(Adopted at the 27th meeting of the Standing Committee of the Eleventh National People’s Congress on June 30, 2012)
Chapter III Entry and Exit of Foreigners
Section 1 Visa
Article 15 In order to entering China, foreigners shall apply to the visa-issuing authorities stationed abroad for a visa, except as otherwise provided for in this Law.
Article 17 The registered items of a visa shall include visa type, name, sex, date of birth, number of allowed entries, validity period of entry and duration of stay of the holder, date and place of issuance, as well as passport number or other international travel documents number.
Article 18 Foreigners who apply for visas shall submit their passports or other international travel documents, as well as information of specific application matters, to the visa-issuing authorities stationed abroad. They shall go through relevant formalities and accept interviews in accordance with the requirements of the visa-issuing authorities stationed abroad.
Article 21 Under any of the following circumstances, visas shall not be issued to foreigners:
(1) Was deported, or was repatriated upon decision, and the No-Entry-into-China period has not expired;
(2) Is suffering from serious mental disorders, infectious tuberculosis or other infectious diseases that may severely jeopardize the public health;
(3) May endanger China’s national security or interests, or disrupt social and public order, or engage in other illegal or criminal activities;
(4) Resort to fraudulent acts in visa application or cannot guarantee expected expenditures during their stay in China;
(5) Fail to submit relevant information required by the visa-issuing authorities; or
(6) Other circumstances in which visa authorities consider a visa should not be issued.
The visa-issuing authorities are not required to give reasons for refusing the issuance of a visa.
Section 2 Entry and Exit
Article 24 Foreigners who enter China shall submit their passports, other international travel documents, visas or other entry permits to the exit/entry border inspection authorities for examination, go through the prescribed formalities, and may enter upon examination and approval.
Article 25 Under any of the following circumstances, foreigners shall not be allowed to enter China:
(1) Hold no valid exit/entry documents, or refuse or evade border inspection;
(2) Are involved in any of the circumstances specified in Subparagraph (1) through (4) of the first paragraph of Article 21 of this Law;
(3) May engage in activities not conform to the types of visa after entering China; or
(4) Other circumstances in which entry is not allowed in accordance with laws or administrative regulations.
Exit/entry border inspection authorities are not required to give reasons for denying an entry.
Article 26 Exit/entry border inspection authorities shall order foreigners who are denied entry in China to return, and shall force the return of those who refuse to do so. While waiting for return, those foreigners shall not leave the restricted zones.
Article 27 Foreigners who exit China shall submit their exit/entry documents including passports or other international travel documents to the exit/entry border inspection authorities for examination, go through prescribed formalities, and may exit upon examination and approval.
Article 28 Under any of the following circumstances, foreigners shall not be allowed to exit China:
(1) Are sentenced to criminal punishments, the execution of which are not completed, or suspects or defendants in criminal cases, except those who are sentenced and transferred under relevant agreements between China and foreign countries;
(2) Are involved in unsettled civil cases and are not allowed to exit China upon decision of the people’s courts;
(3) Are in arrears of paying off labor remuneration and therefore are not allowed to exit by decision of the relevant departments under the State Council or of the people’s governments of provinces, autonomous regions or municipalities directly under the Central Government; or
(4) Other circumstances in which exit shall not be allowed in accordance with laws or administrative regulations.
Chapter IV Stay and Residence of Foreigners
Section 1 Stay and Residence
Article 29 Where the duration of stay specified in a visa held by a foreigner does not exceed 180 days, the holder may stay in China within the duration specified therein.
Where the duration of stay needs to be extended, the visa holder shall file an application with the exit/entry administration of public security organ under the local people’s government at or above the county level in the place of his stay seven days prior to the expiry of the duration specified in the visa, and shall submit information of specific application matters in accordance with relevant requirements. If upon examination, the reasons for extension are appropriate and sufficient, such extension shall be granted; if an extension is denied, the foreigner shall leave China on the expiry of the duration.
The accumulated length of extension shall not exceed the original duration of stay specified in the visa.
Article 30 Where visas held by foreigners specify that foreigners need to apply for residence permits after entry, such foreigners shall, within 30 days from the date of their entry, apply to the exit/entry administrations of public security organs under local people’s governments at or above the county level in the proposed places of residence for foreigners’ residence permits.
