The Beijing Public Security Bureau (PSB) received on Monday the first batch of applications for the country's new "green cards" for permanent residence.

Joan Hinton from the United States, Kyoko Nakamura from Japan and eight other foreigners who filed their applications yesterday will get permanent residence cards within one month, said Liu Jiewei, an official with the bureau's Entry-Exit Administrative Division.

All 10 applicants already hold certificates of resettlement or permanent residence.

Since 1986, the PSB has issued permanent residence certificates to 35 foreigners who have made great contributions to China's revolution and construction. Since the People's Republic of China was founded in 1949, another 277 foreigners have been issued certificates of resettlement in Beijing.

"At present, a total of 156 foreigners from 20 countries hold one of the two kinds of certificates and are living and working in Beijing," said Liu.

He said these people can now change their old certificates to the unified green card for a fee of 300 yuan (US$36).

New applicants who meet the requirements of the revised permanent residence scheme can also apply for a green card. The cost is 1,500 yuan (US$181).

According to the Regulations on Examination and Approval of Permanent Residence of Aliens in China, promulgated on August 15, eligibility for permanent residence mainly applies to four categories of people.

The first group is senior-level foreign personnel who hold posts in businesses that promote China's economic, scientific and technological development or social progress.

The second category includes foreign citizens who make relatively large direct investments in China.

The third comprises foreigners who have made outstanding contributions or are of special importance to China, and the fourth includes foreigners who come to China to be with their families.

Public security authorities will make the decision on each application within six months.

Eighty-three-year-old Joan Hinton, who has been working in China since 1948 and received her certificate of permanent residence in 1986, noted that she has witnessed great changes of China's entry-exit management.

She said that with permanent residence status, she need not obtain visas and can enter and leave the country using only her passport and the alien permanent residence permit.

(China Daily August 24, 2004)