Guides about Shenzhen
Moving to Shenzhen
The basics
- A Bank AccountOpening a Chinese bank account in Shenzhen: a guide to navigating bureaucracy, choosing the right bank, and understanding why your card will eventually get frozen for no apparent reason.Updated 9 April 2026
- A Phone NumberGetting a Chinese phone number in Shenzhen: a guide to navigating the three major carriers, understanding why your passport is now a form of ID, and accepting that you will never understand your bill.Updated 9 April 2026
- A Registered AddressRegistering your address in Shenzhen: a guide to the 24-hour rule, the WeChat bureaucracy, and why a QR code on your doorframe is now essential to your legal existence.Updated 9 April 2026
- Bank Account Troubleshooting GuideWhen your Chinese bank account decides to have a bit of a wobble: frozen cards, online banking tantrums, and other financial adventuresUpdated 12 July 2026
- Essential Apps for Surviving Shenzhen in 2026Your complete guide to the digital tools you'll need to live, work, and thrive in Shenzhen. From WeChat to VPNs, here's what actually matters.Updated 12 July 2026
Visas & permits
- Bringing Your Family to ShenzhenEverything you need to know about S1 and S2 family visas for China: eligibility, documents, costs, and common pitfallsUpdated 2 April 2026
- Changing Employers in Shenzhen: A Foreigner's Guide to Work Permit TransfersEverything you need to know about switching jobs in Shenzhen as a foreigner, from resignation to getting your new work permit and residence permit sorted.Updated 12 July 2026
- Renewing Your Work Visa in Shenzhen: A Survival GuideComplete guide to renewing your work visa and residence permit in Shenzhen. Step-by-step process, required documents, costs, and common pitfalls for 2026.Updated 12 July 2026
- Residence Permit Conversion in Shenzhen (2026 Guide)Step-by-step guide to converting your Z visa to a residence permit in Shenzhen. Processing times, costs, required documents, and 2025-2026 policy changes.Updated 12 July 2026
- Work Visa (Z Visa) for ShenzhenComplete guide to obtaining a work visa (Z visa) for Shenzhen in 2025-2026. Step-by-step process, requirements, costs, and 2026 policy changes including age limits and salary thresholds.Updated 12 July 2026
Working in Shenzhen
Business
- Canton Fair Survival Guide: Your Essential Checklist for Attending the FairEverything you need to know about attending the 139th Canton Fair in Guangzhou, from registration to getting there from Shenzhen.Updated 12 July 2026
- Starting a businessA practical guide to registering a business in Shenzhen, from choosing your structure to navigating tax obligations and ongoing compliance.Updated 9 April 2026
Apartment life
Money & taxes
- Cost of Living in Shenzhen (2026 Guide)Complete cost of living guide for Shenzhen in 2026. Monthly budget breakdown by lifestyle, rent by district, food, transport, and salary expectations.Updated 12 July 2026
- Taxes for Foreigners in China: A Survival GuideEverything you need to know about individual income tax in China as a foreign national: residency rules, tax brackets, deductions, annual filing, Shenzhen's Qianhai incentives, and how to leave without loose ends.Updated 12 July 2026
Healthcare
- Emergency Services in ShenzhenA comprehensive guide to handling medical emergencies in Shenzhen, from dialling 120 to navigating hospitals and insuranceUpdated 1 April 2026
- English-Speaking Hospitals in Shenzhen (2026 Directory)Complete directory of English-speaking hospitals and clinics in Shenzhen. Costs, insurance, emergency services, and how to book appointments.Updated 12 July 2026
- How to See a Doctor in Shenzhen: The Complete Guide for 2026Everything you need to know about Shenzhen's healthcare system: public hospitals, international clinics, insurance, mental health support, and how to actually get seen without speaking Chinese.Updated 12 July 2026
Insurance
- Health insuranceGuide to health insurance options in Shenzhen, including mandatory social insurance and private international health insurance for expatriates. Updated April 2026 with latest contribution rates and premiums.Updated 9 April 2026
- Liability Insurance in Shenzhen: Do You Actually Need It?A practical guide to liability insurance in Shenzhen: what it covers, when you need it, what it costs, and whether it is worth the bother.Updated 10 April 2026
- Medical Insurance Claims in ShenzhenHow to claim medical expenses through Shenzhen social insurance and private policies: deadlines, documents, personal accounts, and where to go when a claim is rejected.Updated 12 July 2026
Getting around
- Cycling in Shenzhen: A Practical GuideEverything you need to know about cycling in Shenzhen: bike-sharing apps, buying a bicycle, registration rules, and staying alive in traffic.Updated 10 April 2026
