China work visas for employers: an HR handoff plan
Assign an owner to the China permit work, the employee's US visa file and the arrival plan. Coordinate several employees without assuming that their eligibility, deadlines or passport return dates are identical.
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Start when the assignment becomes concrete
Once the China employer, job duties and work location are identified, ask the local work-permit authority which route and evidence apply. There is no single verified lead time that covers every notification, US visa review and residence application. Keep the start date provisional until the dependencies are clear.
A US HR team can coordinate records and travel, but it cannot replace the China employer's permit responsibilities. Shanghai's published process permits the employer or its entrusted agency to submit the notification application online. Confirm the process in the actual employment city.
Responsibility and handoff worksheet
Owner
China employer / local permit contact
- Prepare / confirm
- Legal employing entity, actual duties, work location, local eligibility rules, document certification instructions and the notification application.
- Hand off only when
- The issued notification has been checked against the employee's passport and proposed assignment. Give the employee a complete copy and a contact for corrections.
Owner
US HR / mobility coordinator
- Prepare / confirm
- Provisional start and travel dates, who pays each fee, original-document availability, coverage during passport submission and a contact for each employee.
- Hand off only when
- The employee understands which records go to the employer and which belong in the visa file. Confirm the receiving instructions before any shipment.
Owner
Employee
- Prepare / confirm
- Accurate application, passport, photo, residence evidence, relevant past visa/nationality records and timely replies to official requests.
- Hand off only when
- The responsible US consulate gives the passport-submission instruction. Share the status with the coordinator without sharing account passwords.
Owner
CEV — selected US support
- Prepare / confirm
- Form review, photo processing, consulate handoffs and courier options within the purchased service.
- Hand off only when
- Confirm the actual purchased scope and order instructions. CEV cannot decide visa approval or promise a China work-permit or residence outcome.
Owner
China arrival coordinator + employee
- Prepare / confirm
- Accommodation registration, local work-permit steps, residence appointment/materials and lawful work-start conditions.
- Hand off only when
- The needed permissions and local requirements are confirmed. A returned passport with a Z visa is not completion of these tasks.
A repeatable checklist for several employees
- Create one internal line per employee with the responsible US consulate, China employer, notification status, passport handoff status and next owner. Restrict access to those who need it.
- Track dependents separately: relationship, planned duration, inviter evidence and any missing original certificates. An employee's Z file does not automatically cover a spouse or child.
- Confirm each employee's original-document availability and other travel needs before scheduling passport submission. Do not assume every passport will return together.
- Agree the receiving and return arrangements with CEV before consolidating any package. Keep each applicant's checklist identifiable; ask about existing options rather than assuming a group-visa product.
- Keep unresolved requests visible: next action, responsible person and date last checked. Escalate missing employer evidence before committing to travel.
- After arrival, record the actual entry date and confirm the applicable deadlines with the local authority. The residence-application deadline does not mean the employee may start work without the required permissions.
Four decisions to make before booking
- Decision
- Scope
- Question to resolve
- Is the trip commercial activity, work, study or a mixed itinerary?
- If unresolved
- Use the comparison page and ask the relevant authorities. Do not relabel work as meetings just to shorten the schedule.
- Decision
- Documents
- Question to resolve
- Does the employer have the right notification and is every original available?
- If unresolved
- Keep submission and travel dates provisional; identify who can correct or replace the missing item.
- Decision
- Family
- Question to resolve
- Can each family member meet the applicable requirements now?
- If unresolved
- Ask the responsible consulate about timing if inviter residence evidence is not yet available.
- Decision
- Start date
- Question to resolve
- Are the China-side steps and work-start conditions confirmed?
- If unresolved
- Agree a contingency or revised start date with the employer; courier speed is not official processing speed.
Discuss the existing US support options
Use the contact options on the service page to discuss applicant count, US residence states, passport timing and the help needed. Send only an initial scope summary through public contact channels; follow the agreed instructions for documents. This guide offers no new corporate account, monthly billing, group visa or China permit service.
Official references
Follow the current instructions of the Embassy or Consulate handling your application. These references do not confirm CEV service availability or an order-specific receiving address.
- Shanghai government: employer notification and work permit stages (local guidance) — verified on
- Shanghai government: notification application documents for categories A/B — verified on
- US Embassy: online application and passport handoff — verified on
- US Embassy: visa requirements, categories and processing estimates — verified on
- National Immigration Administration: Exit and Entry Administration Law, Articles 30, 39 and 41 — verified on