Passport Law of the People's Republic of China
The following translation was retrieved from the the Ministry of Commerce Foreign Direct Investment Web site on December 11, 2006. The Chinese text was retrieved from the Xinhua Web site on June 1, 2006.
Passport Law of the People's Republic of China
Promulgated by the 21st Session of the Standing Committee of the 10th National People's Congress of the People's Republic of China on April 29, 2006 and effective as of January 1, 2007
Article 1 The present Law is formulated in order to regulate the application, issuance and management of passports of the People's Republic of China, guarantee rights and interests of citizens of the People's Republic of China exiting and entering the People's Republic of China and promote the intercourse with foreign countries.
Article 2 Passports of the People's Republic of China are the certificates, upon which the citizens of the People's Republic of China exit and enter China and prove their nationalities and identities when they are staying abroad.
No organization or individual may forge, alter, transfer, deliberately damage or destroy, or illegally hold or detain any passport.
Article 3 Passports are classified into ordinary passports, diplomatic passports and service passports.
Passports shall be recommended by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to foreign governments through the diplomatic channel.
Article 4 Ordinary passports shall be issued by the entry and exit administration department of the Ministry of Public Security or the entry and exit administration departments of the public security organs of local people's governments at or above the county level as authorized by the Ministry of Public Security, and the embassies or consulates stationed outside the People's Republic of China or other institutions stationed abroad upon the authorization of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Diplomatic passports shall be issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Service passports shall be issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the embassies or consulates stationed outside the People's Republic of China or other institutions stationed abroad upon the authorization of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the foreign affairs departments of the people's governments of provinces, autonomous regions, municipalities directly under the Central Government and districted cities upon the authorization of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Article 5 Where a citizen goes abroad for residence, visiting relatives, study, employment, travel, business activities or other non-official service reasons, he shall file an application for an ordinary passport with the entry and exit administration department of the public security organ of the local people's government at the county level or above where his own permanent residence is located.
Article 6 When applying for an ordinary passport, a citizen shall submit his own identity card, residence booklet, recent bare-headed full-face photos and materials related to the reasons for the application. Where a state functionary applies for an ordinary passport for any reason as prescribed in Article 5 of the present Law, he shall additionally submit relevant certification documents according to relevant provisions of the state.
The entry and exit administration department of the public security organ shall issue an ordinary passport within 15 days after receiving the application materials. If it disapproves the issuance of a passport since the application does not meet relevant provisions, it shall give the applicant a written explanation and inform him of his right to apply for an administrative review or to lodge an administrative lawsuit.
In a remote region or area without convenient traffics, or under special circumstances, if it is unable to issue a passport within the time limit, the time limit may be extended to 30 days upon the approval of the principal of the passport issuance department.
Where a citizen requests for going through relevant formalities urgently for obtaining a passport at an earlier date due to any reasonable emergency, the entry and exit administration department of the public security organ shall handle relevant formalities timely.
Article 7 The items registered on an ordinary passport shall include the name, gender, birth date and birth place of the passport holder, as well as the issuance date, valid period, issuance place and issuance organ of the passport.
The valid period of an ordinary passport shall be five years for a holder under the age of 16, and 10 years for a holder at or above the age of 16.
The detailed measures for the issuance of ordinary passports shall be formulated by the Ministry of Public Security.
Article 8 Diplomatic officials, consular officials and their accompanying spouses and minor children, and diplomatic messengers shall hold and use diplomatic passports.
The personnel dispatched by the Chinese Government to the embassies or consulates stationed outside the People's Republic of China, or to the United Nations, special agencies of the United Nations and other international inter-governmental organizations, as well as their accompanying spouses and minor children, shall hold and use service passports.
Where any citizen other than those as prescribed in the preceding two paragraphs goes abroad to execute any official business, his working unit shall file an application with the department of foreign affairs according to the provisions of Paragraphs 2 and 3 of Article 4 of the present Law. The department of foreign affairs shall, in light of actual demands, issue a diplomatic passport or service passport.
Article 9 The items registered on a diplomatic passport or service passport shall include the name, gender, birth date and birth place of the passport holder, as well as the issuance date, valid period and issuance organ of the passport.
The issuance scope, issuance measures and valid period of diplomatic passports and service passports, and the detailed categories of service passports shall be formulated by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Article 10 Where any passport holder modifies any of the items registered on the passport, he shall, upon the strength of relevant certification materials, file an application with the issuance organ for modifying the passport or adding a note to the passport.
