Five-star card — permanent residence
The top of the ladder — and in China there is nothing above it
The five-star card (五星卡) is China’s permanent residence: the indefinite right to live and work without being tied to an employer and without annual renewals. It does not and will not lead to citizenship: naturalisation in the PRC is possible under the law and is nearly impossible in practice, while dual citizenship prohibited. We say this upfront, because otherwise the conversation will end up there anyway o this point — just later and at greater cost.
Who it suits. For those who have worked in China for four years on a substantial salary. For investors with an active business. For spouses of Chinese citizens. And for those who tired of depending on an employer every year.
What is included
- We walk through all four paths and tell you which one is yours: employment, investment, marriage, or exceptional contribution
- Through employment: four years of work, a salary of at least ¥886,104 per year, and income tax of at least ¥177,221 per year — the Shanghai standard, which varies by city
- Via investment: from $500,000 in western regions, $1M in central China, $2M on the coast — held for three years in an active business
- Through marriage: five years of marriage to a Chinese citizen, five years of residence for at least nine months per year, and ¥200,000 in a Chinese bank account
- We compile an evidence file: tax certificates, employment history, proof of investment
- We run the six-year tax counter: 183 days a year for six consecutive years without a single trip longer than 30 days — and from the seventh year Chinese tax on your entire worldwide income, including Russian
- We handle the case through a registered government-list provider through to a decision
What the package does not include
Paid separately and directly, with no markup from us.
- Application to the exit-entry bureau and to the work permit authority: from 15 September 2026, this is handled by an intermediary from the state registry; a foreign company is not permitted to handle such matters in China — we prepare the case and find such a contractor, and he is the one who signs the application
- PRC citizenship: this route does not lead there, and there is virtually no other route for a foreigner
- The investment itself and its maintenance over three years
- Application fee: 1,500 ¥ paid directly
- Guarantees: the decision rests with the authority, and no one can quote timelines
Russian nationals enter China visa-free for 30 days — from 15 September 2025, and the scheme has been extended through December 31, 2027. Entry is free, and that is precisely why people lose money here. The residence permit is a Chinese-style visa for residence — issued only to those who entered on a Z, X1, Q1, or S1 visa, and such a visa is obtained at a consulate abroad. Flying in ’scout things out and sort the paperwork on arrival’ won’t work: you’ll need to leave, to reapply and return. As for timelines, even Chinese agents themselves obtaining work status from abroad takes over three months procedures plus two months for documents and legalisation. We consider this calendar before you buy the first ticket, and we plan the route so that so that the trip is one, not three.
The five-star card is the top of the Chinese ladder, and there is nothing above it: PRC citizenship is virtually unattainable for a foreigner, and dual citizenship in China is prohibited. We are honest about the scale: over two decades, across the entire country has issued around 15,000 cards. The pace is growing — in Shanghai alone o the start of 2026, more than 10,000 have been issued, and the annual figure in 2024 was doubled. The decision is made by the authority, and no one can guarantee timelines.
The exact amount for your situation is stated before we begin and confirmed in writing in the agreement. If it changes, you will be informed before payment, not after.
We map out the route, assess your threshold, compile the evidence file, and see the case through to a decision via a registered specialist.
Prices are in Chinese yuan and are all-inclusive — nothing is added on top. The dollar figure in brackets is for reference, based on a rate of $1 = ¥6.72. Chinese government fees are paid separately and directly: residence permit 400 ¥ for up to one year and 800 ¥ for one to three years, medical examination 480–500 ¥, permanent residence application 1,500 ¥. Russian consular legalisation costs approximately 8,540 ₽ per document. SVOY initial consultation — 600 ¥ ($89), credited in the cost of support. It is charged from the first minute: Chinese agencies offer a free call, but a free call is simply tory about services — and for that fee we analyse your situation and provide an itinerary with a calendar and budget.
Other points
Housing rental and purchase, documents, bank accounts and taxes, schooling, driving licence — 33 services in China, each has its own price.
Package «I am buying and obtaining residency» · China
Leave your contact — that’s all we need; we’ll ask the rest ourselves. If you’d like, so we can prepare for the conversation in advance, please specify your request below.
The same package in another country
There is only one moment in life, but the documents, deadlines and costs are unique to each case: the rules are set by the country.