Important policy changes, useful local insight and new opportunities — in one short English newsletter.
Practical, English-language guidance for daily life in Hainan.
A foreigner who enters on a visa that says a residence permit is required has 30 days to apply. This guide covers the documents, the fee range, the health certificate and how long you wait.
Take your passport to a China Telecom, China Mobile or China Unicom shop. Plans bundle call time and data.
Since 15 September 2025 the Housing Lease Regulation requires a real-name lease, a deposit clause that names the amount, return date and deductions, and filing of the lease with the housing authority.
Foreign investors can reuse notarised documents already filed in Hainan, verify their identity online with a bank card and register entirely online.
Luggage up to CNY 5,000 is tax-free for residents. A parcel worth up to CNY 2,000 is taxed at a combined rate, and tax of CNY 50 or less is waived.
Bring your passport or permanent residence ID card to a commercial bank branch. Keep the card safe and report a loss to the bank at once.
The zone is designed to offer imported drugs and devices not yet sold elsewhere in China. Patients can take a reasonable personal supply of imported drugs out of the zone after filing a commitment.
Whether you count as a resident taxpayer depends on days in China, not nationality. Residents with salary income may need to file an annual return between 1 March and 30 June.
Travellers aged 16 and over who leave the main island by air, rail or sea can buy duty-free goods up to CNY 100,000 a year, with no limit on the number of purchases.
A foreigner legally employed in China joins the same five schemes as local staff, including basic medical insurance. The employer registers you within 30 days of getting your work permit.
Spouses, parents and children of a foreigner with a residence permit can apply for a family permit. Here is what the National Immigration Administration asks for, how long the permit can run and what it costs.
Children of foreign nationals and of foreign permanent residents are admitted under the same method as urban Haikou household-registration holders. You need passports, a valid residence permit and an accommodation registration form.