Applicants for foreigners’ residence permits shall submit their passports or other international travel documents, as well as relevant information of specific application matters, and provide biometric identification information such as fingerprints. The exit/entry administrations of public security organs shall, within 15 days upon the date of receipt, conduct examination and make a decision thereupon. Based on the purpose of residence, those administrations shall issue the appropriate types of foreigners’ residence permits with the duration.
The validity period of a foreigner’s work-type residence permit shall be 90 days at the minimum and five years at the maximum; and the validity period of a non-work-type foreigner’s residence permit shall be 180 days at the minimum and five years at the maximum.
Article 31 Under any of the following circumstances, a foreigner’s residence permit shall not be issued:
(1) The visa held does not belong to the type for which a foreigner’s residence permit should be issued;
(2) Resorts to fraudulent acts in application;
(3) Fails to provide relevant supporting materials in accordance with relevant regulations;
(4) Is not eligible to reside in China because of violation of relevant Chinese laws or administrative regulations; or
(5) Other circumstances in which the issuing authority considers a foreigner’s residence permit should not be issued.
Foreigners with expertise and foreign investors who conform to relevant State regulations or foreigners who need to change their status from stay to residence for humanitarian or other reasons, may undergo the formalities for obtaining foreigner’s residence permits upon approval by the exit/entry administrations of public security organs under local people’s governments at or above the city with districts.
Article 32 Foreigners residing in China who apply for the extension of the duration of residence shall, within 30 days prior to the expiry of the validity period on their residence permits, file applications with the exit/entry administrations of public security organs under local people’s governments at or above the county level, and submit relevant information of specific application matters in accordance with relevant requirements. If upon examination, the reasons for extension are appropriate and sufficient, an extension shall be granted; if an extension is denied, the foreigner concerned shall leave China on the expiry of the validity period specified in their residence permits.
Article 33 The registered items of a foreign residence permit shall include name, sex, date of birth, reason for residence and duration of residence of the holder, date and place of issuance, passport number or other international travel documents number.
Where the registered item in a foreigner’s residence permit has changed, the holder shall, within 10 days from the date of change, apply to the exit/entry administration of public security organ under the local people’s government at or above the county level in the place of residence for going through the formalities for alteration.
Article 35 Where ordinary visas, stay or residence permits held by foreigners need to be reissued due to damage, loss, theft, robbery or other reasons in compliance with relevant State regulations after foreigners enter China, those foreigners shall apply for a reissue with the exit/entry administrations of public security organs under local people’s governments at or above the county level in the places of stay or residence in accordance with relevant regulations.
Article 36 Decisions made by the exit/entry administration of public security organ on rejecting applications for visa extension or reissuance, or on not issuing foreigners’ stay or residence permits or not extending the duration of residence shall be final.
Article 37 Foreigners who stay or reside in China shall not engage in activities not corresponding to the purpose of stay or residence, and shall leave China prior to the expiry of the prescribed duration of stay or residence.
Article 38 Foreigners having reached the age of 16 who stay or reside in China shall carry with them their passports or other international travel documents, or foreigners’ stay or residence permits, and accept the inspection of public security organs.
Foreigners who reside in China shall, within the prescribed time limit, submit foreigners’ residence permits to public security organs under local people’s governments at or above the county level in the places of residence for examination.
Article 39 Where foreigners stay in hotels in China, the hotels shall register their accommodation in accordance with the regulations on the public security administration of the hotel industry, and submit foreigners’ accommodation registration information to the public security organs in the places where the hotels are located.
For foreigners who reside or stay in domiciles other than hotels, they or the persons who accommodate them shall, within 24 hours after the foreigners’ arrival, go through the registration formalities with the public security organs in the places of residence.
Article 40 For foreign infants born in China, their parents or agents shall, within 60 days after they are born, on the strength of the birth certificates, go through the formalities for stay or residence registration for them with the exit/entry administrations of public security organs under people’s governments at or above the county level in the places of their parents’ stay or residence.
For foreigners who decease in China, their relatives, guardians or agents shall, in accordance with relevant regulations, on the strength of the death certificates, report their death to the exit/entry administrations of the public security organs under local people’s governments at or above the county level to cancel their stay or residence permits.
