PSB told me that a visa, i.e. a tourist or other short term visa, will remain valid in the old passport, but it's a good idea to get a new one next time you're home.

The residence permit, on the other hand, such as a work or spousal residence permit for stays longer than six months, must be moved over to the new passport ASAP

Just a thought: I got a new passport and had to carry the old with the new. When I got a new visa/residence permit I thought I was ok.

But hotels need to see the date of your last entry into China. By luck I had the old passport in my kit. A trip to Zhuhai and a ferry ride to HK solved that problem.

Question:

I've heard about the 10 day rule of transferring the residence permit to the new passport.

But I was wondering in the first place if the PSB would issue a residence permit, which is typically for a year, to someone with only six months left on their passport?

Has anyone ever been in this situation?

Was your residence permit still approved?

And was the date for a full year?

Or was it just until the date of your passport expiration, and then you got it extended upon showing a new passport???

you must go to the PSB within 10 days of entering China to notify them about your new passport. They will probably cancel the old one and give you a new one in your new passport. Failure to do so in time results in an 'investigation' and fine of up to 2000RMB. This happened to me.

Don't forget - you also have to register at the local police sub-station, where you live.

As for visas - they're issued for one year (if that's your visa) or for the date of expiration of your passport - whichever is earlier, so it helps to renew your passport at least 18 months ahead of your passport's expiration date, or you'll incur extra costs - up to double AND multiple extra trips to entry/exit AND the local police substation for re-registration of your residence.

If you have kids - it's even more critical to monitor and manage your passports so you ALWAYS have at least 18 months on it before your next visa renewal - plan ahead for the embassy/consulate renewal process (typically 4 weeks for US Embassy/Consulate).

your advice is totally sound, something i should have followed last year... but now it's too late. my kids' passports only have about 7.5 months left.

not sure if my school can renew before we dip into the six month zone.

what do you mean about extra trips to entry/exit?

would that be if PSB doesn't renew because not enough time left on the passports and then i need to re-apply?

and i wonder if they would still renew mine and my husband's but just not my kids...

ugh, every year this time of year i'm always freaking out...

but stupid of me not to renew their passports earlier, as you suggested...

sorry, i should have specified that my reply was to @michael2015

3 years ago forgot to renew my passport and they would only issue me a 10 month resident permit.

I'm going through the process now. Waiting for my new passport to arrive in a few days, then getting the my visa moved to the new passport. Mine expires in August, so I'll likely have to first go through the entire process to move my visa to the new passport, then almost immediately after apply for a new visa.

Will report back here later.

@ningsi
If you have a year-long contract - here's the process.

1. NEW PASSPORT. Get your new passport. You MAY need to go to your local PSB office to get copies of the currently expiring residence permits, but your office should have copies, which may/may not be sufficient.

2. ENTRY/EXIT VISA. Apply to PSB for a visa extension for the remainder of the contract year. If this is for a dependent - this is easier and faster.

2.1 NEW CONTRACT. You MAY want to try to get your school to issue a new year long contract or longer, if you're planning on staying yet another year or two. That way you get a whole year or more, for the same level of pain and inconvenience. If it's ONLY for your kid - ignore step 2.1

3. LOCAL PSB (aka paichusuo?). Once EXIT/ENTRY approves/extends your visa in your new passport - take it to your local PSB office to extend the relevant residence permit.

4. AUTOMATIC E-CALENDAR NOTIFICATIONS. Put calendar notices in your e-calendar to remind you when to begin the new passport process. The 18 month rule is a bit conservative - but it'll avoid problems/issues if you plan ahead.