Holding both US and Chinese Passports???

[thph2006]

Does anyone know how it works (or doesn't work) traveling between the US and China holding passports from both countries? Is it allowed, not allowed? Do you need visas?

-Thanks!

[liuzhou]

China does not allow dual nationality so holding two passports is not possible, legally.

[FSO]

Some helpful information from the State Department travel website:

Dual national Americans, particularly those with dual Chinese and American nationality, should realize that entering China using their non-U.S. passport could mean that the Chinese Government may not afford them the consular protections to which they are entitled. While the U.S. Government recognizes the right of all U.S. citizens to consular services regardless of dual nationality, use of other than a U.S. passport to enter China can make it difficult for U.S. Consuls to assist dual national Americans who have been arrested or who have other concerns with the Chinese Government.

[ . . . ]

China does not recognize dual citizenship. U.S. Embassy and Consulate officials are often denied access to arrested or detained Americans who do not enter China using their U.S. passport. Lawful Permanent Residents of the United States who do not carry unexpired or otherwise clear evidence that they may re-enter the United States will encounter delays departing from China. Lawful Permanent Residents should renew and update U.S. residence documentation prior to their departure from the United States.

also:

A valid passport and visa are required to enter China and must be obtained from Chinese Embassies and Consulates before traveling to China. Americans arriving without valid passports and the appropriate Chinese visa are not permitted to enter and will be subject to a fine and immediate deportation at the traveler's expense. Travelers should not rely on Chinese host organizations claiming to be able to arrange a visa upon arrival. Chinese authorities have recently tightened their visa issuance policy, in some cases requiring personal interviews of American citizens. Although a bilateral United States-China agreement provides for issuance of multiple entry visas with validity of up to one year for tourists and business visitors, Chinese consulates often limit visas to only one-entry. See our Foreign Entry Requirements brochure for more information on China and other countries. Visit the Embassy of China web site at http://www.china-embassy.org/eng/ for the most current visa information.

[thph2006]

Thank you for the informative posts. I'm still not clear though how traveling between the two countries with both passports might work. Do you think this would be ok?

1. When leaving USA show airline Chinese passport

2. When entering China show Chinese customs Chinese passport (with old, possibly expired US green card stamp)

3. While in China use Chinese passport

4. When leaving China show airline US passport (are Chinese customs involved when you leave China?)

5. When entering USA show customs US passport

[Rincewind]

I don't know why you're showing you passport to customs. It's the immigration officer who check passports. Customs check the tax on imported and exported goods.

When leaving china you need to go through immigration controls. They will look at your passport and you will need to show the one that contains your permission to stay in china. If you showed them a US passport with no visa inside then they would assume you were here illegally and you'd have some big problems.

As Liuzhou said China does not allow dual nationality so holding two passports is not possible, legally.

[roddy]

So it's not possible legally. What about practically?

[nomad]

You could do it this way. If any thing happens to you in China the US won't be able to help you out. When you're at the airport in China, the airlines wil be confused that you were in China on a US passport w/o any visa- if they look for your visa in your passport. This could get you into a world of trouble.

When you come back into the US, you'll confuse the heck out of US immigrations because you won't have a visa nor stamp in your US passport from China. They do flip through your passport. You probably won't get in trouble but is it worth all this stress.

On the China side, if you get caught, there will be trouble. I hope it's worth the $100 you'd avoid in paying for a Chinese visa.

[thph2006]

OK, thanks.

This person's major issue was being able to visit her home country, China, for months at a time without having to leave to renew the visa. It sounds like she would have been better off just keeping her US green card and not going all the way to citizenship. With the green card one would be free to come and go between the two countries without the visa restrictions. Oh well!

[Xiying]

Hong Kongers can legally hold multiple passports and the government recognizes the non-Chinese passports as mere "travel documents." If you're not from Hong Kong or Macau, then you technically lost your Chinese citizenship when you became naturalized. (I have no idea how this is enforced.)

My experience with U.S. immigration (travelling on a U.S. passport) has always been lax - they've never (in the past few years at least) flipped through my passport looking for stamps or stamped my passport with their stamp...

[cdn_in_bj]

4. When leaving China show airline US passport (are Chinese customs involved when you leave China?)

The problem is that you have to pass through Chinese immigration before you leave China. They can and will detain you if they find problems with your visa/passport. I have read stories from people in a similar situation as you - suggest you google it.