Article 41 Foreigners who work in China shall obtain work permits and work-type residence permits in accordance with relevant regulations. No entities or individuals shall employ foreigners who have no work permits or work-type residence permits.
The administrative measures for foreigners working in China shall be stipulated by the State Council.
Article 42 The competent department of human resources and social security and the competent department in charge of foreign experts affairs under the State Council shall, in conjunction with relevant departments under the State Council, formulate and regularly adjust the guiding catalogue for foreigners working in China based on the needs for economic and social development as well as the supply and demand of human resources.
The competent department of education under the State Council shall, in conjunction with relevant departments under the State Council, establish an administrative system for foreign students working to support their study in China and set forth regulations on the scope of jobs and the limit of work time for such foreign students.
Article 43 Any of the following acts of foreigners shall be deemed unlawful employment:
(1) Work in China without obtaining work permits or work-type residence permits in accordance with relevant regulations;
(2) Work in China beyond the scope prescribed in the work permits; or
(3) Foreign students work in violation of the regulations on the administration of foreign students working to support their study in China and work beyond the prescribed scope of jobs or prescribed time limit.
Article 44 On the basis of the need for maintaining national security and public security, public security organs and national security organs may impose restrictions on foreigners and foreign institutions from establishing places of residence or work in certain areas; and may order that established places of residence or work be relocated within a prescribed time limit.
Without approval, foreigners shall not access foreigner-restricted areas.
Article 45 Entities that employ foreigners or enroll foreign students shall report relevant information to local public security organs in accordance with relevant regulations.
Citizens, legal persons or other organizations who find foreigners illegal enter, reside or work in China shall duly report such matter to the local public security organs.
Article 46 Foreigners applying for refugee status may, during the screening process, stay in China on the strength of temporary identity certificates issued by public security organs; foreigners who are recognized as refugees may stay or reside in China on the strength of refugee identity certificates issued by public security organs.
Chapter VI Investigation and Repatriation
Article 58 Measures for on-the-spot interrogation, continued interrogation, detention for investigation, movement restriction and repatriation prescribed in this Chapter shall be enforced by public security organs under local people’s governments at or above the county level or by exit/entry border inspection authorities.
Article 59 Persons suspected of violating the regulations on exit/entry administration may be interrogated on the spot; upon on-the-spot interrogation, the aforesaid persons may be interrogated in continuation in accordance with the law under any of the following circumstances:
(1) Are suspected of illegally exiting or entering China;
(2) Are suspected of assisting others in illegally exiting or entering China;
(3) Are foreigners suspected of illegally residing or working in China; or
(4) Are suspected of endangering national security or interests, disrupting social or public order, or engaging in other illegal or criminal activities.
On-the-spot interrogation and continued interrogation shall be conducted in accordance with the procedures prescribed in the People’s Police Law of the People’s Republic of China.
Where public security organs under local people’s governments at or above the county level or exit/entry border inspection authorities need to summon the persons suspected of violating the regulations on exit/entry administration, they shall handle the matter in accordance with the relevant regulations of the Law of the People’s Republic of China on Penalties for Administration of Public Security.
Article 60 Where foreigners involved in any of the circumstances specified in the first paragraph of Article 59 of this Law cannot be cleared of suspicion after on-the-spot interrogation or continued interrogation and therefore need to be further investigated, he may be detained for investigation.
When detaining a foreigner for investigation, the authority concerned shall present a written decision on detention for investigation and shall interrogate the detained foreigner within 24 hours. Where the aforesaid organ finds that a foreigner should not be detained for investigation, it shall immediately release him from detention for investigation.
The period of detention for investigation shall not exceed 30 days; for complicated cases, the period may be extended to 60 days upon approval by the public security organs under the local people’s governments at the next higher level or by the exit/entry border inspection authorities at the next higher level. For foreigners whose nationalities and identities are unknown, the period of detention for investigation shall be calculated from the date when their nationalities and identities are found out.
Article 61 Under any of the following circumstances, detention for investigation is not applicable to foreigners, however, their movements may be restricted:
(1) Suffer from serious diseases;
(2) Are pregnant or breast-feeding their own infants under one year of age;
(3) Are under 16 years of age or have reached the age of 70; or
(4) Other circumstances in which detention for investigation should not be applied.
