Under the regulations from September 1 2013, the R Visa is issued to foreign high-level personnel and much-needed highly talented people who need to stay in China. The measure would complement the existing Work Z Visa that allows foreigners to work in China if they have a work permit or employment certificate issued by the competent Chinese authorities. The Chinese government has shown its sincerity towards global talent with this policy and created a friendlier environment for them to work in China.

However, the regulations do not mention what constitutes the type of talents sought. Indubitably, eligible applicants for the R visa must have the highly-skilled and specialized qualities that are urgently needed due to a short supply among Chinese. To apply for R application itself from Chinese embassies and consulates, those professionals shall firstly obtain the qualification approval in accordance with the provision of the relevant competent departments of the provincial government for the high-level personnel and much-needed highly proficient talents, and submit the appropriate supporting documents.

The final regulations don’t explain in detail about the duration of stay issued to the R, and it is neither referred to as residence visa (which is required to apply for the Temporary Residence Permit after entry such as Q1 and S1) nor referred to as stay visa (with a stay of less than 180 days such as Q2 and S2). So, things will be clear later when the first person who gets his/her R after September 1 2013.

Requirements
1. Original passport valid for at least 6 months and a copy of information page.
2. One truly completed Application Form signed by the applicant. If the form is filled out by entrusted travel/visa agent, both the applicant's signature and the stamp of the agent are required.
3. One recently-taken colored photo. The size of the photo should be 48mmx33mm, with head width 21mm-24mm and head length 28mm-33mm, in white, light grey or light blue background.
4. Documents as required in accordance with relevant regulations, and meet the relevant requirements of the competent authorities of the Chinese government on high-level personnel and urgently needed talents.

How to Apply
Applicants should submit applications to the Chinese embassies, consulates or Chinese Visa Application Service Center (CVASC) wherever available either in person or by someone else or entrusted travel agent. Appointment is not required. Meanwhile, mail applications are not acceptable by most embassies and consulates. In cases where application by post at CVASC is available, extra service fee will be charged.

Processing Time
The normal processing takes about 4 working days at the Chinese embassies and consulates. Express/Urgent Processing should be approved by the consular officers whenever available and extra fee should be paid accordingly. For applications by post through CVASC, the processing will take about 10 working days with no express service applicable.

Visa Fees
The fee charged for R is the same as the fee for other types of Chinese visa. Generally, it varies according to nationalities, and number of entries.