Q: What should I do with a soon-to-be expired passport which might lead to problems with my visa, when I am currently in China and unable to return to my home country to renew or replace it?

A: Under such circumstances, foreigners can apply for a temporary passport (sometimes called an ‘emergency passport’) from their home country’s embassies in China.

An expat arrives at Shenzhen Bay Port. (Photo: Lu Li)

Q: What if I want to stay in Guangzhou to start a business after graduation during the pandemic?

A: International students, who are about to graduate from colleges and universities in Guangzhou and have the intention of starting up business in the city, can apply for a residence permit for personal affairs valid for two years with an additional note of ‘starting business’ on their visa from the public security bureau by providing both their university diploma and business plan or other such documentation.

The Guangzhou Municipal Public Security Bureau is offering a ‘no contact’ service for visa applications amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Foreigners can submit their applications via the bureau’s online visa application system and the immigration department will provide two-way courier service for both the application itself and visa pick-up. As of now, more than 100 expats have successfully made an application via this process.

Author: Monica Liu

Editors: Simon Haywood, Keane Wong