Content of the question: What materials are needed to apply for the Certificate of Foreign Expert?

Reply to the question:

1. What functions does the Certificate of Foreign Expert serve?

Reply: The Certificate of Foreign Expert is a valid proof of identity for foreigners during their work in China and an indispensable certificate for residence procedures in China. The Certificate is made by the State Administration of Foreign Experts Affairs and issued by the Foreign Affairs Office of the province. It serves the following four functions:

1) It is a political treatment granted by the Chinese government;

2) It is the identity certificate that entitles foreign experts to legitimate work in China;

3) With the Certificate, cultural and educational foreign experts can convert 30 to 70 percent of their income into foreign currency in Bank of China;

4) With the Certificate, foreign experts must apply to the local public security organs for the residence permit in China within a month of their entry, to ensure a legitimate stay.

2. What are the guidelines for implementing the Certificate of Foreign Expert?

Reply: Circular No. 105 [Wai Zhuan Fa 1994] of the State Administration of Foreign Experts Affairs and the Ministry of Finance on implementing the Certificate of Foreign Expert; and Circular No. 173 [Wai Zhuan Fa 1996] of the State Administration of Foreign Experts Affairs on reinforcing management of the Certificate of Foreign Expert.

3. Who are eligible holders of the Certificate of Foreign Expert?

Reply: 1) The foreign experts in economy or technology who hold a China Work (Z) Visa or other type of visa and need to obtain a Certificate of Foreign Expert;

2) The cultural and educational foreign experts recruited by units with the Qualification Certificate, or the resident staff of the overseas organizations in China that are approved by the State Administration of Foreign Experts Affairs.

4. How to apply for the Certificate of Foreign Expert?

Reply: The application procedures are as follows:

1) The host unit fills out the application form for the Certificate of Foreign Expert, and submits it to the Provincial Foreign Affairs Office together with other necessary materials;

2) The Certificate of Foreign Expert is then issued if the applicant meets all the requirements upon examination.

5. What materials must be provided in applying for the Certificate of Foreign Expert?

Reply: 1) The official written reply from the Provincial Foreign Affairs Office or the written notice of approval from the Provincial Education Department;

2) The written proof from the host unit that the foreign expert is in office;

3) The photocopy of the foreign expert¡¯s passport (and his/her dependents¡¯ if applicable);

4) Two photos of the foreign expert (and of his/her dependents if applicable), bareheaded, 1 inch in size;

5) The application form for the Certificate of Foreign Expert.

6. Where is the application for the Certificate of Foreign Expert processed?

Reply: It is processed at the Certificate Processing Center of the Provincial Foreign Affairs Office. Address: The third floor of Jinzhu Building, No.538 Tiyuchang Road, Hangzhou. Telephone: 85215251.

7. How long does it take to get the Certificate of Foreign Expert?

Reply: The procedures can be completed within five working days for eligible applicants with all necessary materials. The Division of Press and Culture is responsible for this matter. It can be reached at 87054928 and 87054927.

1. What function does the Foreign Student Visa Application Form serve?

Reply: The Foreign Student Visa Application Form mainly serves as a certificate for foreign students who intend to study in China at their own expense to apply for a Student (X) Visa. Foreign students can apply for a Student (X) Visa to the Chinese embassies or consulates in their own countries with the Foreign Student Visa Application Form.

2. What are the guidelines for processing the Foreign Student Visa Application Form?

Reply: 1) Administrative Regulations on Colleges and Universities Enrolling Foreign Students, formulated by the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Public Security;

2) Circular of the Provincial Foreign Affairs Office on certificate processing for foreign experts and foreign students.

3. Who are eligible to apply for the Foreign Student Visa Application Form?

Reply: The foreign students who intend to study at their own expense in colleges or universities in our province.

4. How is the Foreign Student Visa Application Form processed?

Reply: The procedures are as follows:

1) The foreign student fills out the Foreign Student Visa Application Form;

2) The application is sent to the college or university which enrolls foreign students for examination and approval;

3) The application is submitted to the Provincial Education Department for examination and approval;

4) The application is submitted to the Provincial Foreign Affairs Office for examination and approval.

