Despite the relaxation of residency permits in China, foreign experts residing in the country feel like obtaining a permanent residency permit has barely given them any rights or benefits, according to a report by China Daily.
Most foreigners still feel like second-class citizens as they can't open bank accounts or make simple purchases such as train tickets with their "green card."
"It was so appealing to me to obtain a Chinese green card, but later I felt it didn't help me as much as I had thought it would in my daily life in China," shared Noyan Rona, chief representative of the Shanghai office of Turkish Garanti Bank, in an interview with China Daily.
Chen Xinhua, who works as director of the Norsk Statoil Chinese Working Office, echoed the same sentiments.
"Though I got the green card (in 2004), I can't open bank accounts or buy train tickets with it," Chen said.
China's permanent residency permits, which the country began issuing back in 2004, are notorious for being the most difficult permit to obtain in the world. This classification is mostly attributed to the high requirements involved to get approved.
Of over 600,000 foreigners living in China, more than 7,300 foreigners have so far acquired their green cards by 2013, said the Ministry of Public Security.
The Chinese government relaxed the requirements and made procedures more streamlined for certain types of foreign applicants, particularly those who are employed in research centers and government-affiliated institutes.
For example, foreigners working as assistant professors or researchers must have worked and lived in China for three years and must have good tax records to be able to apply for permanent residency permits at local entry and exit management departments.
In theory, the permanent residency permit grants a foreigner living in China the same rights as Chinese people. These rights include application for driver's licenses, real estate purchases, business investments, and enrolling children in Chinese schools. The problem lies in the implementation.
"If the Chinese government wants to attract more overseas talent, it should carry out the policy and offer us (green card holders) the same treatment as citizens and favorable policies, instead of issuing powerless papers," said Chen.