Measures on the Examination, Approval, and Registration of Venues for Religious Activity (CECC Full Translation)
The following is a translation prepared by the Congressional-Executive Commission on China of the "Measures on the Examination, Approval, and Registration of Venues for Religious Activity," issued by the State Administration for Religious Affairs on April 21, 2005. The Chinese text was retrieved from the State Administration for Religious Affairs Web site on January 27, 2006.
Measures on the Examination, Approval, and Registration of Venues for Religious Activity
State Administration for Religious Affairs Decree Number 2
These "Measures on the Examination, Approval, and Registration of Venues for Religious Activity" were adopted by the State Administration for Religious Affairs Work Meeting on April 14, 2005 and are hereby issued. The measures automatically enter into force as of this date.
Director, State Administration for Religious Affairs Ye Xiaowen
April 21, 2005
Measures on the Examination, Approval, and Registration of Venues for Religious Activity
Article 1. These measures have been formulated according to the pertinent stipulations in the Regulation on Religious Affairs.
Article 2. Venues for religious activity are divided into two categories: Buddhist temples, Daoist temples, mosques, and churches; and other fixed venues for religious activity. The standards for concretely differentiating between these two types of venues for religious activity are formulated by the religious affairs bureau of the people's government in each province, autonomous region, or directly administered municipality, based on the actual conditions of the locality, and then reported for the record to the State Administration for Religious Affairs.
Article 3. Preparing to establish a venue for religious activity in general should be done by having the county (city, district, or banner) religious organization put forth an application. If the county (city, district, or banner) in the planned area of establishment does not have a religious organization, the application may be put forth by the city (prefectural-level city, prefecture, or league) religious organization in that area of planned establishment. If the city (prefectural-level city, prefecture, or league) in the planned area of establishment does not have a religious organization, the application may be put forth by the religious organization of the province, autonomous region, or directly administered municipality in that area of planned establishment. If the province, autonomous region, or directly administered municipality in the planned area of establishment does not have a religious organization, the application may be put forth by the national-level religious organization. The county-level religious affairs bureau is the office that receives applications for preparing to establish a venue for religious activity.
Article 4. Organizations applying to prepare a venue for religious activity must put forth a plan to establish a preparatory committee. After receiving approval through the application process, the organization must formally establish a preparatory committee responsible for preparation arrangements. The preparatory committee should be composed of such people as concerned personnel from the religious organization, religious personnel planning to lead religious activities or other personnel qualified by the stipulations of the religion, and representatives from among religious believers at the site to be established.
Article 5. Applying to prepare for the establishment of a venue for religious activity requires filling out the "Application Form for Preparing to Establish a Venue for Religious Activity" and submitting the following materials:
1) An explanation of the circumstances of the religious citizens in the site of planned establishment.
2) A basic overview and household registration of the religious personnel planning to lead religious activities or other personnel qualified by the stipulations of the religion, as well as proof of residence status and status as religious personnel.
3) Basic overview of the members of the preparatory committee to be established, including household registration and proof of residence status. (Members in the religious profession must also include proof of status as religious personnel.)
4) Proof of necessary funds.
5) Explanation of the feasibility of the planned establishment area and planned venue.
6) Other necessary related materials.
Article 6. County-level religious affairs bureaus, upon receiving the application of the planned establishment of the venue for religious activity, must, if they intend to approve the site, solicit the opinions of the town and township government or street committee office in the area planned for establishing the venue for religious activity.
Article 7. Items for the preparation of the establishment of a venue for religious activity must be completed during the time limit of approval for the planned establishment. The preparatory committee should report the situation on preparing the venue to the county-level religious affairs bureau in a timely manner. Regional religious affairs bureaus at or above the county level in the area of establishment must conduct a supervisory inspection of the preparatory progress.
Article 8. Before registering, the preparatory committee must form a management committee for the venue through democratic consultation. The management committee should be comprised of such people as religious personnel or other personnel qualified by the stipulations of the religion to lead religious activities, and representatives from among religious believers at the site to be established.
