China’s new exit‑and‑entry regulation, which took effect on 22 July 2024, expands the circumstances under which Chinese citizens can be barred from leaving the country. The rules allow bans of up to three years – and, for certain technology‑related violations, no fixed limit – and they also introduce new entry bans for foreign nationals who provide false information.
New grounds for exit bans
- Administrative detention for travel‑related offences – Citizens who have served detention for fraudulently obtaining travel documents or illegal border crossing can be banned from exiting for six months to three years after the penalty ends.
- Criminal activity abroad that harms national security or interests – The same six‑month‑to‑three‑year range applies, with the clock starting when the individual returns to China.
- Breaches of export‑control or technology‑import/export rules – Authorities may impose a ban of unspecified length for actions deemed to endanger industrial or technological security.
Article 6 permits authorities to withhold written notice when disclosure could affect national security or a criminal investigation, meaning a person may only learn of a ban at the airport.
Enforcement trends
- Mentions of exit bans in China’s supreme‑court database rose from 89 in 2016 to 188,760 in 2025 (data from Safeguard Defenders, cited by the BBC).
- The share of civil verdicts involving exit bans grew from ≈0.23 % to 7.3 % over the same period.
- In March 2024, the co‑founders of AI startup Manus were barred from leaving China while regulators reviewed Meta’s US $2 billion acquisition of the firm (Financial Times).
Historically, many civil servants and state‑owned‑enterprise employees have been required to surrender passports to employers and obtain travel approval, a practice documented in BBC Chinese interviews.
Implications for investment‑migration programs
Chinese nationals dominate many residency‑by‑investment (RBI) and citizenship‑by‑investment (CBI) schemes:
| Program | Chinese share (latest data) |
|---|---|
| Greece Golden Visa | 48.1 % of 10,593 permits (Feb 2026) |
| Portugal Golden Visa | 44 % of all visas issued since 2012 (2023) |
| Antigua & Barbuda CBI | 21.5 % of applications through mid‑2024 |
| Grenada CBI | 23 % in 2024 (13 % H1 2025) |
| Saint Lucia CBI | Top nationality in FY 2022‑23 |
| U.S. EB‑5 | Roughly 50 % of petitions since 2022 reform (AIIA data) |
The new regulation creates operational risks for applicants and service providers:
- An undisclosed exit ban can prevent a client from attending biometric appointments, completing property purchases, or meeting physical‑presence requirements.
- Domestic emigration agencies must register with immigration authorities by mid‑December 2024; overseas firms may no longer sell exit‑entry services directly inside China and must work through a documented Chinese partner.
- Agencies are required to refuse and report any public official seeking foreign nationality or residence rights in violation of the rules.
- Foreign nationals providing false information on visa or entry applications face one‑to‑five‑year entry bans.
Practical considerations for advisors and applicants
- Due‑diligence: Verify whether a client is subject to an exit ban before scheduling in‑person steps (e.g., biometrics, property closings).
- Documentation: Ensure all visa and residency applications are accurate and complete to avoid triggering entry bans.
- Partner arrangements: Overseas firms should establish formal relationships with a registered Chinese emigration agency to remain compliant.
- Contingency planning: Clients relying on Chinese passports for travel should consider alternative travel documents (second passports, residence permits) as a precaution against sudden bans.
The full impact of the regulation on Chinese demand for second citizenship or residency programs will become clearer as program data for the coming quarters are released. What is evident is a shift in the legal environment that now formally empowers Chinese authorities to restrict outbound travel for a broader set of reasons.
Source article: www.imidaily.com
