued:

① New Passport with transferred residence permit

② Current police registration form