Article 9. After completion of preparatory activity for the venue for religious activity, the management committee of the said venue is responsible for applying to register the venue at the county-level religious affairs bureau. Applying to register a venue for religious activity requires filling out the "Application Form to Register a Venue for Religious Activity" and submitting the following materials:
1) An explanation of the circumstances of the management committee established through democratic consultation.
2) Management committee members' household registration and proof of residence status.
3) Household registration, proof of residence status, and status as religious personnel for the religious personnel planning to lead religious activities or other personnel qualified by the stipulations of the religion.
4) A copy of the relevant charter documents.
5) Evidence relating to the buildings and structures within the venue. (For newly established structures, it is necessary to provide the plan and proof of passing inspection by construction, fire prevention, and other departments. For remodeled and expanded structures, it is necessary to provide proof of right of title or use, and proof of passing safety inspection for fire prevention. For rented structures, it is necessary to provide proof of passing safety inspection for fire prevention and proof of right of use for over one year.)
6) An explanation of lawful financial resources.
Article 10. The "Certificate of Registration for a Venue for Religious Activity" and related forms are printed by the provincial-level religious affairs bureaus in accordance with the style set by the State Administration for Religious Affairs. The "Certificate of Registration for a Venue for Religious Activity" may not be altered, transferred, or lent. If the certificate is lost, an application for a replacement must be made in a timely manner to the office in charge of managing registration.
Article 11. Venues for religious activity that registered in accordance with the Regulation on the Management of Venues for Religious Activity, before the enactment of the Regulation on Religious Affairs, do not need to register again.
Article 12. Other fixed places for religious activity for which it is necessary to change into Buddhist temples, Daoist temples, mosques, or churches must handle the matter in accordance with the process for the examination and approval of temples, mosques, and churches stipulated in article 13 of the Regulation on Religious Affairs, as well as the stipulations in article 16 on handling changes in registration.