Article 11 Under any of the following circumstances, the passport holder may apply for changing the passport for a new one or reissuing a passport according to relevant provisions:
(1) The valid period of the passport will expire soon;
(2) The visa pages of the passport will be used up;
(3) The passport is damaged or destroyed and cannot be used any more;
(4) The passport is lost or stolen; or
(5) Other circumstances under which it is justifiable to change or reissue a passport.
When applying for changing an ordinary passport for a new one or reissuing an ordinary passport, the passport holder himself, if within China, shall file an application with the entry and exit administration department of the public security organ of the local people's government at the county level or above where his registered permanent residence is located; if outside China, he himself shall file an application with the embassies or consulates stationed outside the People's Republic of China, or with any other institutions stationed abroad upon the authorization of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Where a Chinese citizen, who resides abroad, after returning to China, applies for changing an ordinary passport for a new one or reissuing an ordinary passport, he himself shall file an application with the entry and exit administration department of the public security organ of the local people's government at the county level or above where his temporary abode is located.
The change or reissue of diplomatic passports or service passports shall accord with relevant provisions of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Article 12 A passport shall be readable either by human eyesight or by machine.
The anti-counterfeiting performance of a passport shall be made by referring to the international technical standards.
The passport issuance departments and their functionaries shall keep in confidence the personal information of citizens that they have accessed to when producing or issuing passports.
Article 13 Under any of the following circumstances, the passport issuance departments shall not issue any passport to the applicant:
(1) He does not have the nationality of the People's Republic of China;
(2) He is unable to prove his identity;
(3) He cheats during the process of application;
(4) He has been sentenced to any criminal punishment and is serving the sentence at present;
(5) The people's courts notice that he is not permitted to leave China because he is involved in pending civil case;
(6) He is a defendant or criminal suspect of a criminal case; or
(7) The competent organs of the State Council believe that his leaving China will do harm to the state security or result in serious losses to the benefits of the state.
Article 14 In case an applicant is under any of the following circumstances, the passport issuance departments shall not issue to him any passport within six months to three years as of the day when he completes the criminal punishment or is repatriated to China:
(1) He is sentenced to any criminal punishment due to his hindering the administration of national border (frontier); or
(2) He is repatriated to China due to his illegal exiting China, illegal dwelling or illegal employment overseas.
Article 15 The people's courts, people's procuratorates, organs of public security, organs of state security, organs of administrative supervision may, in light of the needs for handling cases, detain the passports of persons concerned in the cases.
Where a person concerned in a case refuses to hand in his passport, the state organs as prescribed in the preceding paragraph may propose the passport issuance department to announce the invalidation of the passport of the person concerned.
Article 16 Where a passport holder loses his nationality of the People's Republic of China, or the passport of the holder is lost or stolen, the passport shall be announced to be invalid by the passport issuance department.
The passport, which is fabricated, altered, obtained by cheating, or announced invalid by the issuance organ, shall be invalid
Article 17 Where any person obtains a passport by cheating, the passport shall be taken over by the passport issuance department or be announced invalid. The public security organs shall give him a fine not less than 2, 000 yuan but not more than 5, 000 yuan. If any crime is constituted, he shall be subject to criminal liabilities.
Article 18 Where any person offers to others any fabricated or altered passport, or sells any passport, he shall be subject to criminal liabilities. If the circumstance is not serious enough to make him subject to criminal liabilities, the public security organs shall confiscate his illegal gains, detain him for not less than 10 days but not more than 15 days, and impose a fine upon him not less than 2, 000 yuan but not more than 5, 000 yuan. The illegal passports as well as the printing and production equipment shall also be taken over by the public security organs.
Article 19 Where a person exits or enters the national border (frontier) by holding a fabricated or altered passport or by holding the passport of another person, he shall be punished by the public security organs according to the laws on entry and exit administration, and the illegal passport shall be taken over by the public security organs.
Article 20 Where any functionary of a passport issuance department commits any of the following acts during the process of handling a passport, he shall be imposed upon an administrative disciplinary meausure. If any crime is constituted, he shall be subject to criminal liabilities:
(1) Failing to accept an application that he should have accepted;
(2) Not issuing a passport within the statutory time limit without any justifiable reason;
(3) Charging any fee beyond the standards as prescribed by the state;
(4) Extorting or accepting bribes from any applicant;
(5) Impairing the legitimate rights and interests of any citizen due to leaking personal information of the citizen that he has accessed to when producing or issuing a passport; or
(6) Other acts such as abusing his power, neglecting his duties and seeking private benefits.
