Moving with children
Confirm each family member’s immigration route, school eligibility and temporary housing before signing a long lease.
Start with family visas →HomeShenzhen for Families
Shenzhen for Families · 深圳家庭
A big city.
A workable family life.
Start with school, commute and healthcare—not a glossy apartment. These five guides turn Shenzhen into a set of decisions your family can actually make.
The family compass
Five decisions, in the right order.
Shenzhen is easy to underestimate on a map. A school run can cross half the city; a hospital that works well in English may not be the closest one; the best weekend is often a neighbourhood park, not a headline attraction. Use these guides together, then verify admissions, healthcare and opening details directly before acting.
01 · Home base
Raising children in Shenzhen
Paperwork, routines, language, support networks and the family file to build before you need it.
Build the family system → 02 · EducationInternational schools
Choose by eligibility, exit curriculum, support, complete cost and a commute tested at school-run time.
Shortlist schools → 03 · Where to liveFamily neighbourhoods
Compare Shekou, Nanshan, Futian, Qianhai and Longhua through a family—not investment—lens.
Compare areas → 04 · Health planHealthcare for families
Emergency numbers, paediatric options, vaccinations, insurance questions and a bilingual care plan.
Make the plan → 05 · Time togetherActivities with children
Choose by age, weather and energy—from free parks to museums, waterfronts and theme parks.
Plan a family day →Start where you are
You do not need to solve everything today.
Choosing a school
Read the citywide orientation, make a written shortlist, then take the same scorecard to every campus.
Open the schools guide →Already settled
Pressure-test the routine: paediatric plan, school commute, wet-weather option and one easy local weekend.
Check the family health plan →Keep once, use often
Build one secure family file.
IdentityPassports, visas or permits, birth and relationship documents, current address registration.
EducationReports, references, curriculum history, support assessments and vaccination records requested by school.
HealthAllergies, medication names and doses, immunisation history, insurance details and emergency contacts.
Daily lifeSchool and caregiver contacts, bilingual home address, pickup permissions and a family meeting point.