Foreigners whose movements are restricted shall subject themselves to investigation as required, and shall not leave the restricted zones without approval of public security organs. The period of movement restriction shall not exceed 60 days. For foreigners whose nationalities and identities are unknown, the period of movement restriction shall be calculated from the date when their nationalities and identities are found out.
Article 62 Under any of the following circumstances, foreigners may be repatriated:
(1) Are ordered to exit China within a prescribed time limit but fail to do so;
(2) Are involved in circumstances in which they are not allowed to enter China;
(3) Illegally reside or work in China; or
(4) Need to be repatriated for violation of this Law or other laws or administrative regulations.
Other overseas personnel who fall under any of the circumstances prescribed in the preceding paragraph may be repatriated in accordance with the law.
Repatriated persons shall not be allowed to enter China for one to five years, calculating from the date of repatriation.
Article 63 Persons who are detained for investigation or who are to be repatriated upon decision but cannot be repatriated promptly shall be held in custody in detention houses or places of repatriation.
Article 64 Foreigners dissatisfied with the measure imposed on them in accordance with this Law, such as continued interrogation, detention for investigation, movement restriction or repatriation, may apply for administrative reconsideration in accordance with the law, and the administrative reconsideration decision shall be final.
Where other overseas personnel dissatisfied with the decision of repatriation imposed on them in accordance with this Law apply for administrative reconsideration, the provisions in the preceding paragraph are applicable.
Article 65 Where persons are not allowed to exit or enter China upon decisions made in accordance with the law, the decision-making authorities shall duly inform the exit/entry border inspection authorities of such decisions in accordance with relevant regulations; where the circumstances in which the persons are not allowed to exit or enter China disappear, the decision-making authorities shall duly cancel the aforesaid decisions and inform exit/entry border inspection authorities of the cancellation.
Article 66 On the basis of the need for safeguarding national security and maintaining the order of exit/entry administration, exit/entry border inspection authorities may, when necessary, search the persons entering and exiting the country. Personal Search shall be conducted by two border inspectors who are the same sex as the persons subject to the search.
Article 67 In such cases that the exit/entry documents such as visas or foreigners’ stay or residence permits are damaged, lost or stolen, or that after the issuance of such documents, the holders are found not eligible for being issued such documents, the issuing authorities shall declare the aforesaid documents void.
Exit/entry documents which are forged, altered, obtained by fraudulent means or are declared void by issuing authorities shall be invalid.
Public security organs may cancel or confiscate the exit/entry documents prescribed in the preceding paragraph or used fraudulently by persons other than the specified holders.
Article 69 The authenticity of exit/entry documents shall be determined by the issuing authorities, the exit/entry border inspection authorities or the exit/entry administrations of public security organs.
Chapter VII Legal Liabilities
Article 70 Unless otherwise provided for in this Chapter, the administrative penalties prescribed in this Chapter shall be decided by the public security organs under local people’s governments at or above the county level or the exit/entry border inspection authorities. Penalties involving the imposition of warnings or fines of not more than RMB 5,000 yuan may be decided by the exit/entry administrations of public security organs under local people’s governments at or above the county level.
Article 71 Persons who commit any of the following acts shall be fined not less than RMB 1,000 yuan but not more than RMB 5,000 yuan; where circumstances are serious, such persons shall be detained for not less than five days but not more ten days and may also be fined not less than RMB 2,000 yuan but not more than RMB 10,000 yuan.
(1) Exit or enter China with forged, altered or fraudulently obtained exit/entry documents;
(2) Exit or enter China using others’ exit/entry documents;
(3) Evadeexit/entry border inspection; or
(4) Illegally exit or enter China in any other way.
Article 72 Persons who assist others in illegally exiting or entering China shall be fined not less than RMB 2,000 yuan but not more than RMB 10,000 yuan; where circumstances are serious, they shall be detained for not less than 10 days but not more than 15 days and shall also be fined not less than RMB 5,000 yuan but not more than RMB 20,000 yuan, and the illegal gains, if any, shall be confiscated.
