What is your work/residence permit grade? I showed my visa guy the supposedly official rules (e.g. number of years in China, HSK score, caliber of university), and he told me that Shanghai only cares about 10k per month in taxes; this, alone, guarantees 3 years. Since I am paid mostly from HK, this is a problem.

China e channel for foreigners
 

I've mentioned echannel in the main visa thread, but I think it deserves its own thread so I'm starting this one.

Basically, echannel makes entering and exiting China insanely fast/easy, though it doesn't help with the customs line at PVG.

I'm curious about the current and future eligibility requirements.

The eligibility requirements are a little vague, and in a constant state of flux (mostly for the better because echannel saves us time, and the Chinese government money).

At present, I know that an RP with 6 months or more remaining qualifies, and that Z + Q2 visas qualify.

But, I have a lot of friends who live, but don't work, here on M visas. They don't have RPs, and need to leave every 60 or 90 days. However, they either own houses or have long term leases. I'm wondering about their prospects for echannel.

Q2 qualifies?!? Okay how do I sign up for this? Can I do this on arrival at PEK? I doubt CGO has the facilities to process applications for foreigners.

My understanding is that qualification is based on your residence permit, not the visa itself. I actually don't think I have a visa any more -- just an RP.

I believe you can score an RP with your Q2, but I'm honestly not sure because the rules aren't especially transparent.

My guess is that M and L visas will eventually qualify. Problem is that that the machines aren't capable of dealing with "days/stay" at this point in time.

The bottom line is that I don't know, so I started this thread in order to seek data points / discussion from you guys.

My understanding is that a Q1 is a single entry visa that gets converted into an RP after you arrive in China and apply. Q1 is not intended to be used except to enter China once, and the intention is that the holder will apply for an RP once there. Q2 is not intended to ever be converted into an RP and I don't even know how you would do that, nor would I want to. My Q2 is valid for 10 years. Everything I've read says that if you want an RP, you get a Q1 first, if you go the Q visa route.

A 5 year RP (now sort of standard) is much better than a 10 year visa IMO because, in addition to echannel, you don't need to count days and do random visa runs.

If only it was true. I have A level work permit, I am married with a Chinese for 7 years, kids together, 13 years in China, and last year I got the first 2 year temporary RP. 5 year RP is still out of reach to me - I just don't know what the rules are or what I am doing wrong to get that.

Anyway, I used the echannel with (temporary) RP one year, but haven't reapplied since my kids where born, as I really seldom travel outside of China without them these days.

Colleagues with a one year M have been successful to apply, but as usual in China, it seems to depend on the location. In PVG it was no problem he said, at HK-SZ they told him not possible (2 years ago)

And I would like to add a few questions:

1) If you apply in e.g. PVG, will it work properly at HK-SZ border or PEK airport? Are there any exceptions? In the earlier days there were even problems to enter at SHA, when applied in PVG before.

2) I don't know what it is, but my (German laminated page) passport doesn't seem to work on the entry slip printers, but other countries passport holders had no problems. Is that a format issue, or are there other reasons?

3) The slip is not compulsory. How do you prove, e.g. check-in at hotels, your last entry? In some areas in China, this is still required. (I never really cared, I had enough stamps always.)

4) I made the experience, when you get a new visa, you need to reapply. Is that correct? Any other experiences?

Again, I'm speaking based on my own experience, rather than knowledge of official policy, but here are a few more thoughts:

1. I wanted a 5 year RP last year, and I didn't qualify
-cities/provinces all had their own scoring systems, and I came up a little short of A

2. This year, I received one easily because the new rule --which I believe is nationwide-- is that you get 5 years as long as you have 2 previous RPs and no criminal record
-I asked two different visa agents about this before applying, and they both gave me the same answer

3. I've yet to encounter a border checkpoint where echannel did not work

I have RPs since 2007, incl. same city since 2014 - and yet in Nov 2019 I only got two years. PP is valid until 2026, so that's also not it.

I suggest you find a good agent in your Chinese city when it comes time to renew, and simply state that you want 5 years. Here in Shanghai, the criminal background check is now the only difference between 1 and 5 year RPs, according to my agent.

My agent only deals with Shanghai RPs. The other agent I was considering apparently does all of China. I can provide his Wechat if you add me to Wechat. I am moondogsh

I can't see ever spending > 120 continuous days in China though. I doubt I'd even make it to the 60 day threshold without going back home at least once. Typical travel pattern is 1-2 weeks a year over there. Even staying for a full month would be a major change in travel patterns.

This is maybe a little bit off topic, but where can you actually enroll in e-channel? I live in Chengdu and when I asked someone the last time I was leaving CTU I was told only Chinese passports can use the e-channel, which obviously isn't true. However, there is no need to enroll in anything for Chinese people to be able to use the e-channel, so do only certain airports have the capability to enroll foreigners?

I tried to look around a bit but I didn't want to look too lost/suspicious in an immigration area.

I believe you can enroll at most ports of entry when you are arriving, but not departing. I enrolled at PVG by asking one of the officials, and filling out a simple form. I only had to do this drill one time.

STS-134 While you might not want or need to stay for more than 60/90/120 days, echannel seemingly requires an RP that is valid for 6 months or more.

At the risk of beating a dead horse, I don't have much knowledge about the actual rules (just personal experience and blogs posted by people who are also unsure), and this is the reason I started this thread.

Then that seems to contradict your initial statement that Q2 visas are eligible. AFAIK, you can't get a RP with a Q2, and even if you did, the Q2 would get canceled as soon as you got the RP.

I don't know much about Q visas, but if only Q1 is good for this, then why not get Q1?