Article 13. If planning to establish a venue for religious activity in a district (county or city) within a directly administered municipality, an application may be put forth directly to the district (county or city) religious affairs bureau in that municipality. This religious affairs bureau can approve preparations to establish other fixed places for religious activity. District (county, city) religious affairs bureaus in the directly administered city are the offices in charge of managing the registration of venues for religious activity in the area.
Article 14. If an area planning to establish a site of religious activity has not established a city-level people's government, the application for preparing to establish a site of religious activity is to be reported to the provincial-level religious affairs bureau for examination and approval, after examination and verification by the county-level religious affairs bureau.
Article 15. These measures automatically enter into effect on the day of promulgation. The Measures on the Registration of Venues for Religious Activity, promulgated by the State Council Religious Affairs Bureau in 1994, are annulled upon entry into force of these measures.
《宗教活动场所设立审批和登记办法》
国家宗教事务局令
第2号
《宗教活动场所设立审批和登记办法》已于2005年4月14日经国家宗教事务局局务会议通过，现予以发布，自发布之日起施行。
局长 叶小文
二○○五年四月二十一日
宗教活动场所设立审批和登记办法
第一条 根据《宗教事务条例》的有关规定,制定本办法。
第二条 宗教活动场所分为寺院、宫观、清真寺、教堂和其他固定宗教活动处所两类。两类宗教活动场所的具体区分标准，由各省、自治区、直辖市人民政府宗教事务部门根据本地实际情况制定，报国家宗教事务局备案。
第三条 筹备设立宗教活动场所，一般应当由拟设立地的县（市、区、旗）宗教团体提出申请。如拟设立地的县（市、区、旗）无宗教团体的，可由拟设立地的设区的市 （地、州、盟）宗教团体提出申请；拟设立地的市（地、州、盟）无宗教团体的，可由拟设立地的省、自治区、直辖市宗教团体提出申请；拟设立地的省、自治区、 直辖市无宗教团体的，可由全国性宗教团体提出申请。
县级人民政府宗教事务部门是筹备设立宗教活动场所申请的受理机关。
第四条 申请筹备宗教活动场所的宗教团体应当提出筹备组织组建方案，在申请获批准后，正式成立筹备组织，负责筹备事宜。筹备组织应当由本宗教团体的有关人员、拟主持宗教活动的宗教教职人员或者符合本宗教规定的其他人员、拟设立地信教公民代表等组成。
第五条 申请筹备设立宗教活动场所，应当填写《宗教活动场所筹备设立申请表》，同时提交下列材料：
（一）拟设立地信教公民的有关情况说明；
（二）拟主持宗教活动的宗教教职人员或者符合本宗教规定的其他人员的基本情况及户籍、居民身份和教职身份证明；
（三）拟成立的筹备组织成员的基本情况、户籍和居民身份证明(属宗教教职人员的，还应当提供教职身份证明)；
（四）必要的资金证明；
（五）拟设立地点和拟设立场所的可行性说明；
（六）需要提供的其他有关材料。
第六条 县级人民政府宗教事务部门在受理筹备设立宗教活动场所的申请后，对拟同意的，应当征求拟设立地乡镇人民政府、街道办事处的意见。
第七条 宗教活动场所的筹备设立事项，应当在批准的筹备设立期限内完成。筹备组织应当将筹备情况及时向设立地的县级人民政府宗教事务部门报告。
设立地的县级以上地方人民政府宗教事务部门应当对筹备设立的进展情况进行监督检查。
第八条 宗教活动场所在登记前，应当由筹备组织负责，民主协商成立该场所的管理组织。管理组织应当由宗教教职人员或者符合本宗教规定的主持宗教活动的其他人员和设立地信教公民代表等组成。
第九条 宗教活动场所完成筹备后，由该场所管理组织负责向所在地县级人民政府宗教事务部门申请登记。
申请登记宗教活动场所，应填写《宗教活动场所登记申请表》，同时提交下列材料：
（一）民主协商成立管理组织的情况说明；
（二）管理组织成员的户籍和居民身份证明；
（三）主持宗教活动的宗教教职人员或者符合本宗教规定的其他人员的户籍、居民身份和教职身份证明；
（四）有关规章制度文本；
（五）场所房屋等建筑物的有关证明（属新建的，应当提供规划、建筑、消防等部门的验收合格证明；属改扩建的，应当提供房屋所有权或者使用权证明和消防安全验收合格证明；属租借的，应当提供消防安全验收合格证明和一年期以上的使用权证明）；
（六）合法的经济来源的情况说明。
第十条 《宗教活动场所登记证》和有关表格，由各省、自治区、直辖市人民政府宗教事务部门按照国家宗教事务局制定的式样印制。
《宗教活动场所登记证》不得涂改、转让、出借。证书遗失的，应当及时向登记管理机关申请补办。
第十一条 在《宗教事务条例》施行前，已按照《宗教活动场所管理条例》有关规定登记的宗教活动场所，不再重新进行登记。
第十二条 其他固定宗教活动处所需要变更为寺院、宫观、清真寺、教堂的，须按照《宗教事务条例》第十三条规定的寺观教堂的审批程序办理，并按照《宗教事务条例》第十六条规定办理变更登记。
第十三条 拟在直辖市的区（县、市）筹备设立宗教活动场所，可直接向直辖市的区（县、市）人民政府宗教事务部门提出申请。直辖市的区（县、市）人民政府宗教事务部门可以批准筹备设立其他固定宗教活动处所。
直辖市的区（县、市）人民政府宗教事务部门是当地宗教活动场所的登记管理机关。
第十四条 拟筹备设立宗教活动场所的地区，如未设置设区的市级人民政府，筹备设立宗教活动场所的申请，由县级人民政府宗教事务部门审核后，直接报省级人民政府宗教事务部门审批。
第十五条 本办法自公布之日起施行。1994年国务院宗教事务局颁发的《宗教活动场所登记办法》同时废止。