Foreign consular posts in Shanghai:

The Foreign Affairs Office of Shanghai Municipal People’s Government presents its compliments to all the foreign consular posts in Shanghai and has the honor to inform as follows:

We have just received the notice from the Consular Affairs Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China that the Consular Affairs Department shall issue the new edition of identity certificates as of March 1, 2009 for the members of the foreign consular posts in the interior of China and the relatives living together with them. Of them, the Identity Card of Member of Consular Post (grey) shall be issued to the consular officials of the foreign consular posts in Shanghai and their spouses and underage children (under the age of 18 and independently holding the passports, excluding those studying in Chinese institutions of higher learning, the same below)living together with them; the Identity Card of Member of Consular Post (blue) shall be issued to the members of the administrative and technical staff and members of the service staff of the foreign consular posts in Shanghai and their spouses and underage children living together with them; the Identity Card of Honorary Consul shall be issued to the foreign honorary consuls themselves resident in the interior of China; the Residence Permit shall be issued to the grown children (who have reached the age of 18, excluding those who are studying in Chinese institutions of higher learning and have been married), parents, parents of spouses and non-lineal relatives living together with the members of the foreign consular posts in the interior of China. The old edition of identity certificates（the Consular Official Identity Card, the Honorary Consular Official Identity Card and the Government Functionary Identity Card）can be used till the expiration of their period of validity.

Enclosed herewith are the Regulations of the Consular Affairs Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China on the Members of the Foreign Consular Posts in the Interior of China Applying for the Identity Card of Member of Consular Post and the Identity Card of Honorary Consul (Appendix 1), the Regulations of the Consular Affairs Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China on the Grown Children, Parents, Parents of Spouses and Non-Lineal Relatives Living Together with the Members of the Foreign Consular Posts in the Interior of China Applying for the Residence Permit (Appendix 2), the Registration Form for Applying for Identity Card of Member of Consular Post/Honorary Consul (Appendix 3) and the Registration Form for Applying for the Residence Permit of the Relatives Living Together with the Members of the Consular Posts (Appendix 4). Such registration forms can be duplicated and also downloaded from the official website of the Foreign Affairs Office of Shanghai Municipal People’s Government. (http://www.shfao.gov.cn/).

The Foreign Affairs Office of Shanghai Municipal People’s Government avails itself of this opportunity to renew to the foreign consular posts in Shanghai the assurances of its highest consideration.

On February 6, 2009 in Shanghai

Appendix 1:

The Regulations of the Consular Affairs Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China on the Members of the Foreign Consular Posts in the Interior of China Applying for the Identity Card of Member of Consular Post and the Identity Card of Honorary Consul

Article 1 All the consular officials, members of the administrative and technical staff and members of the service staff of the foreign consular posts in the interior of China (hereinafter referred to as the members of the consular posts ), the spouses and underage children (under the age of 18 and independently holding the passports, excluding those studying in Chinese institutions of higher learning, the same below) living together with them and the honorary consular officials shall hold the Identity Card of Member of Consular Post or the Identity Card of Honorary Consul issued by the Consular Affairs Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China, carry it with them when going out and produce it when being asked by military or police sentry posts and relevant departments.

Article 2 The Identity Card of Member of Consular Post (grey) is issued to the consular officials of the foreign consular posts in the interior of China and their spouses and underage children living together with them; the Identity Card of Member of Consular Post (blue) is issued to the members of the administrative and technical staff and members of the service staff of the foreign consular posts in the interior of China and their spouses and underage children living together with them; the Identity Card of Honorary Consul is issued to the foreign honorary consuls themselves resident in the interior of China.

Article 3 After the members of any foreign consular post in the interior of China and their spouses and underage children living together with them arrive at the seat of the consular post, the consular post should present a note (with Chinese translation attached) within one week as of their arrival to the foreign affairs office of the province (autonomous region or municipality directly under the Central Government) where the consular post is located (if the consular post is located in a non-provincial-capital city, the note shall be presented directly to the local foreign affairs office, the same below) to apply for corresponding identity cards for them. The note needs to specify the name, post or identity, date of birth and number of passport of the applicants and the name of the persons replaced and, if the applicants are newly increased persons, give a clear indication. Enclosed herewith are their passports, the Registration Form for Applying for Identity Card of Member of Consular Post/Honorary Consul in triplicate (the form can be duplicated) and three one-inch bareheaded, full-faced, ferrotype color photos against white background. The form should be filled in item by item with accuracy according to the requirements. The identity in the note and the form shall be consistent with that on the passports of the holders. Any member of the consular post, if using the same passport with his/her children, only needs to submit his/her own certificate photos rather than the group photo with his/her children when applying for the identity certificate. The children not independently holding passports needn’t application for identity certificates. If the person replaced (and his/her relatives) fails to return his/her identity card (or their residence permits), the application of the person newly taking office (and his/her relatives) for the corresponding identity certificate (or their residence permits) shall not be accepted.

Article 4 If the post of any consular official changes, the consular post should present a note to the foreign affairs office of the province where the consular post is located within one week and attach to the note the passport of the consular official (the formalities of annotation on the post on the original passport should be gone through), the application form in duplicate, three photos and the original identity card to apply for a new identity card for him/her; if a member of the administrative and technical staff is appointed consular official, the consular post should present a note to the foreign affairs office of the province where the consular post is located within one week and attach to the note the passports of the consular official and his/her spouse and underage children living together with him/her (if a member of the administrative and technical staff is appointed consular official, a newly issued diplomatic passport shall be attached), the application form in duplicate, three photos and the original identity card to apply for a new identity card for him/her.

