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Settling in

Settling in Shanghai

Shanghai is quickly mastered, as long as you follow the order of the steps and their deadlines: police registration within 24 hours, residence permits within 30 days, phone and mobile payment, then housing near the right campus. Here is what we would have liked to know before arriving, checked against official sources.

Verified on 31 October 2026

Arrival and first steps

Nobody settles in Shanghai without a visa: the working parent arrives on a work visa, the partner and children on an S1 visa, then everyone gets a residence permit locally. The first days matter, because several steps have short deadlines.

Good to know

  • The visa exemption for French citizens applies until 31 December 2026 for stays of up to 30 days (tourism, business, family visits, transit); to settle, you must apply for a visa before leaving. Source
  • The S1 visa is for the spouse, children under 18, parents and parents-in-law of a foreigner living in China for more than 180 days. You apply with an invitation letter, a copy of the inviter's passport and residence permit, and proof of the family relationship. Source
  • With an S1 visa, each family member must apply for a residence permit within 30 days of entering China, at the police Exit-Entry office. Applicants aged 16 to 60 must attend in person the first time; a health certificate is required between 18 and 70. Source
  • Within 24 hours of arriving at an address, you must register your place of residence at the local police station, or risk a fine. In a hotel, reception handles it; each time you move, you must register again. Source
  • Registration with the register of French nationals abroad is free, valid 5 years and done online on service-public.fr, with French ID, proof of residence in China and a recent photo. It is not compulsory, but strongly recommended. Source
  • Week 1, in order: residence registration at the police station, Chinese SIM card, WeChat and Alipay linked to your card, bank account, then the Exit-Entry appointment for residence permits. Source

Addresses

  • Consulat général de France à Shanghai

    Consulate

    Soho Zhongshan Plaza, bâtiment A, 18e étage, 1055 Zhongshan Xi Lu, Changning

    Songyuan Road metro (line 10). Open Monday to Friday, 8:40 to 12:15 and 13:30 to 16:30; the French citizens' desk sees people by online appointment (passports, ID cards, register). It also covers Jiangsu, Zhejiang and Anhui.

    Website Source

  • Bureau des entrées et sorties de la police de Shanghai (Exit-Entry)

    1500 Minsheng Road, Pudong

    The central office for visas and residence permits, open Monday to Saturday 9:00 to 17:00; each district also has a branch (Changning, Minhang, Qingpu, Yangpu...). Information line: 12367.

    Source

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Housing: neighbourhoods and renting

In Shanghai, you first choose the Lycée français campus, Qingpu in the west or Yangpu in the north-east, then the neighbourhood: the city is huge and school bus journeys matter. Families cluster in a few well-equipped international neighbourhoods.

Good to know

  • The Lycée français de Shanghai has two campuses: 350 Gaoguang Road in Qingpu (the Eurocampus shared with the German school) and 788 Jiangwancheng Road in Yangpu. Source
  • Most people rent through an agency; at signing, show your passport and ask the landlord for the ownership certificate and ID. Read the clauses on pets, guests and penalties closely. Source
  • The usual practice is to prepay three months of rent plus a one-month deposit. Source
  • Once the lease is signed, register at the police station with your passport and contract: this registration form will be requested again, in particular to enrol a child in school or kindergarten. Source
  • Typhoon season hits Shanghai in summer and early autumn: check window seals and air conditioners before signing. Source

Addresses

  • Qingpu et Xujing (ouest)

    Neighbourhood

    Around the Lycée français Eurocampus: compounds with gardens, a very French-speaking neighbourhood life and local coffees organised by Shanghai Accueil. Further from the centre, but close to Hongqiao airport.

    Source

  • Hongqiao et Gubei (Changning)

    Neighbourhood

    One of China's first international neighbourhoods, ten minutes by car from Hongqiao airport: foreign shops, international clinics, and the French consulate in the same district.

    Source

  • Huacao (Minhang)

    Neighbourhood

    An international community of several thousand foreigners from nearly 80 countries, with a service centre for foreign residents and international clinics; well placed between Hongqiao and Qingpu.

    Source

  • Ancienne concession française (Xuhui et Jing'an)

    Neighbourhood

    Plane-tree-lined streets, old houses, parks and city-centre life; much sought after but a fair distance from both campuses, so the school run is longer.

    Source

  • Yangpu (Jiangwan, nord-est)

    Neighbourhood

    The choice of families at the Yangpu campus, accredited from nursery to Year 11; a university and residential district, with an international clinic nearby.

    Source

  • Jinqiao et Biyun (Pudong)

    Neighbourhood

    A large international neighbourhood in Pudong, with English-speaking international schools and hospitals; handy if you work in Pudong, but far from both Lycée français campuses.

    Source

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Phone and insurance

A Chinese SIM card is the very first step: without a local number, no bank account and no payment apps. As for insurance, full health cover is essential.

Good to know

  • Three operators share the market: China Mobile, China Unicom and China Telecom. You buy the SIM in a store with your passport, for an unlocked phone. Source
  • Health insurance covering hospitalisation, surgery and repatriation is essential: the embassy and consulate never cover these costs, and without cover access to care can be refused, even in an emergency. Source
  • The parent employed in China must contribute to Chinese social insurance. The France-China social security agreement is signed but not yet in force: it does not yet offer exemptions for French nationals. Source

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Banking and money

In Shanghai, almost everything is paid by QR code. The order that works: a Chinese SIM card, then Alipay and Weixin Pay (WeChat Pay) linked to your foreign bank card, then an account with a Chinese bank.

