ChinaFamily visa

Long-stay S1 visa to a relative in China

A visa for close relatives — spouse, parents, children or parents-in-law — of a foreign national who works or studies in China, and also for other long private affairs in the country. The visa confers the right to enter China, while the residence permit for private affairs is obtained after entry.

Source: Embassy of China in the USA (china-embassy.gov.cn), Chinese visa requirements and procedure, September 2025 update

Who can obtain an S1 visa

The visa is issued to those planning to stay in China for more than 180 days; after entry it is converted into a residence permit for private affairs.

Close relatives of a foreign national working or studying in China

Spouse
Parent
Son or daughter under 18
Parent-in-law — father-in-law or mother-in-law

Other long private affairs

Long-term medical treatment in China — confirmed by a medical institution at county level or above
Other private affairs for more than 180 days — the consulate requests separate supporting materials on the substance of the matter

When the S1 visa will not suit

You are travelling to China for no more than 180 days

Short-stay Visa to Visit a Foreign National Working or Studying in China (S2 Visa)

You are joining a Chinese citizen or a foreign national with permanent residence in China rather than a temporarily working or studying foreign national — and for more than 180 days

Long-stay Family Reunion Visa (Q1 Visa)

You are joining a Chinese citizen or a foreign national with permanent residence in China for no more than 180 days

Short-stay Family Visit Visa (Q2 Visa)

You are travelling to China to work under employment

Work Visa (Z Visa)

What it costs

Residence permit for private affairs — valid for up to 1 year	400 CNY
Residence permit for private affairs — valid for 1 to 3 years	800 CNY
Residence permit for private affairs — valid for 3 to 5 years	1 000 CNY

The fee for the S1 visa itself is not included: at the Chinese embassy in the USA it depends on the applicant's citizenship and the number of entries rather than on the visa category. The scale given here is the fee for the residence permit for private affairs obtained after entry; it is common to all categories of residence permit, including this one.

Documents to gather

The list of documents differs at the stage of applying for the visa at the consulate and at the stage of obtaining the residence permit after entry.

Invitation from the foreign national you are joining — one working or studying in China; the content of the letter follows the consulate's template
Copies of the inviting foreign national's passport and residence permit
Original of the document proving the family relationship (marriage certificate, birth certificate and the like) — presented in person at the consulate, with a copy uploaded online
For other private affairs — supporting materials at the consulate's request
After entry, for the residence permit: passport, application form with photograph, letter on the family relationship and the inviting foreign national's residence permit; where the validity exceeds one year — a health certificate

How the process runs

After obtaining the S1 visa you must enter China and, within a month, obtain a residence permit for private affairs — the visa itself does not confer long-term status.

1
Receiving the invitation from the foreign national in China
The foreign national who works or studies in China draws up the invitation following the consulate's template and passes it to the applicant together with copies of their own passport and residence permit.
2
Filing the S1 visa application
4 working days, or 3 under the express tariff
The applicant submits to the consulate the invitation, copies of the inviting party's documents and the original proof of the family relationship. The Chinese embassy in the USA processes the application in 4 working days under the standard tariff and in 3 under the express one; timelines may differ at other consulates.
3
Registration of residence after entry
24 hours
After checking in, the foreign national registers their place of residence with the local police within 24 hours; if staying in a hotel, the hotel does this itself.
4
Obtaining the residence permit for private affairs
30 days to apply, decision within 15 working days
Within 30 days of entry you must file with the exit and entry department an application for a residence permit for private affairs, together with the letter on the family relationship and the inviting foreign national's residence permit. The decision is taken within 15 working days. For the spouse, parents, children under 18 and parents-in-law the validity of the residence permit matches that of the inviting foreign national's residence permit; for other private affairs it is no more than one year.

Timelines and rights

Work

The S1 confers no right to work. To work you obtain a work permit and change the residence permit to a work-type one.

Trips, renewal and the grace period

Within 30 days of entry, apply for a residence permit for private affairs; it is issued for up to 1 year. Accommodation is registered with the police within 24 hours of check-in.

An application to extend the residence permit for private affairs is filed 30 days before it expires, together with updated supporting documents.

How it differs from the routes next to it

The comparison is built from the official terms of the routes themselves — the source links sit on their own pages.

	Long-stay S1 visa to a relative	Z work visa	R visa for foreign talents
Visa term	Intended period of stay — more than 180 days	Z visa 30 days; conversion into a residence permit (~1 year) within 30 days, renewable	Often a multiple-entry visa for up to 5 years, renewable
Work	The S1 confers no right to work	Work only for the sponsor in the approved position	Work for the designated employer / host
Residence	Within 30 days of entry, apply for a residence permit for private affairs; it is issued for up to 1 year	Police registration within 24 hours	A residence permit is obtained after entry

What comes next: permanent residence and citizenship

Route to permanent residence

Joining a foreign national working in China does not lead to permanent residence. Permanent residence is granted for investment, for 4 years of work in a position from deputy general manager upwards or with a title from associate professor upwards together with 3 years of residence in China, or for an outstanding contribution.

Route to citizenship

China does not recognise dual citizenship. Citizenship is granted to close relatives of Chinese citizens, to those who have settled in China and on other lawful grounds. If approved, you lose your foreign citizenship.

Frequently asked questions about Long-stay S1 visa to a relative

Who can obtain an S1 visa?

The S1 visa is intended for the spouse, parents, children under 18 and parents-in-law of a foreign national who works or studies in China, where the trip lasts more than 180 days. The same visa is used for other long private affairs — in which case the consulate requests separate supporting materials.

How long does it take to obtain an S1 visa?

The Chinese embassy in the USA issues the S1 visa in 4 working days under the standard tariff and in 3 working days under the express one. Timelines may differ at other consulates.

How much does the residence permit for private affairs cost after entry?

The fee depends on the validity: CNY 400 for up to 1 year, CNY 800 for 1 to 3 years and CNY 1,000 for 3 to 5 years. This scale is common to all categories of residence permit, including private affairs.

For how long is the residence permit for private affairs issued?

For the spouse, parents, children under 18 and parents-in-law of the inviting foreign national, the validity of the residence permit matches that of the inviting party's own residence permit. For other private affairs the residence permit is issued for no more than one year.

How does the S1 visa differ from the S2?

Both visas are issued to those joining a foreign national working or studying in China, or travelling on other private affairs. The difference is the period: the S1 is obtained where the trip lasts more than 180 days and a residence permit is required after entry; the S2 where the trip is no more than 180 days, with no residence permit required — the period of stay is simply stated in the visa.

Does the S1 visa confer the right to work in China?

No. The official service guide places the work-type residence permit in a separate category: to obtain it you need a Z visa and a work permit from the local labour and social security authority. A work permit is not among the documents required for a residence permit for private affairs, so that permit confers no right to work.

How is the residence permit for private affairs extended?

The application for extension is filed with the exit and entry department 30 days before the current residence permit expires, together with supporting documents.

Other ways to move to China

Every route in one list — migration programmes: China.

The terms and the amounts are checked against official sources — the link sits under each section.Last checked on: 7 August 2026.