Entry and exit
The system covers border inspection and the administration of entry and departure by Chinese citizens and foreign nationals.
01Position in the system
The entry-exit authority, not the entire foreign-worker system
NIA oversees entry-exit and immigration administration, including foreigners' stay, residence and permanent-residence functions. A foreign employee may also need a work permit administered through a separate system, so immigration status and authorization to work must be checked together rather than treated as one document.
What it doesCoordinates immigration and entry/exit administration and manages important functions concerning foreigners' visas, stay, residence and permanent residence.
When it mattersRelevant to visas, residence permits, permanent residence, entry/exit rules, foreigners' status and immigration compliance alongside work-permit authorities.
02Jurisdiction
What falls within this authority’s remit
Separate permission to enter, permission to stay or reside, and permission to work; the responsible authority and application sequence are not identical.
Stay and residence
Local exit-entry administrations handle important visa, stay and residence matters under the national immigration framework.
Status compliance
Changes in employment, sponsorship, passport details or purpose of stay may require coordinated immigration and work-authorization action.
•Official service routes
Match the task to the official service
Use the route that corresponds to the filing, inquiry or administrative service you need.
Official website
Coordinates immigration and entry/exit administration and manages important functions concerning foreigners' visas, stay, residence and permanent residence.
Open official service03Official resources
Rules, services and official notices
Start with primary institutional sources. Verify service links and procedural status before relying on a filing path.
05Related legal concepts
Build the vocabulary around your research
Short, practical definitions for concepts most likely to appear alongside this institution.
01
Research tag
visa
An entry document issued for a stated category and purpose; it is not always the document governing a longer period of residence after entry.
02
Research tag
residence permit
A document authorizing a foreign national to reside in China for its validity period and stated purpose.
03
Research tag
permanent residence
A distinct immigration status allowing qualifying foreign nationals to reside permanently, subject to statutory conditions and approval.
04
Research tag
entry-exit
The legal and administrative controls governing entry into, departure from and border inspection for the PRC.
05
Research tag
foreign national
A person who does not hold Chinese nationality and whose entry, stay and residence are governed by the foreigner immigration framework.
06Primary sources
How this entry was source-reviewed
The review date describes when the listed primary sources were checked. It is not a guarantee that jurisdiction remains unchanged after that date.
National Immigration AdministrationEntry-exit, visa, residence, nationality and immigration-service information
Open source
Mandate / institutional sourceOfficial account of NIA border inspection and exit-entry administration duties
Open source
Reference boundary
This page is a research starting point.
Check nationality, travel document, entry status, intended activity, length of stay and local exit-entry authority; employment permission may require a separate work-permit process.