Quick answer
What photo do I need for a China residence permit?
One recent colour photo that meets NIA's exit-entry photo standard: 33 × 48 mm, on a white, light grey or light blue background. If your visa requires a residence permit, you apply at a city public security exit-entry office within 30 days of entry. Fees are 400–1,000 yuan.
A Chinese residence permit (外国人居留许可) needs one recent colour photo, taken within 6 months, that meets the National Immigration Administration's exit-entry photo standard: 33 × 48 mm, on a white, light grey or light blue background. You apply within 30 days of entry, and NIA lists fees of 400, 800 or 1,000 yuan depending on how long the permit lasts.
NIA's photo standard, 《出入境证件相片照相指引》, covers every document issued by public security exit-entry offices, including visas and residence permits issued inside China. It is the same standard used for Chinese passports applied for in China, so the details below match our Chinese passport photo guide.
Residence permit photo requirements
| Number | One photo, with the application form |
|---|---|
| Photo size | 33 × 48 mm, with a 30 × 40 mm "effective area" for the head |
| Head | 30–34 mm high, face 16–24 mm wide, crown 1–3 mm below the top of the effective area |
| Background | Uniform white, light grey or light blue, with no gradient, shadow or objects |
| Photo age | Taken within the last 6 months |
| Clothing | Dark clothes with a collar; no uniforms |
| Paper | Photo paper, with no stains, creases, scratches or border |
| Digital file | JPEG, 24-bit colour, 20–80 KB; 354–480 × 472–640 px |
A different head measurement from the visa sheet
NIA measures a head height of 30–34 mm and a face width of 16–24 mm. The COVA visa sheet used abroad gives a head height of 28–33 mm and a head width of 15–22 mm, with 3–5 mm above the crown. Both use the same 33 × 48 mm print. Our photo tool uses the passport layout on a white background; if your exit-entry office rejects the head size, ask it to retake the photo or use a local studio.
Pose, glasses and head coverings
Do
- Sit upright with your shoulders level and face the camera
- Keep a natural expression with your eyes open and hair clear of your eyes
- Wear clear glasses only with no glare and frames clear of your eyes
- Wear a religious, medical or cultural head covering that leaves your face clear and casts no shadow
Don't
- Wear tinted glasses, unless you need them for an illness
- Wear thick frames, a hat or a headscarf for any other reason
- Show your teeth, look sideways or tilt your head
- Wear clothing the same colour as the background, or heavy make-up
Applying for the residence permit
NIA's service guide for issuing, extending, renewing and replacing foreigners' residence permits sets out these points:
- When: within 30 days of entry, if your visa states that you need a residence permit. The MFA's visa instructions name D, Q1, S1, X1 and Z visas.
- Documents: your valid passport, the 外国人签证证件申请表 with one photo, the supporting documents for your purpose of stay, and a health certificate for permits of 1 year or more.
- In person: you normally apply yourself. NIA allows someone else to apply for high-level talent, applicants under 16 or aged 60 and over, and people who are ill.
- Timing: the receipt you are given is valid for up to 15 working days, and a decision is made within that time. You collect the permit in person with the receipt.
- Length: work permits can run up to 5 years for high-level talent and investors, 2 years for employees of employers in good standing, and 1 year for others. Study permits follow the course, and family reunion permits run up to 3 years for applicants under 18 or aged 60 and over, otherwise 2 years.
| Permit length | Fee |
|---|---|
| Under 1 year | 400 yuan |
| 1 year to under 3 years | 800 yuan |
| 3 to 5 years | 1,000 yuan |
Which office: city or county level?
NIA's service guide says residence permits are handled by public security exit-entry offices at prefecture (city) level or above. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs' visa instructions (August 2026) say county level or above. Local arrangements differ, so check with the exit-entry office where you live before you go.
Ask how your office takes photos
In many cities, approved photo studios upload exit-entry photos and give you a printed receipt (回执) with a number. Before you print photos yourself, ask your local exit-entry office whether it wants a paper photo, a receipt number or a photo taken on site.
How to get your China residence permit photo right
- Check your deadline. If your visa says you need a residence permit, apply within 30 days of entering China.
- Take a recent photo. Use a colour photo from the last 6 months on a plain white, light grey or light blue background, wearing dark clothes with a collar.
- Check the size. Print it at 33 × 48 mm with your head 30–34 mm high and your face 16–24 mm wide, on photo paper with no border.
- Ask about photo receipts. Ask your local exit-entry office whether it wants a print, a studio receipt number or a photo taken on site.
- Attach it to the form. Bring the photo with your passport, the application form, supporting documents and a health certificate if your permit is for 1 year or more.
Residence permit photo FAQ
NIA's service guide asks for one photo, attached to the 外国人签证证件申请表 (Foreigner Visa and Permit Application Form). Some offices take or check photos differently, so ask your local exit-entry office.
Only if it is still within 6 months old and meets the NIA standard. The layout is the same 33 × 48 mm, but NIA measures the head differently (30–34 mm high with the face 16–24 mm wide) from the COVA visa sheet (28–33 mm high, 15–22 mm wide). A white-background photo that fits both ranges works for either.
Yes. NIA's exit-entry photo standard allows a uniform white, light grey or light blue background, with no gradient. Visa photos taken abroad for COVA must be white.
Within 30 days of entering China if your visa says a residence permit is needed. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs lists D, Q1, S1, X1 and Z visas as the types that need one.
NIA lists 400 yuan for a permit of under 1 year, 800 yuan for 1 to under 3 years and 1,000 yuan for 3 to 5 years.
NIA says the receipt you are given is valid for up to 15 working days, and a decision is made within that time. You then collect the permit in person with the receipt.
Official sources
- National Immigration Administration: 外国人居留证件签发、延期、换发、补发服务指南 (residence permit service guide)
- National Immigration Administration: 出入境证件相片照相指引 (exit-entry photo guide)
- China Consular Services: Visa Application Instructions (August 2026)
- Ministry of Foreign Affairs: China Online Visa Application (COVA), photo requirements
Last checked . Requirements and fees can change, so always confirm with the issuing agency before you apply. This site is independent and not affiliated with any government agency.