- Hong Kong to Shenzhen: How to cross the borderA complete guide to crossing the Hong Kong-Shenzhen border by high-speed rail, metro, bus, ferry, and driving (Southbound Travel Scheme) in 2026.Updated 1 July 2026
- Vehicle Ownership in Shenzhen: A Reality CheckEverything you need to know about owning a car in Shenzhen: the license plate lottery, driver's license conversion, real costs, and why you might not want to bother.Updated 10 April 2026
Living in Shenzhen
- International Schools in ShenzhenA guide to all nineteen international schools in Shenzhen: curricula, fees, locations, and how to choose the right one for your child.Updated 12 July 2026
- Learning Chinese in ShenzhenA comprehensive guide to Mandarin study options in Shenzhen, from university programmes to private tutors, with costs, locations, and honest recommendations.Updated 12 July 2026
- Living in Bao'an: Airport Access, Shajing, and the Bay DevelopmentsThe Bao'an district hub: airport proximity, the Shajing satellite development, Huafa Snow World, and how this western district is transforming from industrial to residential.Updated 12 October 2026
- Living in Dapeng: The Resort PeninsulaThe Dapeng district hub: resort peninsula, best beaches in Shenzhen, diving, hiking, and the trade-offs of distance and limited development.Updated 12 October 2026
- Living in Futian: The Centre of EverythingThe Futian district hub: CBD living costs, the best-connected metro junction in Shenzhen, Huaqiangbei, and the guides you'll need to settle here.Updated 13 July 2026
- Living in Guangming: Science Park and New Town DreamsThe Guangming district hub: Shenzhen's newest district, science park development, research institutions, and the bet on future innovation.Updated 12 October 2026
- Living in Longgang: Space, Families, and Hakka HeritageThe Longgang district hub: Shenzhen's largest district, Hakka heritage, affordable space, and the trade-offs of distance from the centre.Updated 12 October 2026
- Living in Longhua: Transit Hub and the Middle GroundThe Longhua district hub: high-speed rail access, reasonable metro connections, and the compromise between cost and convenience for central city workers.Updated 12 October 2026
- Living in Luohu: Old Shenzhen, Best ValueThe Luohu district hub: the best-value rents in central Shenzhen, the Lo Wu border crossing, Dongmen's old-city chaos, and the guides you'll need to settle here.Updated 13 July 2026
- Living in Nanshan: The Expat and Tech HubThe Nanshan district hub: what it costs, where expats actually live (Shekou vs Hi-Tech Park vs Nantou), commutes, and the guides you'll need to settle here.Updated 13 July 2026
- Living in Pingshan: The Far East FrontierThe Pingshan district hub: Shenzhen's easternmost district, BYD's base, cheap housing, and the trade-offs of distance from central Shenzhen.Updated 12 October 2026
- Living in Yantian: Ports, Beaches, and MountainsThe Yantian district hub: container port, public beaches, hiking trails, and the trade-offs of a coastal lifestyle within Shenzhen.Updated 12 October 2026
- Making Friends in ShenzhenEverything you need to know about building a social circle in Shenzhen, from expat communities to WeChat groups, sports clubs to language exchanges.Updated 12 July 2026
- Severe Weather Safety in Shenzhen: Your Survival Guide for Typhoon SeasonEverything you need to know about surviving typhoon season in Shenzhen, from warning signals to emergency suppliesUpdated 12 July 2026
- Shenzhen's DistrictsComplete guide to Shenzhen's 10 districts plus nearby cities. Find the right neighbourhood for your lifestyle, budget, and commute.Updated 12 October 2026
- The Shenzhen Survival PhrasebookThe Chinese phrases that actually get used in Shenzhen: taxis, food, payments, emergencies, and show-this-to-the-driver cards, with characters, pinyin, and plain English.Updated 12 July 2026
Professional services
Newest guides
Living in Bao'an: Airport Access, Shajing, and the Bay Developments
Living in Dapeng: The Resort Peninsula
Living in Guangming: Science Park and New Town Dreams
Living in Longgang: Space, Families, and Hakka Heritage
Living in Longhua: Transit Hub and the Middle Ground
Living in Pingshan: The Far East Frontier
Living in Yantian: Ports, Beaches, and Mountains
Living in Futian: The Centre of Everything
Living in Luohu: Old Shenzhen, Best Value
Living in Nanshan: The Expat and Tech Hub
Recent updates
Living in Bao'an: Airport Access, Shajing, and the Bay Developments
Living in Dapeng: The Resort Peninsula
Shenzhen's Districts
Living in Guangming: Science Park and New Town Dreams
Living in Longgang: Space, Families, and Hakka Heritage
Living in Longhua: Transit Hub and the Middle Ground
Living in Pingshan: The Far East Frontier
Living in Yantian: Ports, Beaches, and Mountains