I. Scope of Application:

Multi-child families that meet the withdrawal-for-rental regulations in Shanghai may apply for withdrawal of the housing provident fund according to their actual rent expense. “Multi-child families” refer to families with two or more children, at least one of whom being a minor, that comply with the country’s fertility policy.

An employee (hereinafter referred to as the “applicant”) and their spouse in multi-child families may withdraw the housing provident fund according to their actual rent expense if:

(I) The applicant has made contributions to the housing provident fund in full for at least three consecutive months in Shanghai;

(II) The applicant and their spouse do not own housing in Shanghai and they rent housing in the rental market or rent, in accordance with the relevant policies and regulations of the city, public rental housing and government-subsidized rental housing identified and integrated into the unified management by the competent government departments and keep the rental on record in accordance with the regulations;

(III) The applicant and their spouse have no housing provident fund loan, no entrusted withdrawal of the housing provident fund to repay housing loans, or any other effective withdrawal business in Shanghai;

(IV) At least one minor child and the applicant or their spouse live together in Shanghai for more than half a year (included);

(V) The applicant and their spouse can withdraw the housing provident fund to pay the rent of only one house.

The applicant’s spouse should also meet the conditions if they want to withdraw the housing provident fund.

II. Application Materials:

1. Identity proof documents: materials like ID card, marriage certificate to certify marital status, etc.;

2. Materials required for multi-child families: Medical certificate of birth, and household register (for local Shanghai residents) or Shanghai residence card (for people from other places living in Shanghai) of the applicant or spouse and their minor child;

3. Rent proof documents: Rental contract; tax-control invoice for the rent payment if the housing is rented in the rental market;

4. A Class I debit card under the applicant’s name of the housing provident fund bank.

If the applicant’s spouse is also engaged in the withdrawal, they should be present together and get things done in one go. The spouse should also provide their ID card and a Class I debit card of the housing provident fund bank under the spouse’s name.

If, according to the regulations, an electronic license issued by the municipal government department can be used, the applicant can provide that electronic license instead of the paper materials.

III. Service Methods:

Offline:

Service outlets of the Shanghai Provident Fund Management Center and service outlets of China Construction Bank for the housing provident fund

Online:

“Suishenban” service platform (available at the end of May 2023) 

IV. Processing Period:

If the applicant provides all the information and materials required for application, the Shanghai Provident Fund Management Center will review the applicant’s family information and rental information according to the regulations. The Center shall, within three working days from the date of acceptance of the application (not including the time required for reviewing the applicant’s family information and rental information), make a decision on granting the withdrawal or not and notify the applicant of the result. If there is any doubt about the information provided by the applicant, the applicant may be required to provide other valid supporting information.

V. Notes:

1. If the applicant’s spouse applies for withdrawal of the housing provident fund to pay rent, the withdrawal should be handled at one go;

2. In the case of public rental housing and government-subsidized rental housing, the actual rent shall be the rent recorded in the online registered and filed contract; in the case of rental housing in the rental market, the actual rent shall be the rent recorded in the online registered and filed contract and the tax-control invoice for rent payment.

3. The applicant can apply for quarterly withdrawal; the time interval between two withdrawals should be at least three months; the application time must not be later than six months after the termination of the house lease contract.

4. If the applicant has withdrawn the housing provident fund to pay rent in accordance with other current provisions, those provisions shall prevail; the portion that is not fully withdrawn will not be replenished.