Good to know

  • On arrival, link your foreign credit card to Weixin Pay (Visa, Mastercard, JCB, Diners Club, Discover) or to Alipay (Visa, Mastercard, Diners Club, Discover) to pay by scanning QR codes. The name on the card must match the app account; with a foreign card, transfers between individuals and red packets are not available. Source
  • Your foreign bank card also works directly: Shanghai metro service centres accept it for tickets, and the city aims for a system where the phone comes first, bank cards second and cash stays as a backup. So keep a few yuan on you. Source
  • To open an account, you need a passport with a long-stay visa (the long-stay family visa qualifies) and a Chinese phone number in your name; some banks also ask for an employment certificate, a tax number or proof of address. Accounts are opened at the counter. Then link this account to Alipay and Weixin Pay to unlock transfers and everyday payments. Source
  • Currency exchange is regulated: a non-resident foreigner has an annual quota for converting foreign currency into yuan, and beyond it the bank asks for supporting documents. To convert income earned in China back into foreign currency, a salary to send to France for instance, it also asks for proof of its lawful origin: ask your bank for the exact list before the first transfer. Source
  • Keep at least one account in France, useful for bills and refunds, and tell your bank before you leave: it switches to non-resident status, and some products such as the LEP savings account must be closed. Ask about the conditions it applies to non-residents. Source

Addresses

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Getting set up

Three IKEA stores since Baoshan closed in February 2026, warehouse clubs, fast delivery and second-hand on Xianyu: in Shanghai, you get set up as much on your phone as in stores.

Addresses

Getting around with children

The Shanghai metro is one of the largest in the world, clean and cheap; you complement it with taxis or DiDi. With children, many families do without a car.

Good to know

  • Since March 2025, an adult can take several children under 1.30 m on the metro for free; on buses, the free ride applies to two children under 1.30 m per adult. Source
  • To pay for the metro: QR code from the Metro Daduhui app (or within WeChat and Alipay), a rechargeable transport card, or a contactless Visa or Mastercard straight at the gate. Fares depend on distance. Source
  • The metro rules, revised in 2025, allow luggage up to 30 kg; at rush hour, a light folding pushchair remains the easiest option. Source
  • Taxis are mostly booked by app (DiDi, Amap). Qiangsheng taxis offer English service on 62580, and some Dazhong taxis accept international bank cards. Source
  • A French licence with an official translation lets you obtain a temporary driving permit for up to one year; beyond that, you must exchange it for a Chinese licence, under the agreement in force since August 2021. Source
  • Zero tolerance on drink-driving, frequent checks and penalties up to prison: many expats prefer a car with a driver, common and inexpensive. Source

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Admin: social insurance, tax and consulate

There is no single number to apply for on arrival: your passport and residence permit serve as ID everywhere. The employer handles social insurance and income tax is withheld at source.

Good to know

  • The employer must register the foreign employee with social insurance within 30 days of receiving their work documents; it covers pension, medical, work injury, unemployment and maternity. Source
  • Tax in a nutshell: you become a Chinese tax resident from 183 days in the country in a year; your worldwide income only becomes taxable in China after six consecutive years of residence with no absence over 30 days. Source
  • The consulate issues passports and ID cards, keeps the register and civil records (a birth must be declared at the consulate within 30 days), and organises elections. Appointments are booked online. Source
  • The consulate pays neither your medical nor your legal bills, and has little weight in Chinese procedures: if you break residence rules, its approaches to the authorities rarely succeed. Source
  • For consular questions other than visas, France Consulaire answers Monday to Friday, 7:00 to 14:00 Paris time, by internet call or phone. Source
  • The city's 12345 line answers questions on public services, and 12366 on tax. Source

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Budget: what costs more or less

Shanghai ranks among the world's most expensive cities for expats, but it all depends on lifestyle: local everyday life is affordable, while anything imported or international comes at a premium.

Good to know

  • Shanghai Accueil notes that the city ranks among the most expensive in the world in Mercer's expat cost-of-living index. Source
  • More expensive than in France: care at international clinics, which requires good insurance, and school fees (see our School fees page). Source
  • Cheaper: transport. The metro costs a few yuan, and taxis remain cheap compared with other major international cities. Source
  • Much cheaper: home help. An ayi, part-time or full-time, cleans, cooks or looks after children for a fraction of the cost of equivalent help in France. Source
  • Rent is often paid three months in advance, plus a one-month deposit: plan for comfortable cash flow on arrival. Source

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A place has closed, something has changed? Tell us: the mums of Shanghai will thank you.

Sources for this page

The public pages these landmarks come from. The official website always prevails.

  1. 1 Consulat général de France à Shanghai
  2. 2 France Diplomatie, Chine : entrée et séjour
  3. 3 International Services Shanghai, visa S1
  4. 4 International Services Shanghai, titre de séjour de la famille
  5. 5 International Services Shanghai, trouver un appartement
  6. 6 International Services Shanghai, sécurité sociale des étrangers
  7. 7 Lycée français de Shanghai
  8. 8 International Services Shanghai, payer avec une carte étrangère

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Verified addresses, official sources, school-year dates: we write when the Shanghai guide changes, never more than once a week.

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