5. What materials are needed to get the Foreign Student Visa Application Form?

Reply: Four copies of completed Foreign Student Visa Application Form.

6. How long does it take to process the Foreign Student Visa Application Form?

Reply: The procedures can be completed within three working days for eligible applicants with all necessary materials. The Division of Press and Culture is responsible for this matter. It can be reached at 87054928 and 87054927.

1. Why must a unit obtain the Qualification Certificate of Units for Employment of Cultural and Educational Foreign Experts?

Reply: It is a major measure in introducing foreign intellects and managing the international market of talents to implement the Qualification Certificate of Units for Employment of Cultural and Educational Foreign Experts (referred to as ¡°Qualification Certificate¡± thereinafter). The purpose of this measure is to maintain the order in the introduction of foreign intellects and the administration of cultural and educational foreign expert affairs. The Qualification Certificate is approved and issued by the State Administration of Foreign Experts Affairs.

2. What are the guidelines for processing the Qualification Certificate?

Reply: 1) Circular  No. 82 [Wai Zhuan Fa 1996] of the State Administration of Foreign Experts Affairs and the Ministry of Education, promulgating ¡°Measures on the Administration of Foreign Professionals Recruited by Schools and Other Educational Institutions¡±.

2) Circular No. 170 [Wai Zhuan Fa 1992] of the State Administration of Foreign Experts Affairs, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Public Security on implementing ¡°Measures on the Qualification Certificate of Units for Employment of Cultural and Educational Foreign Experts¡±.

3. Who are eligible to apply for the Qualification Certificate?

Reply: The units who intend to recruit cultural and educational foreign experts (including the units who intend to recruit foreign experts and the domestic organizations who recommend foreign experts in groups to the units intending to recruit foreign experts).

4. How to apply for the Qualification Certificate?

Reply: 1) The applying unit submits the Qualification Certificate application forms and other relevant materials to the foreign affairs office of the city or county (city or district) where it is located;

2) The foreign affairs office of the city or county (city or district) examines the application forms and other materials in conjunction with the local education department and public security organ and then submits them to the Provincial Foreign Affairs Office;

3) The Provincial Foreign Affairs Office examines the applying units in conjunction with the Provincial Education Department and the Provincial Public Security Department, and then submits them to the State Administration of Foreign Experts Affairs;

4) The State Administration of Foreign Experts Affairs approves the qualification of the applying units and issues the Qualification Certificate.

5. What materials are needed in order to apply for the Qualification Certificate?

Reply: 1) The Qualification Certificate application form;

2) A profile of the applying unit;

3) The name list of the administrative team of cultural and educational foreign experts of the applying unit;

4) The regulations on administration of cultural and educational foreign experts of the applying unit;

5) Nongovernmental sectors running schools must also provide the following certificates:

a. The permit for nongovernmental sectors to run schools;

b. The registration certificate of nonbusiness units run by nongovernmental sectors; and

c. The certificate of qualification.

6. How long does it take to obtain a Qualification Certificate to recruit cultural and educational foreign experts?

Reply: It all depends on the specific circumstances. The Division of Press and Culture is responsible for this matter. It can be reached at 87054928 and 87054927.

1. Why was the ¡°Westlake Friendship Award¡± set up?

Reply: The government of Zhejiang Province set up the ¡°Westlake Friendship Award¡± in 1997 to honor those foreign experts who have made outstanding contributions to the socialist modernization drive in our province, to promote friendship and to express our gratitude to them for their help. It is the highest award given to foreign experts by the provincial government.

2. What are the guidelines for applying for the ¡°Westlake Friendship Award¡± for foreign experts?

Reply: Circular No. 226 [Zhe Zheng Ban Fa 1997] Provisional Measures of Establishing the ¡®Westlake Friendship Award¡¯ for Foreign Experts in Zhejiang Province.