Entities engaging in any of the acts prescribed in the preceding paragraph shall be fined not less than RMB 10,000 yuan but not more than RMB 50,000 yuan, with the illegal gains confiscated if there are any; and the persons in charge of the entities who are directly responsible and other persons directly responsible shall be punished in accordance with the provisions in the preceding paragraph.
Article 73 Persons who obtain exit/entry documents such as visas or stay or residence permits by resorting to fraudulent acts shall be fined not less than RMB 2,000 yuan but not more than RMB 5,000 yuan; where circumstances are serious, they shall be detained for not less than 10 days but not more than 15 days and shall also be fined not less than RMB 5,000 yuan but not more than RMB 20,000 yuan.
Entities engaging in any of the acts prescribed in the preceding paragraph shall be fined not less than RMB 10,000 yuan but not more than RMB 50,000 yuan; and the persons in charge of the entities who are directly responsible and other persons directly responsible shall be punished in accordance with the provisions in the preceding paragraph.
Article 74 Persons who issue written invitations or other application materials to foreigners in violation of this Law shall be fined not less than RMB 5,000 yuan but not more than RMB 10,000 yuan, with the illegal gains confiscated if there are any, and shall also be ordered to bear exit expenses of the invited foreigners.
Entities engaging in any of the acts prescribed in the preceding paragraph shall be fined not less than RMB 10,000 yuan but not more than RMB 50,000 yuan, with the illegal gains confiscated if there are any, and shall also be ordered to bear exit expenses of the invited foreigners; the persons in charge of the entities who are directly responsible and other persons directly responsible shall be punished in accordance with the provisions in the preceding paragraph.
Article 76 Under any of the following circumstances, a warning shall be given, and a fine of not more than RMB 2,000 yuan may also be imposed:
(1) Foreigners refuse to accept examination of their exit/entry documents by public security organs;
(2) Foreigners refuse to submit their residence permits for examination;
(3) Persons concerned fail to go through the formalities for foreigners’ birth registration or death declaration in accordance with relevant regulations;
(4) Foreigners fail to go through the formalities for altering registration in accordance with the relevant regulations when there is any change in the registered items in their residence permits;
(5) Foreigners in China use others’ exit/entry documents; or
(6) Persons concerned fail to go through registration formalities in accordance with the provisions in the second paragraph of Article 39 of this Law.
Hotels that fail to process accommodation registration for foreigners shall be punished in accordance with the relevant provisions of the Law of the People’s Republic of China on Penalties for Administration of Public Security; hotels that fail to submit foreigners’ accommodation registration information to public security organs shall be given a warning; where circumstances are serious, such hotels shall be fined not less than RMB 1,000 yuan but not more than RMB 5,000 yuan.
Article 77 Foreigners accessing foreigner-restricted areas without approval shall be ordered to leave promptly; where circumstances are serious, such foreigners shall be detained for not less than five days but not more than ten days. The text records, audio-visual data, electronic data and other articles illegally obtained thereof by the foreigners shall be confiscated or destroyed, and the tools used for the aforementioned purposes shall be confiscated.
Foreigners or foreign institutions refusing to execute decisions made by public security organs or national security organs ordering them to relocate within a prescribed time limit shall be given a warning and be relocated mandatorily; where circumstances are serious, relevant responsible persons shall be detained for not less than five days but not more than fifteen days.
Article 78 Foreigners who reside in China illegally shall be given a warning; where circumstances are serious, they shall be imposed with a fine of RMB 500 yuan per day, with a cap of RMB 10,000 yuan in total, or be detained for not less than five days but not more than 15 days.
Where guardians or other persons responsible for guardianship fail to perform the guardian obligation and result in foreigners below 16 years of age residing in China illegally, the said guardians or other obligated persons shall be given a warning and may also be fined not more than RMB 1,000 yuan.
Article 79 Persons harboring or hiding foreigners who illegally enter or reside in China, or assisting such foreigners in evading inspection, or providing, in violation of the law, exit/entry documents for foreigners who illegally reside in China shall be fined not less than RMB 2,000 yuan but not more than RMB 10,000 yuan; where circumstances are serious, such persons shall be detained for not less than five days but not more than fifteen days and shall also be fined not less than RMB 5,000 yuan but not more than RMB 20,000 yuan, with the illegal gains confiscated if there are any.
