The materials required for notarization include the certificate of no criminal record issued by the exit and entry administration department, a valid passport, a student ID card. When applying for a certificate proving you have no criminal record for a specific period, if you have used different passports during that time, you need to present all the passports that cover that period.

People who have lived in China for a cumulative of 180 days or more since their entry into the country can request a criminal record check.

A: You need to bring your insurance documents to the nearest district social security center to check the pension insurance payment status. You can inquire about the details of your account of housing provident fund for the past three years at the outlets of the Shanghai Provident Fund Management Center or those of the China Construction Bank, with any of the following valid identification – passport, residence permit, exit and entry permit, or other valid ID.

To obtain a work-type residence permit in Shanghai, foreigners need to submit their passport, visa, completed application form, health certificate, official letter of application, and proof of a foreigner's work permit. Contact the Exit-Entry Administration Bureau of the Shanghai Public Security Bureau at 021-12367 for more information.

About a week to 10 days before your departure, submit all required documents, including the pet's health and vaccination records, the pet owner's identity information, and flight details, to Huangpu Customs online through the international trade single window to acquire an Animal Health Certificate.

Foreigners who meet one of the following conditions are eligible to apply for a residence permit for private affairs regards to domestic service:

1. Foreign professionals who have obtained the qualification for permanent residence in China or hold a work-type residence permit.

2. Foreign legal representatives, general managers, deputy general managers or financial directors of multinational corporations' regional headquarters (or headquarters-type organizations).

If you work in Shanghai, don't forget to ask your company to set up and contribute to your housing provident fund. It's very important if you want to buy a house in the city. Here is an illustration to show you how much you should contribute to your housing provident fund. 

The deadline for filing annual individual income tax (June 30) is approaching. Here are some frequently asked questions from expats. Make sure to file on time!

There are 32 metro stations offering storage services, with 61 locations and 1,760 lockers available. In addition, 227 cultural and tourist sites across the city also offer luggage storage services.

If you hold a Foreign Permanent Resident ID Card, your employer can open a personal housing provident fund account online for you. This fund is a long-term savings plan created for individuals for buying (or renting) a house. The personal account will be contributed by monthly deposits by both employers and employees.

For those who leave the country before reaching the stipulated pension age, their individual social insurance accounts will be retained. If they return to China for employment, their contribution years will be accumulated.

Alternatively, upon a written application to terminate the social insurance relationship, the balance in their individual social insurance account can be paid out to them in a lump sum.

If your husband is a university professor, he can apply for permanent residency through a university recommendation, or he can apply by providing documents such as his doctoral degree certificate and proof of meeting certain annual income standards.

The ABTC is a card issued by the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) to facilitate business travel within the APEC region. With a valid ABTC and a valid passport, cardholders can travel visa-free between APEC economies for up to five years and enjoy expedited customs clearance at major airports.

According to the Shanghai Municipal Tax Service, taxpayers without domicile in China who leave the country before March 1 of the next financial year may handle final settlement before leaving the country. You can bring your identity document to the tax hall of the tax bureau your employer is registered with.

China offers various tax benefits for expats working in the country, including exemptions of personal income tax on certain subsidies, such as the subsidies for their housing, children's education, and language training.

Parents can obtain specific information about kindergarten enrollment through official WeChat accounts and websites such as Shanghai Release (上海发布).

In China, both expatriate and local children follow an identical vaccination schedule. If you plan to reside in China for over six months with children under age six, they must adhere to the same vaccination schedule as Chinese children.

Foreign citizens applying for visa-free entry, upon their arrival in China, can stay 15 consecutive natural days, until the 24th hour of the 15th natural day, before leaving China.

Foreign citizens eligible for the visa-free entry policy, whether in groups or as individuals, can apply for the visa-free entry policy.

Direct investment by overseas investors using their distributed profits is eligible for deferred taxation. This includes equity investments such as capital increases, establishment of new enterprises, and acquisitions of equity.

In Shanghai, company registration is processed entirely on the website of the Shanghai Online Business Registration platform (https://yct.sh.gov.cn/portal_yct/). Shareholders and other relevant personnel must undergo the verification of their identity information via such digital methods as facial recognition and utilize electronic signatures in compliance with the Electronic Signature Law of the People's Republic of China.