3. Who are eligible candidates for the ¡°Westlake Friendship Award¡±?

Reply: The candidates must be foreign experts who have been working in Zhejiang Province for over 6 months. They can be foreign professionals who have been recruited (invited) to our province to provide technical, management, and other specialist services according to agreements or protocols between executive governments or international organizations, or trade agreements between China and foreign countries; senior management personnel or high-level technical personnel from overseas in foreign-funded enterprises; or foreign cultural and educational experts or teachers teaching in universities or colleges, secondary schools or primary schools in our province that are subordinate to the central ministries (committees), provincial or municipal government.

4. What are required of the ¡°Westlake Friendship Award¡± winners?

Reply: The ¡°Westlake Friendship Award¡± is presented to the foreign experts who are friendly to China and meet one of the following requirements:

1) Having made outstanding achievements in introducing advanced technology, equipment and management experience from overseas to our province, imparting latest techniques, technology and methods, and solving major problems in technology and management;

2) Having bridged the gap in the process of developing technology and tackling key problems in science and technology in enterprises of our province, or having advanced significant proposals, which result in remarkable economic returns and social benefits;

3) Having made outstanding contributions to the construction, production, operation and management of major projects of national level, provincial level or municipal level in our province;

4) Having played an important part in training competent personnel for our province, worked hard in teaching and scientific research and made outstanding contributions in the relevant fields;

5) Having made great contributions to the opening-up and friendly exchange of our province with the outside world in such domains as economy, science and technology, culture, health, publication, sports and overseas publicity, and having contributed to our province instrumentation or books and reference materials of significant value;

6) Being friendly people, from overseas governmental or non-governmental organizations, who have made notable contributions to introducing overseas intellects to our province.

5. How to apply for the ¡°Westlake Friendship Award¡±?

Reply: 1) The applying unit fills out the ¡°Westlake Friendship Award¡± application form;

2) The application forms from units subordinate to the provincial government must be submitted to the Provincial Foreign Affairs Office after going through the initial examination by competent authorities. The application forms from units subordinate to the municipal (or prefecture-level, the same thereinafter) government must be submitted to the municipal government after going through the initial examination by the Municipal Foreign Affairs Office, the municipal government, in turn, transfers the application forms to the Provincial Foreign Affairs Office after examining and verifying them. The application forms from units subordinate to the central ministries (committees) must be submitted directly to the Provincial Foreign Affairs Office;

3) All applying units must submit all relevant materials to the Provincial Foreign Affairs Office a month before the ¡°Westlake Friendship Award¡± is presented, and evaluate the work of their recommended foreign experts realistically, conscientiously and rigorously;

4) An evaluation group composed of concerned experts and superintendents is organized by the Provincial Foreign Affairs Office in conjunction with the Provincial Education Department and the Provincial Personnel Department to evaluate the work of all candidates for the award. After the evaluation group decides on the choice of the award winners, the Provincial Foreign Affairs Office submits the decision to the provincial government for examination and approval. With the approval of the provincial government, the Provincial Foreign Affairs Office sends a written notification to the applying units.

5) The provincial government holds a ceremony and presents the ¡°Westlake Friendship Medals¡± and the honor certificates to the award-winning foreign experts. The ceremony is usually held around National Day every year.

6. What materials are needed to apply for the ¡°Westlake Friendship Award¡±?

Reply: Three copies of application form for the ¡°Westlake Friendship Award¡± for foreign experts in Zhejiang Province, which are completed with relevant information.

7. What is the time limit for applying for the ¡°Westlake Friendship Award¡±?

Reply: After being examined, the application materials are submitted to the provincial government for examination and approval before early September every year. The Division of Press and Culture is responsible for this matter. It can be reached at 87054928 and 87054927.

One international standard was adopted by 12 countries in 1964, and by 40 countries in 1967. At present, international standards have been adopted by many countries as their national standards. The wide application of international standards has resulted from the expansion of the international trade. Confronted with the ever fiercer competition in the international market, products are expected to be superior in quality and excellent in performance with great commonality and interchangeability. This requires a set of uniform standards to which products are manufactured in all countries. The lack of uniform standards will constitute a barrier to international trade. Therefore, international standards are widely applied in the world.