Entities engaging in any of the acts prescribed in the preceding paragraph shall be fined not less than RMB 10,000 yuan but not more than RMB 50,000 yuan, with the illegal gains confiscated if there are any; and the persons in charge of the entities who are directly responsible and other persons directly responsible shall be punished in accordance with the provisions in the preceding paragraph.
Article 80 Foreigners who work in China illegally shall be fined not less than RMB 5,000 but not more than RMB 20,000 yuan; where circumstances are serious, they shall be detained for not less than five days but not more than fifteen days and shall also be fined not less than RMB 5,000 yuan but not more than RMB 20,000 yuan.
Persons who introduce jobs to ineligible foreigners shall be fined RMB 5,000 yuan for each job illegally introduced to one foreigner, with a cap of not more than RMB 50,000 yuan in total; and entities that introduce jobs to ineligible foreigners shall be fined RMB 5,000 yuan for each job illegally introduced to one foreigner, with a cap of RMB 100,000 yuan in total; and the illegal gains, if any, shall be confiscated.
Individuals or entities that illegally employ foreigners shall be fined RMB 10,000 yuan for each illegally employed foreigner, with a cap of RMB 100,000 yuan in total; and the illegal gains, if any, shall be confiscated.
Article 81 Where foreigners engage in activities not corresponding to the purposes of stay or residence, or otherwise violate the laws or regulations of China, which makes them no longer eligible to stay or reside in China, they may be ordered to exit China within a time limit.
Where a foreigner’s violation of this Law is serious but does not constitute a crime, the Ministry of Public Security may deport them. The penalty decision made by the Ministry of Public Security shall be final.
Deported foreigners shall not be allowed to enter China within 10 years calculating from the date of deportation.
Article 82 Under any of the following circumstances, relevant persons shall be given a warning and may also be fined not more than RMB 2,000 yuan:
(1) Disrupt the administrative order of the restricted zones of ports;
(2) Foreign seamen or their accompanying family members disembark without going through the formalities for temporary entry; or
(3) Embark on or disembark from foreign ships without obtaining boarding passes.
Persons who violate Subparagraph (1) of the preceding paragraph may be detained for not less than five days but not more than ten days if the circumstances are serious.
Article 86 In the case of violation of regulations on exit/entry administration and that a fine of not more than RMB 500 yuan should be imposed, the exit/entry border inspection authorities may make a penalty decision on the spot.
Article 87 Persons or entities that are fined for violation of regulations on exit/entry administration shall pay their fines in the designated banks within 15 days from the date of receiving the written decision on penalty. Where it is difficult to collect fines after a fine is imposed because the person or entity subject to penalty has no fixed domicile in the place where the fine is imposed or it is difficult to pay fine to the designated bank at the port, the fine may be collected on the spot.
Article 88 Where a violation of this Law constitutes a crime, criminal liabilities shall be investigated in accordance with the law.
Chapter VIII Supplementary Provisions
Article 89 Definitions of the following terms mentioned in this Law:
Exit refers to leaving the Chinese mainland for other countries or
regions, for the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region or the Macao
Special Administrative Region, or for Taiwan Region.
Entry refers to entering the Chinese mainland from other countries or regions, from the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region or the Macao Special Administrative Region, or from Taiwan Region.
Foreigners refer to persons without Chinese nationality.
Article 90 Upon approval by the State Council, provinces and autonomous regions bordering on neighboring countries may, in accordance with the boundary administration agreements signed by China with relevant countries, formulate local regulations or local government rules to regulate the association of residents in border areas of the two countries.
Article 91 Where there are other regulations on the administration of the entry/exit, stay or residence of the members of foreign diplomatic and consular missions in China, or the entry/exit, stay or residence of other foreigners who enjoy diplomatic privileges and immunities, these regulations shall prevail.
Article 92 Foreigners who apply for exit/entry documents such as visas or foreigner stay or residence permits or apply for document extension or alteration shall pay visa fees or document fees in accordance with relevant regulations.
Article 93 This Law shall come into force as of July 1, 2013. The Law of the People’s Republic of China on the Entry and Exit Administration of Foreigners and the Law of the People’s Republic of China on the Entry and Exit Administration of Chinese Citizens shall be annulled simultaneously.
