The short answer
A Five-Star Card has a fixed validity period:
- 10 years for holders aged 18 or over at approval.
- 5 years for holders under 18 at approval.
The permanent residence status is indefinite. The card is the document that proves it. Renewal replaces the document; it does not re-open the original application.
| Situation | What to do | Fee |
|---|---|---|
| Card nearing expiry | Renew within one month before expiry | CNY 300 |
| Name, passport number, or other detail changed | Apply for replacement within one month of the change | CNY 300 |
| Card damaged | Apply for replacement | CNY 600 |
| Card lost | Apply for replacement | CNY 600 |
| Old 15-digit card still valid | Keep using it; replace voluntarily when convenient | CNY 300 |
Renewal: one month before expiry
The national rule is to apply for renewal within one month before the card expires. The local office may publish an appointment process, a photo requirement, and a document checklist.
The core documents are usually:
- The completed renewal application form.
- Two recent photos to the local specification.
- The valid foreign passport.
- The expiring Five-Star Card.
- Proof of any changed detail, if the renewal also updates information.
- For a minor, a parent’s identity document and the relationship proof.
The fee is CNY 300. Processing is generally within one month of acceptance. The office checks whether any disqualifying circumstance exists; if none, it replaces the card directly.
Do not wait until after expiry. An expired card is not a valid identity document at a bank, a hotel, a border checkpoint, or an online platform. The status may still exist, but proving it becomes harder and slower.
Replacement: change, damage, or loss
Replacement covers four situations:
- Changed details. A new passport number, a legal name change, or another change to the card data. Apply within one month of the change.
- Damaged card. The card is unreadable, cracked, or fails the chip check. Apply promptly.
- Lost card. Report the loss and apply for a replacement.
- Old-version card. A 15-digit card can be replaced voluntarily with the 18-digit Five-Star Card, even before expiry.
The fee is CNY 300 for a change and CNY 600 for loss or damage. Processing is generally within one month.
For a lost card, the local office may ask for a police report or a written statement. For a name change, it will ask for the legal document that proves the change, authenticated and translated if issued abroad. For a new passport, bring both the old and new passports if available.
The old 15-digit card
The previous card had a 15-character number: three letters and twelve digits. The 2023 Five-Star Card uses an 18-digit number, with the first digit set to 9, and one number per person for life.
The transition rules are generous:
- The old card remains valid until its stated expiry.
- Replacement is voluntary.
- The new card notes the old 15-digit number, which helps institutions that still hold the old number in their records.
There is no deadline to replace a valid old card. The practical reason to replace early is convenience: the 18-digit card works better with online platforms, self-service channels, and newer bank and telecom systems.
Expiry is not cancellation
These are different events:
- Expiry affects the document. The status continues, and the holder renews the card.
- Cancellation affects the status. The card becomes invalid regardless of its printed expiry date.
The cancellation grounds in the 2004 Measures are:
- The holder may endanger national security or interests.
- A court has ordered deportation.
- The status was obtained through false materials or other unlawful means.
- The holder failed to meet the residence condition without approval: generally less than three months a year in China, or less than one year in five.
A holder who spends long periods abroad should treat the residence condition as the real deadline, not the card’s expiry date. A card that looks valid for five more years can sit behind a status that is already at risk.
What triggers a replacement in practice
- New passport. The most common trigger. The card carries the passport number, so a new passport should be followed by a card replacement. Bring the old passport and the new one.
- Name change after marriage or naturalization. The card should match the current legal name. A foreign marriage certificate or name-change deed may need authentication and translation.
- Marriage or divorce during the card’s life. The card itself does not record marital status, but a change in the family basis may matter at renewal if the original route was family-based. Keep the supporting records.
- Damage or chip failure. A card that cannot be read at a bank or border is a practical problem even if it looks intact.
- Lost card. Report and replace. Do not travel on a copy.
A document checklist for the appointment
The local list controls, but most renewal and replacement appointments ask for the same core set:
- The old card. Bring the original, even if it is cracked or unreadable.
- The passport. Bring the current passport. If the passport number changed, bring the old passport as well, because the card carries the old number.
- Two recent photographs. White background, 48mm × 33mm in most cities. Some offices require the photo to be taken at their service point, so check before paying a studio.
- The application form. Completed in Chinese or English as the local form allows, signed by the applicant.
- Proof of the changed detail. A marriage certificate for a name change, a name-change deed, or the new passport data page. Foreign documents may need translation and authentication.
- For a minor: the parent’s identity document, the birth certificate or relationship proof, and the other parent’s consent where the local rule requires it.
- For a lost card: a police report or a written statement of loss, in the form the local office accepts.
- The fee. CNY 300 for renewal or a change, CNY 600 for loss or damage.
Keep a scan or photograph of the old card before handing it in. The old number may still appear in bank, tax, property, or employer records, and the new card’s note of the old number is easier to explain with a copy.
If the card is lost or expires while you are abroad
The card is issued in China, so a loss or expiry abroad is a consular and border problem before it is a renewal problem. Contact the nearest Chinese embassy or consulate and the exit-entry office that issued the card before booking travel. Ask what document will be accepted for entry and whether a replacement can be started on arrival.
Do not rely on a photocopy, a photograph, or a police report alone at the border. The airline may also refuse boarding if the document does not match the passenger’s status. The permanent residence status may still exist, but the carrier and the border need a document they can verify.
If the passport is also lost, replace the passport first. The card replacement needs the new passport number, and doing the two in the wrong order creates a second appointment.
The 2026 process
The card renewal is still handled by the municipal public security exit-entry administration. The 2023 card upgrade and the 2025 service integration improved acceptance at banks, hotels, transport, and online platforms, but they did not move renewal to a fully online process in every city.
Practical steps:
- Check the card’s expiry date and set a reminder three months before.
- Book the appointment at the local exit-entry office within the one-month window.
- Bring the passport, the old card, photos, and any change documents.
- Pay CNY 300 (or CNY 600 for loss or damage).
- Collect the new card, usually within one month.
- Update the card number with banks, telecom providers, employers, and property or tax records if the number changed.
If the passport is also due for renewal, sequence the two: renew the passport first, then replace the card with the new passport number. Doing it in the other order creates a second replacement.
A note on travel
The card is not a travel document outside China. At the border, the holder presents the passport plus the card. If the card is lost or expired while abroad, contact the Chinese embassy or consulate and the local exit-entry office before booking travel. Do not assume the airline or the border will accept an expired card, even if the permanent residence status remains valid.
For what the card does in daily life, read Five-Star Card Benefits and Limits. For the status comparison, read Five-Star Card vs Residence Permit.