Residence
ID
What is a Residence ID Card Number?
Only one Residence ID card number is given to each citizen issued from the first day of life and will remain unchanged for their entire life. Residence ID card is similar with Social Security Number in the United States.
Who needs to apply for a Residence ID?
All Chinese citizens aged 16 and older are required to secure Resident Identity cards. Citizens must apply in person from the local Public Security Bureau, sub-bureaus or police stations.
What situations require a Residence ID card?
This uniform identity document is necessary for:
– Application for driver’s license – Registration for elections
– Application for tertiary education
or technical college (for mainland China citizens) – Purchasing train tickets
– Opening a bank account – Passing through security checkpoints
– Applying for a personal credit or loan – Marriage
– Bank remittances – Police inspection
– Getting a social insurance – Household registration
– Other legal cases
First Generation ID Cards
The first generation ID cards are made of laminated papers which are easy to counterfeit. It uses a printing technology that can easily forge and imitate. First generation ID cards were considered to change due to quality and security weakness.
Second Generation ID Cards
Also called the “smart card” which is a computer-readable ID card. Second generation ID cards were introduced in 2004 to reduce fraud or counterfeit incidents and to eliminate duplicate ID numbers. This kind of Residence ID uses digital anti-forgery technologies.
When do I need a Residence ID translation?
Residence ID is an important document which is used as proof of identity. This card is fully utilized when identifying oneself as it is widely accepted by the government and other private organizations.
When applying for a visa or passport, you may be required to convert your residence ID card from your mother tongue to another language. It is a must to get certified translation services to make sure that your identification requirements are accepted by the immigration and other authorities.
Residence IDs are often translated for official and legal purposes.
