R Visa (High-End Talent)
🇨🇳 China visas · Work
What it is
For internationally recognised high-level talent urgently needed by China. Includes Nobel laureates, leading scientists, and professionals meeting criteria of the State Talent Plan. Offers 5- to 10-year multiple entry with 180-day stays. Official applicant scope: foreign high-level talent, and specialists whose skills are urgently needed, as required by the state.
Key facts
- Category
- Work
- Duration
- 5 to 10 years multiple entry; up to 180 days per stay
- Processing time
- 4–5 days
- Maximum validity
- 5 years
- Extendable
- Yes
- Path to permanent residence
- Indirect route
- Dependants
- Yes
- How to apply
- Mixed
Standard figures for this route. Some applicants pay a reduced fee or none at all, so confirm your own case on the official page.
Fees
- Application fee (驻美使领馆对等费率，一次入境；非全国统一标准)
- USD 140
- Application fee (驻美使领馆费率，一次入境；部分第三国公民标准不同)
- USD 23
- Application fee (外国人居留许可及增加偕行人［一年（含）至三年］)
- CNY 800
- Application fee (外国人居留许可及增加偕行人［三年（含）至五年（含）］)
- CNY 1,000
Key requirements
- Recognised as high-level foreign talent by relevant Chinese authority
- Meet criteria under one of the designated talent categories (national key programmes, Fortune 500 executives, etc.)
- Work permit Notification as Category A talent
- Valid passport
Working on this visa
R is the high-level / urgently-needed talent route; eligibility is set by the competent Chinese authorities' talent-introduction criteria, and the resulting permit is a work-type residence permit subject to the same work-permit scope…
Facts checked against the official source. Last updated 4 August 2026.