Article 21 Ordinary passports shall conform to the format as prescribed by the Ministry of Public Security and be made under the supervision of the Ministry of Public Security. Diplomatic passports and service passports shall conform to the formats as prescribed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and shall be made under the supervision of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Article 22 The passport issuance departments may collect the costs of passports and the note fees for passports. The costs of passports and the note fees charged shall be turned over to the state treasury.
The standards on the costs of passports and the note fees shall be prescribed and announced by the pricing administration department of the State Council jointly with the finance department of the State Council.
Article 23 As for a citizen whose passport is lost, stolen, destroyed or damaged while he stays abroad for a short period, he shall file an application for a travel certificate with the embassies or consulates stationed outside the People's Republic of China or with any other institutions stationed abroad upon the authorization of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Article 24 A citizen, who engages in border trade, border traveling service or participates in border travel, may file an application for an entry and exit pass with the entry and exit administration department of the public security organs of the local people's governments at or above the county level upon the authorization of the Ministry of Public Security.
Article 25 A citizen, who exits and enters the national border or works in a foreign ship as a seaman, shall file an application for a seaman certificate of the People's Republic of China with the maritime administration department upon the authorization of the Ministry of Communications.
Article 26 The present Law shall come into force as of January 1, 2007. The passports issued prior to the implementation of the present Law shall remain valid during their respective valid periods.
中华人民共和国护照法
（2006年4月29日第十届全国人民代表大会常务委员会第二十一次会议通过）
第一条 为了规范中华人民共和国护照的申请、签发和管理，保障中华人民共和国公民出入中华人民共和国国境的权益，促进对外交往，制定本法。
第二条 中华人民共和国护照是中华人民共和国公民出入国境和在国外证明国籍和身份的证件。
任何组织或者个人不得伪造、变造、转让、故意损毁或者非法扣押护照。
第三条 护照分为普通护照、外交护照和公务护照。
护照由外交部通过外交途径向外国政府推介。
第四条 普通护照由公安部出入境管理机构或者公安部委托的县级以上地方人民政府公安机关出入境管理机构以及中华人民共和国驻外使馆、领馆和外交部委托的其他驻外机构签发。
外交护照由外交部签发。
公务护照由外交部、中华人民共和国驻外使馆、领馆或者外交部委托的其他驻外机构以及外交部委托的省、自治区、直辖市和设区的市人民政府外事部门签发。
