Foreign journalists working in Beijing should hold Visa "J-1 "(journalist) to enter China and apply for, within 30 days of entry, residence permit to the Division of Exit-Entry Administration of Beijing Public Security Bureau. The residence permit shall be valid for no more than 1 year within the validity period of the passport.

I. When applying for residence permit, applicants should present the following documents and certificates:

1 .Valid passports and visa;

2. Master copy of the "Press Card" issued by the Information Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, staff working in the foreign news agencies should present the official letter issued by the Information Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs when they apply for residence permit.

3."Health Certificate" issued by Beijing Exit-Entry Inspection and Quarantine Bureau;

4. Two recently taken, half-length bareheaded and full-faced photos of 2 inch size (either color or black-white).Those applicants who work in Beijing for less than 1 year should apply for temporary residence permit, without presenting "Health Certificate".

II. When applying for extension or a1ternation to residence permit, applicants should present the following documents:

1. Valid passports and residence permits;

2. Master copy of the "Press Card" issued by the Information Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs;

3. Should there be any alternations to the contents of the residence permits(name, nationality, occupation or identity, address, passport number, children), the permit holders shall register, within 10 days, the changes at the Division of Exit-Entry Administration of Beijing Public Security Bureau. Should the permit holders move into or out of Beijing, they shall finish the transferring procedure before they move. After they reach the destination, they should handle the moving-in procedure within 10 days.

III. The procedure of applying for a Exit-Entry Visa

With their passports and residence permits, applicants could apply for a single Journey Exit-Entry visa which is valid for 3 months, or a double and multiple Exit-Entry visa valid for a half year, or a multiple Exit-Entry visa valid for a year (the term of validity of visa should be within the validity of residence permit).Applicants can apply for visa and residence permits at the same time.

IV. Filling in the application form and points for attention

1 .When handling the above mentioned procedures, applicants should fill in the "application form for visa and residence permit", on which a recently taken, half-length bareheaded and full-faced photos of 2 inch size should be stuck.

2. Applicants should fill in the application form with the seal of the host institutions.
3.The application form should be clearly and neatly filled in with blue-black ink pen or ballpoints.

(english.gov.cn)