Visa Guide

Foreign students residing in China must abide by the relevant Chinese laws and must have a valid visa or residence permit. Please read the following introduction carefully to ensure that you will not violate the relevant laws or regulations governing Aliens in China.

Visa Types and Visa Application

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X1 Visa

The X1 visa is only valid for 30 days from the date of entry. Within 30 days of entry with an X1 Visa (study visa), you must get an issued certificate letter from the School of International Education and apply for a residence permit at the Exit-Entry Administration of Tianjin Municipal Public Security Bureau as soon as possible. Before applying for the residence permit, you also need to provide a health certificate issued by the Tianjin Entry-Exit Inspection and Quarantine Bureau (you need to make an appointment in advance for a medical examination, please follow the official Wechat account of Tianjin International Travel Healthcare Center). Foreign students who do not live in the International students' Apartment on Balitai Campus also need to apply for a registration card for reference issued by the local police station. 

Residence Permit

Foreign students who study in China for more than half a year need to apply for a residence permit. The expiration date is labeled on it. Students holding valid residence permits can exit and enter China within the validity period. Foreign students who already have a residence permit must apply for an extension and submit the materials to the Exit-Entry Administration at least two weeks before the expiry date. In addition, after submitting the materials, students also have to get their passports back on time according to the date on the retrieving paper, as failure to do so for a long time may result in the cancellation of the filed visa. Foreign students whose residence permits expire during the holidays must apply for them before the holidays. Foreign students who have residence permits are not allowed to request JW202 or acceptance letter to apply for an X1 visa again in school, except in special cases (e.g. male students performing military service according to the regulations of their home country and suspending from school, etc.).

X2 Visa

The validity period (no more than 180 days from the date of entry) and the permitted times of entry are printed on the visa page. For example, a multiple-entry X2 visa means that the holder can use this visa to enter China several times within the same validity period.

Visa and Residence Permit Application

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To apply for a visa, foreign students need to first visit the School of International Education to issue an introduction letter (Self-supporting students should bring the tuition invoice, registration card for reference, and a copy of their one-inch photo. They also need to purchase insurance in China in advance online at http://www.lxbx.net), and apply for a visa with their passport and introduction letter in the Visa Office of Exit-Entry Administration of Tianjin Municipal Public Security Bureau. Normally, you can get your passport and new visa back only after 5 work days of submitting your application. We remind you that the passport is kept at the Exit-Entry Administration Bureau during the visa application period, so please carry out procedures related to the use of the passport in advance, such as bank card application and accommodation registration.

Senior students from Jinnan Campus can pick up their visa application forms in Office 202 or 203, the School of International Education office, College of Chinese Language and Culture,Jinnan Campus. After your department has filled out the item “Performance”for you, you can get other documents prepared for you in Room 400, the School of International Education, Balitai Campus, then go to the Exit-Entry Administration Bureau.

Notices of Passport Renewal and Lost Passport Replacement

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1. Passport Renewal: After renewing your passport in China, you must apply for an issued letter in the School of International Education, and go to the Exit-Entry Administration of Tianjin Municipal Public Security Bureau to change your passport number, and then apply for a new registration card for reference within 10 days of receiving your passport.

2. Reissuing of Passport or Visa Due to Loss: Foreign students who apply for reissuing because their original passports are lost shall follow the following steps to minimize the risks:

lReport to the police station of the place where the passports was lost with other valid identifications and get a certificate of loss.

lGet an introduction letter issued by the School of International Education.

lGet a certificate of enrollment (undergraduate students at the Office of Academic Affairs and graduate students at the Graduate School).

lGet a certificate of passport loss with the certificate of loss issued by the police station and the introduction letter issued by the School of International Education in Exit-Entry Administration of Tianjin Municipal Public Security Bureau.

lApply for a new passport at the embassy of your country in China with the certificate of passport loss and the certificate of enrollment.

lWithin 10 days of receiving the new passport, you must first report it to the School of International Education and then go to the Exit-Entry Administration of Tianjin Municipal Public Security Bureau to apply for the visa and residence permit, as well as renew the accommodation registration in time.

Registration Card for Reference

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According to the Regulation of the People's Republic of China on Administration of the Entry and Exit Of Aliens, foreign students who live in places other than the designated dormitories and hotels for foreign students during their studies at university must apply for the registration card for reference within 24 hours after check-in. The procedures are as follows:

Step 1: Bring the student's passport, student ID card, copy of the rental contract signed by the student and the landlord to the office of the School of International Education (Room 400, College of Chinese Language and Culture) to get registered and a letter of introduction issued to the local police station.

Step 2: The student should go to the local police station to register for off-campus accommodation with his/her passport, letter of introduction and rental contract.

Special reminder:

When you apply for visa extension, it is necessary to present the original and copy of the accommodation reference card to the Exit and Entry Administration Bureau.

Passport update or address change requires the applicant to apply for a new card for future reference.

Punishment for illegal residence

Every alien residing in China must have a valid passport and visa/residence permit. Expired passports, expired visas/residence permits, and the use of forged documents will be regarded as illegal. The department in charge of Aliens' entry and exit affairs is the Exit and Entry Administration Bureau of Public Security.

Punishment for illegal residing: expired visa or residence permit, failing to register or expired registration will be regarded as a violation of China's relevant laws and deemed as illegal residing, which will be punished by the public security department given the severity of the case, such as warning, fine of 500 to 10,000 yuan, detention or even deportation. Therefore, students must always keep an eye on their visa and accommodation registration, so as to avoid getting involved in unnecessary trouble. Please read and understand the above content carefully. In case there is anything you are not clear about, you may consult the teachers of the School of International Education to avoid unnecessary troubles caused by violating relevant laws and regulations.

 

Contact

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The School of International Education of Nankai University

Location: Office 400, the School of International Education (College of Chinese Language and Culture)

Email address: nkulxsgl@163.com

Visa information: 022-23508825

Tianjin Exit and Entry Administration Bureau

Address: Haitai Building, No.6 Meiyuan Road, Huayuan Industrial Development Zone, Tianjin

Tianjin Health Inspection and Quarantine Bureau (Designated Hospital for Physical Examination)

Address: No. 2208, No.2 Xingang Road, Binhai New Area, Tianjin (opposite side of Golden World Hotel)

Tel: 022-6670-6315