Article 5 The Identity Card of Member of Consular Post or the Identity Card of Honorary Consul shall be properly kept by the holder. If it is lost or damaged, the consular post should present a note at once to the foreign affairs office of the province where the consular post is located to make an explanation and attach to the note the passport of the applicant, the application form in duplicate, three photos and the original certificate of reporting the loss of the public security organization (in case of damage, the original identity card shall be returned) to apply for reissue or replacement.

Article 6 The period of validity of the Identity Card of Member of Consular Post and the Identity Card of Honorary Consul is 4 years at longest. If the holder is in the office in China for more than 4 years, the consular post shall present a note to the foreign affairs office of the province where the consular post is located one month before the expiration of the period of validity of the identity card and apply for going through the formalities of extension for him/her and attach to the note the original identity card, the passport of the holder, the application form in duplicate and three photos. The Consular Affairs Department shall change for a new identity card with the period of validity of 2 years at longest for the holder. If any child of any member of the consular post is over the age of 14, the period of validity of his/her identity card shall be till his/her 18th birthday. When the holder leaves office, the consular post should present a note to the foreign affairs office within one week as of the date of holder leaving China and return his/her identity card with the note. After any member of the consular post leaves office, his/her spouse and children, if needing to stay in China, shall return their identity cards and apply for the visas conforming to their purpose of coming to China outside the boundaries of China.

Article 7 The present Regulations are applicable to all the members of the foreign consular posts in the interior of China and the spouses and underage children (under the age of 18 and independently holding the passports, excluding those studying in Chinese institutions of higher learning) living together with them.

Article 8 The present Regulations shall become effective as of March 1, 2009. The present Regulations shall prevail if the relevant regulations promulgated earlier are incompatible with the present Regulations.

Appendix 2:

The Regulations of the Consular Affairs Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China on the Grown Children, Parents, Parents of Spouses and Non-Lineal Relatives Living Together with the Members of the Foreign Consular Posts in the Interior of China Applying for the Residence Permit

Article 1 All the grown children (who have reached the age of 18, excluding those who are studying in Chinese institutions of higher learning and have been married), parents, parents of spouses and non-lineal relatives (who have entered China with the ordinary visa (Visa W) issued by the embassies and consular posts of the People’s Republic of China in foreign countries) living together with the members of the foreign consular posts in the interior of China shall hold the Residence Permit issued by the Consular Affairs Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China, carry it with them when going out and produce it when being asked by military or police sentry posts and relevant departments.

Article 2 After such personnel arrive at the seat of the consular post (or when the children reach the age of 18 during their stay in China), the consular post should present a note (with Chinese translation attached) within one week to the foreign affairs office of the province (autonomous region or municipality directly under the Central Government) where the consular post is located (if the consular post is located in a non-provincial-capital city, the note shall be presented directly to the local foreign affairs office, the same below) to apply for the Residence Permit for them. The note needs to specify the name, identity, date of birth and number of passport of the applicants, the name, post and number of passport of the heads of household with whom they shall live together in China and the planned period and origin of stay in China and promise no engagement in any occupation or commercial activity during their stay in China. Enclosed herewith are their passports, the Registration Form for Applying for the Residence Permit of the Relatives Living Together with the Members of the Foreign Consular Posts in triplicate (the form can be duplicated) and three one-inch bareheaded, full-faced, ferrotype color photos against white background. Any child, if reaching the age of 18 during his/her stay in China, needs to return his/her Identity Card of Member of Consular Post. The application form should be filled in item by item with accuracy according to the requirements. If the person replaced (and his/her relatives) fails to return his/her identity card (or their residence permits), the application of the person newly taking office (and his/her relatives) for the corresponding identity certificate (or their residence permits) shall not be accepted.

Article 3 The Residence Permit shall be properly kept by the holder. If it is lost or damaged, the consular post should present a note at once to the foreign affairs office of the province where the consular post is located to make an explanation and attach to the note the passport of the applicant, the application form in duplicate, three photos and the original certificate of reporting the loss of the public security organization (in case of damage, the original Residence Permit shall be returned) to apply for reissue or replacement.

Article 4 The period of validity of the Residence Permit is 4 years at longest. If the head of household with whom a holder of the Residence Permit lives together in China is in the office in China for more than 4 years, the consular post shall present a note to the foreign affairs office of the province where the consular post is located one month before the expiration of the period of validity of the permit, apply for going through the formalities of extension for him/her and attach to the note the original Residence Permit, the passport of the holder, the application form in duplicate and three photos. The Consular Affairs Department shall change for a new Residence Permit with the period of validity of 2 years at longest for the holder. When the holder leaves China for home, the consular post should present a note to the foreign affairs office within one week as of the date of the holder leaving China and return his/her Residence Permit with the note. After the head of household with whom the holder lives together in China leaves office, the holder, if needing to stay in China, shall return his/her Residence Permit and apply for the visa conforming to his/her purpose of coming to China outside the boundaries of China.

Article 5 The present Regulations shall be applicable to all the grown children (who have reached the age of 18, excluding those who are studying in Chinese institutions of higher learning and have been married), parents, parents of spouses and non-lineal relatives [who have entered China with the ordinary visa (Visa W) issued by the embassies and consular posts of the People’s Republic of China in foreign countries] living together with the members of the foreign consular posts in the interior of China.

Article 6 The present Regulations shall become effective as of March 1, 2009. The present Regulations shall prevail if the relevant regulations promulgated earlier are incompatible with the present Regulations.

Appendix 3:

download>>The Registration Form for Applying for Identity Card of Member of Consular Post/Honorary Consul

Appendix 4:

download>>The Registration Form for Applying for the Residence Permit of the Relatives Living Together with the Members of the Consular Posts