The short answer
A foreign spouse of a Chinese citizen — or of a foreigner who already holds Chinese permanent residence — can apply for the Five-Star Card after meeting four tests:
- Marriage: at least five years, counted continuously before the application date.
- Residence: at least five years of continuous residence in China.
- Physical presence: at least nine months in China in each of those five years.
- Means and housing: a stable source of income and a stable domicile.
The baseline conditions apply to every applicant: abide by Chinese law, be in good health, and have no criminal record.
The marriage certificate proves only the first test. The other three are proved by the exit-entry record, the residence-permit history, tax and employment records, and housing documents. That is where most spouse applications succeed or fail.
Marriage: five years, counted backwards
The five years are counted continuously before the application date. A marriage registered on June 1, 2021 reaches five years on June 1, 2026. Filing in May 2026 is early, even if the couple has lived together in China since 2020.
The marriage must be recognized under Chinese law. A marriage certificate issued abroad should be authenticated and translated. For a Hague Apostille Convention member state, an apostille is generally accepted; for a non-member state, Chinese consular legalization is required. A Chinese marriage certificate needs no authentication, but the local office may ask for a copy and the original.
If either spouse was previously married, the file should include the divorce decree or death certificate that ended the prior marriage. A name change after marriage or naturalization needs its own proof.
Residence: five continuous years
The residence test is separate from the marriage test. The applicant must have five years of continuous residence in China. The local office reads “continuous” through the exit-entry record: residence permits, entry and exit dates, and the absence history.
A practical rule of thumb is that a year with more than three months abroad may not count as a qualifying year. The nine-month rule is the statutory expression of the same idea: at least nine months in China in each of the five years.
Common ways the record breaks:
- A long family visit abroad. Three months plus a few days can push a year below nine months.
- A gap between residence permits. If the old permit expired before the new one was issued, the continuity may be questioned.
- Work or study abroad during the marriage. A posting to another country can interrupt the physical-presence record even if the marriage continues.
- Frequent short trips that add up. The record is cumulative per year, not per trip.
Before filing, obtain the full exit-entry record and map every year. If a year is short, the earliest eligible filing date moves forward. It is better to wait than to file and be refused.
Means and housing
The national rule requires a stable source of income and a stable domicile. It does not set a national amount. Local guides translate this into evidence:
- Income: employment contract, payroll, individual income tax records, social insurance, bank statements, or a frozen deposit.
- Housing: property title, or a lease of at least one year, sometimes notarized.
- Deposit: some cities have asked for a frozen deposit, with amounts in the range of CNY 100,000 to CNY 200,000 and freeze periods of six to twelve months. Shenzhen’s published spouse guide is one example; other cities accept employment and tax records instead.
Do not import a number from another city. Ask the receiving office for its current list. A deposit that is not frozen, or a lease that is not notarized where notarization is required, is a common reason for a document request.
If both spouses work, include both income streams. If only the Chinese spouse works, include that spouse’s employment and tax records plus the household’s housing evidence. If neither works, a deposit and family support evidence may carry more weight, but the local office decides.
Where to file
File with the municipal public security exit-entry administration — or the district or county sub-bureau in a directly governed municipality — at the place of the Chinese spouse’s household registration. If the spouse is a foreign permanent resident, file at the place of that spouse’s long-term residence.
The applicant may file in person or through an entrusted person with a notarized power of attorney. A minor child files through a parent or an entrusted person.
Documents
The core spouse file usually includes:
| Document | Notes |
|---|---|
| Application form and photos | Local form and photo specification |
| Passport and current residence permit | Usually at least six months’ validity at filing |
| Marriage certificate | Authenticated and translated if foreign-issued |
| Chinese spouse’s ID and household register | Or the foreign spouse’s passport and PR card |
| Housing proof | Property title or lease; notarization where required |
| Income proof | Employment, tax, social insurance, bank statements, or frozen deposit |
| Police clearance certificate | From countries of residence; usually within six months; authenticated |
| Health certificate | From a designated or recognized medical institution |
| Exit-entry record | Full history covering the five years |
| Divorce or death certificate | If either spouse was previously married |
| Name-change or nationality-change proof | If applicable |
Shanghai’s 2026 guides add two practical points that apply beyond Shanghai: foreign-language documents need a qualified translation with the translator’s seal and business license copy, and the visa or residence permit should generally have at least six months’ validity at submission. If it is shorter, the office may allow it to be updated during review.
The interview
Many spouse applicants are interviewed. The interview is not a formality; it checks consistency between the file and the account:
- How the couple met and when the relationship began.
- Where they live, who else lives there, and how expenses are shared.
- The Chinese spouse’s work and household registration.
- The applicant’s work, income, and tax history.
- Every long absence from China and its reason.
- The marriage certificate, the children’s birth certificates, and the housing documents.
Answers should match the documents. A date that differs by a few months can trigger a request for explanation. Bring originals.
Spouse route versus a reunion residence permit
Before permanent residence, most spouses live on a family reunion residence permit, usually issued for one to five years and renewable. It permits residence but not work; a spouse who works needs a work permit and a work-type residence permit.
The Five-Star Card changes the status:
- It is indefinite, not a one- or five-year permit.
- It removes the need for a work permit.
- It is a standalone identity document.
- It removes the annual renewal cycle.
- It still does not grant citizenship or a Chinese passport.
The spouse route is therefore a status upgrade, not a different family relationship. The marriage and residence history that supported the reunion permit is also the core evidence for the card.
2026 practical notes
- Apostille: foreign marriage and police documents from Hague member states can generally use an apostille instead of consular legalization. This shortens preparation but does not extend the six-month validity window on the police certificate.
- Local divergence: the national tests are stable, but city guides on deposits, housing, and translation differ. Shanghai’s 2026 guides are more detailed on translation and permit validity; Shenzhen and Dongguan publish their own lists.
- The nine-month rule is enforced through the record. Do not rely on a marriage certificate and a lease alone. The exit-entry history is the document that decides the case.
For the full route map, read Five-Star Card Eligibility. For the filing mechanics, read How to Apply for China’s Green Card. If you are not yet at the five-year mark, see Dependant Visas for the Q1 and Q2 options.