Foreigners who want to apply for permanent residence in China should obey Chinese laws, be healthy and have no criminal records. At same time, they should act in accordance with one of the conditions below:
First, the applicants have invested in China directly, have steady investment condition and good revenue record for more than 3 years.
Second, the applicants take the job continually as or above the assistant general manager or factory director, have the high title of or above the associate professor or assistant researcher, or have enjoy the equal treatment in China for more than 4 years, during which the applicants have been living in China adding up to no less than 3 years and have good revenue records.
Third, the applicants have great and outstanding contributions to China or meet the special requirements of Chinese government.
Fourth, the spouse and unmarried children younger than 18, of the applicants referred in the first, second and third item of this article above, can apply.
Fifth, the spouse of Chinese citizens or the aliens who have got the qualification of permanent resident in China, has lasted the marriage for more than 5 years, lived in china for more than 9 months every year and have steady living guarantee and residence.
Sixth, the unmarried children younger than 18, go and seek refuge with parents.
Seventh, the applicants who have no direct relatives abroad, go and seek refuge with the domestic direct relatives, over sixty years old, living in China for no less than 9 months every year and having steady living guarantee and residence.
Source: GOV.cn

The applicants should fill in the application form of permanent resident permit in China for foreigners honestly and hand in the documents below:

First, the valid foreign passport or other documents which can take place of it.

Second, the health guarantee certificate by Health quarantine department appointed by Chinese government or foreign medical organization of the hygiene authenticated by embassies and consulates stationed abroad of China.

Third, the non-criminal records abroad authenticated by embassies and consulates stationed abroad of China.

Four, four recent front colorful photos with hat off of 2".

Five, other documents prescribed by this measure.

The aliens who are sanctioned for permanent resident in china, will get Alien Permanent Permit signed by the Ministry of Public Security. The abroad applicant with Form of Confirmation of Alien Permanent Permit, going to the embassies and consulates stationed abroad of china apply for D visa, then obtain the Alien Permanent Permit in 30 days after entry in china from the public security organ which accept the application.

 1. Application Qualification:
     
 1) Investor: having direct investment in China, stable investment in China for three years in a row and having a sound taxation records and meeting any of the following requirements:   
 (1) Those whose investment is more than 500,000 U.S. dollars in the industries listed in Guidance directory of Industry of foreign investment promulgated by the country;  
 (2) Those whose investment is more than 500,000 U.S. dollars to western regions of China or to key counties listed in the state poverty alleviation and development projects; 
 (3) Those whose investment is more than one million U.S. dollars to central regions of China;  
 (4) Those whose investment is more than two million U.S. dollars to China. 
  
 2) Employer: having assumed the posts of deputy general manager or deputy director of plants or higher level posts or posts of associate professors or associate research fellows and similar posts for more than four years in a row and a period of stay in accumulation being no shorter than three years and having sound taxation records; and meeting any of the following requirements:   
 (1) Those who work in any a department of the State Council or organization attached to the provincial People’s Government;    
 (2) Those who work in any key college or university;   
 (3) Those who work in enterprises or public institutions implementing the national key projects or major research projects;
 (4) Those who work in any a high-tech enterprise, foreign invested enterprise in encouraged fields, enterprise with foreign investment or export-oriented enterprise with foreign investment. 
  
 3) Special Personnel: having major and outstanding contribution to China or needed urgently by China; 
  
 4) The spouses and unmarried children aged less than 18 years old of the investor, the employer or the special personnel;  

 5) People who come to Hengyang to be with family, such as husbands and wives: spouses of Chinese citizens or of aliens having obtained permanent residence in China, whose marriage has lasted for five years, and who lived in China for five years in a row, the annual stay in China being no shorter than nine months, and who have stable and secured living status and place to live;
  
 6) Minors dependent on their parents:  unmarried children aged under 18 years old who come to China to live with their parents;  
 
 7) Citizens dependent on their relatives: persons having no direct relatives abroad entering China to live with direct relatives in China, who are over 60 years old, and have lived in China for five years in a row, whose annual stay in China being no shorter than nine months and have stable and secured living status and places to live. Time period of year mentioned in this article refers to the continuous period of time prior to the day of application.  

 2. Procedure 
Accepted by the public security organ at the city level, checked by the public security organs at the provincial level, reviewed by the Ministry of Public Security who also decide to approve or not to approve the application  

 3. Office Time and Procedures  
The public security organ decides to approve or not to approve the application within six months since the day when the foreigner submits the application of permanent residence permit, for the foreigner whose permanent residence status in China are permitted, he or she receive Foreigner’s Permanent Residence Permit issued by the Ministry of Public Security; if the applicant is out of the Chinese territory, the Ministry of Public Security shall issue a Confirmation Form of Foreigner`s Permanent Residence Status to the applicant, who shall apply for a "D" visa to the Chinese embassy within 30 days from his or her entry into China. He or she gets the Foreigner`s Permanent Residence Permit from the public security organ that handled his or her application.  

 4. Basic documents required  
 1) A valid passport, or other certificate in lieu of passport, and one copy of such passport or certificate;   
 2) Health Examination Certificate, when applying within 6 months, issued by health or medical institutions designated by Chinese government, or those issued by health or medical institutions abroad and authenticated by a local Chinese Consulate or local Chinese Embassy;   
 3) Certificate of no criminal record authenticated by a local Chinese Embassy;   
 4) Four recent half-length, bareheaded, full-faced 2-inch color photos;  
 5) Application for Permanent Residence in China;   
 6) Other materials required (Depending on the application type).   

 5. Period of Validity  
Foreigner`s Permanent Residence Permit is valid for five or ten years. Certificates with five-year validity are granted to foreigners under age 18, while certificates with ten-year validity are granted to foreigners over the age of 18.   

 6. Regulations on the Use of the Permanent Residence Permit   
 1) For the foreigner with permanent residence permit of China, the Foreigner`s Permanent Residence Permit is his/her legal identity document during his/her stay in China and can be used alone.   
 2) The foreigner with permanent residence eligibility in China can enter and exit China with a valid passport and Foreigner`s Permanent Residence Permit.   
 3) The foreigner who has been approved permanent residence in China shall be free to select life style, work place and work unit within the laws and shall be free from transacting any formalities or the regular inspection of certificates or payment for certificates; however, the foreigner is required to declare the lodging registration and the location of office and home in accordance with the regulations of the Law of The People’s Republic of China on Control of the Entry and Exit of Aliens and the Rules Governing the Implementation.  
 4) The foreigner who has been approved of permanent residence in China before the implementation of these Measures shall, renew his/her Foreigner`s Permanent Residence Permit to the public security organ where the original permit was released or the public security bureau in the place of his/her long-term residence since the date when the measures are implemented.  
 5) The foreigner who has been approved permanent residence in China shall reside in China for not less than 3 months every year.