Foreign correspondents on temporary assignments in China should submit applications for visa in advance to Chinese embassies or consulates, relevant FAOs or the government units that are hosting them. Once approved, and after obtaining journalist visas, they may come to work in China.

Resident foreign correspondents can only engage in news reporting in accordance with the identity and scope of work they have registered with the Information Department. They may not conduct reporting under the name of a foreign news agency for which they have not registered, or conduct activities outside their registered scope of business.

Foreign correspondents accompanying delegation invited by government departments may only conduct press activities within the scope of the delegation's visit. If they wish to do reporting outside this scope, they should apply in advance through their hosts to the FAOs of the relevant provinces, centrally administered municipalities or autonomous regions.