第五条 公民因前往外国定居、探亲、学习、就业、旅行、从事商务活动等非公务原因出国的，由本人向户籍所在地的县级以上地方人民政府公安机关出入境管理机构申请普通护照。
第六条 公民申请普通护照，应当提交本人的居民身份证、户口簿、近期免冠照片以及申请事由的相关材料。国家工作人员因本法第五条规定的原因出境申请普通护照的，还应当按照国家有关规定提交相关证明文件。
公安机关出入境管理机构应当自收到申请材料之日起十五日内签发普通护照；对不符合规定不予签发的，应当书面说明理由，并告知申请人享有依法申请行政复议或者提起行政诉讼的权利。
在偏远地区或者交通不便的地区或者因特殊情况，不能按期签发护照的，经护照签发机关负责人批准，签发时间可以延长至三十日。
公民因合理紧急事由请求加急办理的，公安机关出入境管理机构应当及时办理。
第七条 普通护照的登记项目包括：护照持有人的姓名、性别、出生日期、出生地，护照的签发日期、有效期、签发地点和签发机关。
普通护照的有效期为：护照持有人未满十六周岁的五年，十六周岁以上的十年。
普通护照的具体签发办法，由公安部规定。
第八条 外交官员、领事官员及其随行配偶、未成年子女和外交信使持用外交护照。
在中华人民共和国驻外使馆、领馆或者联合国、联合国专门机构以及其他政府间国际组织中工作的中国政府派出的职员及其随行配偶、未成年子女持用公务护照。
前两款规定之外的公民出国执行公务的，由其工作单位依照本法第四条第二款、第三款的规定向外交部门提出申请，由外交部门根据需要签发外交护照或者公务护照。
第九条 外交护照、公务护照的登记项目包括：护照持有人的姓名、性别、出生日期、出生地，护照的签发日期、有效期和签发机关。
外交护照、公务护照的签发范围、签发办法、有效期以及公务护照的具体类别，由外交部规定。
第十条 护照持有人所持护照的登记事项发生变更时，应当持相关证明材料，向护照签发机关申请护照变更加注。
第十一条 有下列情形之一的，护照持有人可以按照规定申请换发或者补发护照：
（一）护照有效期即将届满的；
（二）护照签证页即将使用完毕的；
（三）护照损毁不能使用的；
（四）护照遗失或者被盗的；
（五）有正当理由需要换发或者补发护照的其他情形。
护照持有人申请换发或者补发普通护照，在国内，由本人向户籍所在地的县级以上地方人民政府公安机关出入境管理机构提出；在国外，由本人向中华人民共和国驻 外使馆、领馆或者外交部委托的其他驻外机构提出。定居国外的中国公民回国后申请换发或者补发普通护照的，由本人向暂住地的县级以上地方人民政府公安机关出 入境管理机构提出。
外交护照、公务护照的换发或者补发，按照外交部的有关规定办理。
第十二条 护照具备视读与机读两种功能。
护照的防伪性能参照国际技术标准制定。
护照签发机关及其工作人员对因制作、签发护照而知悉的公民个人信息，应当予以保密。
第十三条 申请人有下列情形之一的，护照签发机关不予签发护照：
（一）不具有中华人民共和国国籍的；
（二）无法证明身份的；
（三）在申请过程中弄虚作假的；
（四）被判处刑罚正在服刑的；
（五）人民法院通知有未了结的民事案件不能出境的；
（六）属于刑事案件被告人或者犯罪嫌疑人的；
（七）国务院有关主管部门认为出境后将对国家安全造成危害或者对国家利益造成重大损失的。
第十四条 申请人有下列情形之一的，护照签发机关自其刑罚执行完毕或者被遣返回国之日起六个月至三年以内不予签发护照：
（一）因妨害国（边）境管理受到刑事处罚的；
（二）因非法出境、非法居留、非法就业被遣返回国的。
第十五条 人民法院、人民检察院、公安机关、国家安全机关、行政监察机关因办理案件需要，可以依法扣押案件当事人的护照。
案件当事人拒不交出护照的，前款规定的国家机关可以提请护照签发机关宣布案件当事人的护照作废。
第十六条 护照持有人丧失中华人民共和国国籍，或者护照遗失、被盗等情形，由护照签发机关宣布该护照作废。
伪造、变造、骗取或者被签发机关宣布作废的护照无效。
第十七条 弄虚作假骗取护照的，由护照签发机关收缴护照或者宣布护照作废；由公安机关处二千元以上五千元以下罚款；构成犯罪的，依法追究刑事责任。
第十八条 为他人提供伪造、变造的护照，或者出售护照的，依法追究刑事责任；尚不够刑事处罚的，由公安机关没收违法所得，处十日以上十五日以下拘留，并处二千元以上五千元以下罚款；非法护照及其印制设备由公安机关收缴。
第十九条 持用伪造或者变造的护照或者冒用他人护照出入国（边）境的，由公安机关依照出境入境管理的法律规定予以处罚；非法护照由公安机关收缴。
第二十条 护照签发机关工作人员在办理护照过程中有下列行为之一的，依法给予行政处分；构成犯罪的，依法追究刑事责任：
（一）应当受理而不予受理的；
（二）无正当理由不在法定期限内签发的；
（三）超出国家规定标准收取费用的；
（四）向申请人索取或者收受贿赂的；
（五）泄露因制作、签发护照而知悉的公民个人信息，侵害公民合法权益的；
（六）滥用职权、玩忽职守、徇私舞弊的其他行为。
第二十一条 普通护照由公安部规定式样并监制；外交护照、公务护照由外交部规定式样并监制。
第二十二条 护照签发机关可以收取护照的工本费、加注费。收取的工本费和加注费上缴国库。
护照工本费和加注费的标准由国务院价格行政部门会同国务院财政部门规定、公布。
第二十三条 短期出国的公民在国外发生护照遗失、被盗或者损毁不能使用等情形，应当向中华人民共和国驻外使馆、领馆或者外交部委托的其他驻外机构申请中华人民共和国旅行证。
第二十四条 公民从事边境贸易、边境旅游服务或者参加边境旅游等情形，可以向公安部委托的县级以上地方人民政府公安机关出入境管理机构申请中华人民共和国出入境通行证。
第二十五条 公民以海员身份出入国境和在国外船舶上从事工作的，应当向交通部委托的海事管理机构申请中华人民共和国海员证。
第二十六条 本法自2007年1月1日起施行。本法施行前签发的护照在有效期内继续有效。（完）
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