Green card? Be careful about you define it!

As a former immigration advisor in the US, I know that many people have a misunderstanding about what a "green card" is and is not. In the US it is a document proving that the holder is a Permanent Resident, a status lying somewhere between that of a work permit holder and a US citizen.

In the US (and I assume in Canada, the EU and Japan too), holders of Permanent Residency enjoy certain rights which, to the best of my knowledge, are NOT extended to "green card" holders in China.

Here are my assumptions about the differences:

--- In the US, a Permanent Resident cannot be excluded at a port of entry, so one needn't fear traveling abroad could lead to exclusion;
--- In the US, a Permanent Resident cannot be stripped of his right to residency without being brought before a judge and permitted to defend his/herself;
--- If the US government wants to deport a permanent resident accused of a crime, that crime must first be proven before the government can apply to revoke his/her permanent residence status.

My understanding is that China "green card" holders do not benefit from ANY of the above privileges. The China "green card" is merely a privilege -- admittedly a very useful one! -- extended to certain foreigners, and revokable at any time for whatever reason the government chooses.

Therefore, the "green card" etiquette is not really suitable. Something like "Ten-Year Visa Free Residency Card" is probably closer to reality.

The linked-to blog post reads more like a commercial advertisement for Mr Gilbert than a source of useful info about the green card.

Just did a quick search and found this through Yahoo, about the "green card":

link

If you scroll down to the bottom, there's a number you can call:

"For further information or for a free copy of the "Chinese Green Card Guide," call Xiang Yang at the Beijing Zhongfu Law Firm at 6329-3541.

Location: Beijing Commercial Guild Hall, Bldg 1 Yulinli, and You'anmenwai 1"

This is from 2005, though, so stuff has probably changed since then, right?

Does anybody know where there would be a summary of "green card" requirements easily available?

Here are the rules link

so much trouble for such a meager and tenuous benefit.

little has changed since the failure of the Hundred Days' Reform.

enjoy your xenophobia, china.

@TJDaifu: there's a big disconnect between the stated rules and the actual situation. I know lots of people who would qualify for the 10-year visa (I refuse to call it a "green card" or "permanent residence" for the reasons Bruce explained) under the rules you lined to, but I've never met anyone who has managed to get one. If you want some figures, here's a Shanghai Daily article from a few months ago that said only 478 of these visas had ever been granted to foreigners in the city (that's in nearly 5 years since the scheme was started, so only 100 per year, and Shanghai probably has the largest number of foreigners in China).

If getting the 10-year visa was as easy as meeting the requirements on the government's web page, this post would probably never have been made - can you imagine the Chinese equivalent of Danwei making a front-page post about some guy getting approved for a US green card?

It's pretty obvious that the stated rules are only the minimum conditions for getting the Chinese green card, not the sufficient conditions. Like everything else, China wants to move slowly, see how things work, and then liberalize the policy a bit more. BTW, it's not that easy to get a US green card either, even though it sure is easier than getting a Chinese green card. You also have to wait, wait, and wait, even though you've met the conditions.

In the begining, only world-renowned scientists like Chen Ning Yang and Shiing-Shen Chern could get green cards. The fact that "surviving beijing since 1980" can also get one now itself is an indication that the policy is being liberalized, albeit too slow for many people here perhaps.

Hi Ironfrost, I only know one person who got this document, he got it being the GM of the same company I was in. So its a rare thing, but more and more people are getting it.

It is really rare for a non-Chinese to get it, in places like Kunming they are using this for Vietnamese-Chinese refugees from Vietnam (during the war) who hsve been without documents. I think this document was made for the many thousands of highly skilled Chinese who lost their citizenship when they migrated to the US etc

The KEY to getting this 10 year visa is if the company you work for fits the description of what they want at the time.

Either that or make a new type of bomb for the PLA.

Well some may see my blog entry as a promotion and yes, it is in some way. Detailed regulations are unchanged and I only mention the most important. That I got it is NOT a sign of "liberalization", on the contrary. Getting the Card is more and more difficult and even with my very unusual track record, it was a long process (call it frustrating). Is it worthwhile? Maybe it's not the same like in the USA but it gives many advantages, e.g. the liberty to work anywhere without going through the work permit trouble. Anybody interested can contact me for the detailed "requirements" but as commented there are "more" factors involved. Gilbert

Gilbert van Kerchove is not just any expat in China. The man is a legend in European business development circles in Beijing. He was the most honoured foreign consultant for the Beijing Olympics and is a past winner of the Great Wall Award - the highest honour the central government can grant to a non-Chinese. I'm proud to call Gilbert a friend, and China/Beijing would be hard-pressed to find a firmer (and more plain-spoken) supporter as Gilbert.

A few facts to dispel some of the myths Bruce has:

The Chinese "green card" really is permanent residency and virtually identical to the conditions provided green card holders in the US.

A Chinese green card holder cannot be refused entry into China. One can only be deported if ordered by a court of competent jurisdiction after a criminal conviction, if the green card was obtained fraudulently or if the green card holder is a threat to national security as determined exclusively by the Ministry of Public Security and not be regional public security organs.

It is not a ten year visa. As long as one continues to meet the requirement (living 3 months per year in China), it must be renewed. The first ID card of a Chinese citizen is only valid for ten years. Would one be so foolish to believe that after ten years the ID card becomes invalid and signifies the person is no longer a Chinese citizen?