[johnd]

I agree, the main problem is that when you exit China you must pass though a passport check, and I think they will check that you have valid documentation for your destination, otherwise they won't let you proceed. So if you are exiting China with a Chinese passport (and let's say flying to the U.S.), then you will need a U.S. visa in your Chinese passport. You can not show them your U.S. passport as they do not recognise dual nationality, and they may confiscate your U.S. passport.

So, I think the easiest option may be to get a Chinese visa in the U.S. passport, and this would avoid any problems if they want to check that you have a valid exit stamp for your last destination in the Chinese passport when you enter China. If you do this, you'd better maintain valid visas in the U.S. passport for the duration of your visit.

If you want to make the switch between passports, it may be possible to do that via Hong Kong - I think if you are able to, it might be best to search in Chinese on this issue, as there are surely many people in a similar situation.

[prince]

how did you get the chinese passport while having the u.s. one?

would you mind letting me know? i been thinking of getting one.

PM me?

[thph2006]

My description probably wasn't very clear. It's the other way around actually. Chinese-born and then later USA naturalized. By the way, to further clarify, I'm describing someone else's situation, not my own.

[prince]

o... so how did that person re-acquire it?

[cdn_in_bj]

o... so how did that person re-acquire it?

I presume they already had it before going to the US.

[roddy]

Here's fun - someone I know working in Shanghai, originally Chinese but now traveling on a US passport, has been phoned up by the PSB saying she'll have to cancel her hukou or she won't be allowed to leave the country.

I'm maybe not getting the full / clear story. Anyone else heard of anything similar?

[gato]

Roddy, yeah, looks like that is the case.

http://www.chinapressusa.com/2009-03/06/content_197563.htm

中领馆：入外籍华人必须注销中国户口

2009-03-06 17:03:42 　　作者： 来源： 网易

　　【侨报网讯】最近中国驻多伦多总领事馆就多次接到咨询电话，了解已取得外国国籍的原中国公民回国需注销户口的情况，统一答复如下：

附：中华人民共和国公民出境入境管理法实施细则

第七条 居住国内的公民办妥前往国家的签证或者入境许可证件后，应当在出境前办理户口手续。出境定居的，须到当地公安派出所或者户籍办公室注销户口。短期出境的，办理临时外出的户口登记，返回后凭护照在原居住地恢复常住户口。

[carlo]

出境定居的 I think refers to those who get a green card, or an indefinite leave to stay (I wonder how you draw the line for conditional green cards etc). So even if you only have one nationality, Chinese, but you settle permanently somewhere else, then you have to cancel your hukou and are classed as a 华侨 (so that if you come back to China you have to get all the relevant permits that apply to that category, and are registered at the Embassy in your country of residence).

If you on the other hand acquire foreign citizenship, you automatically lose your Chinese one (when they find out), and not just the hukou.

I wonder what the 短期出境的 refers to. I hope they are not asking tourists to cancel their hukou in between trips. Probably expat workers?

[kentehsailor]

My wife received her US Citizenship last year.....she applied for a US Passport and planned to use it for a trip to China with the kids.....to make a long story short, she did not receive her US Passport in time to use it to travel to China so she used her Chinese passport.....her passport arrived after she left and I took it to her when I went to China a couple months ago.....they are coming home in about 6 weeks and now the question arises as to how she should leave the country.....can the US Consulate help her (she is in Guanzhou) out with a Visa or can they give her some paperwork to return to USA with no hassle at the airport? What is her best option....keep in mind that she is traveling with 2 young children so a round-about way out of China that would take 2+ days of travel isnt a very good option.....

Thank you

[PutingHZ]

Ok, this is very, very helpful but a couple of follow ups:

1. You go to the usa with your new hubbie, get a green card and live happily for awhile but you still have a Chinese passport since you are not a usa citizen. You have to use this passport to go back to China but you had your hukou cancelled. Chinese immigration just going to let you in? How long can you stay (forget the green card problem with 6 months and US immigration)? Since you are technically a "huaqiao" with no hukou do you have to do anything special?

2. If you return to China for an extended period can you get your old or a new hukou back?

3. What if you also became a citizen but now plan to retire in China and want your citizenship in China back?