Rumor Control: "New" US Citizens to lose local China ID cards.

[yuehan123]

You know- somebody said,

 

Starting next year (2013) Chinese born naturalized US Citizens will have their local ID cards confiscted based on an "new" system linking Chinese or US Passports to local IDs.

 

This is just a really bad rumor, right?

[dnoblett]

Actually quite conceivable. First trip back to China will require a visa in US passport, they will see that they are a new citizen just by the birth location noted in US passport, it is required to send in old Chinese passport when applying for the visa they then invalidate Chinese passport and the national ID number is clearly noted in the Chinese passport.

[warpedbored]

So far my wife has avoided this. She did have to send her passport in with Chinese passport when she got her first visa 3 years ago. When she got her second visa about 10 months ago she didn't have to send in her Chinese passport.

[yuehan123]

Yep, so far...........

 

We also have avoided the issue. So far. I had hoped to find out if this had any ring of truth to it or, is this another case of ridiculous rumour mongering arising out of 002 or just somebodys' own paranoia.

 

Of course the deal, if it's to be any kind of deal, big or small, is how will it affect our Chinese born US Citzen wives who are ID based property owners if the local ID is 'suddenly' confiscated.

 

Of course, the person who told my wife about this could not, and did not provide any reference whatsoever except to say, "Oh, I know it's true, it's been a law for years. It's on all the web sites."

[Randy W]

Yep, so far...........

 

We also have avoided the issue. So far. I had hoped to find out if this had any ring of truth to it or, is this another case of ridiculous rumour mongering arising out of 002 or just somebodys' own paranoia.

 

Of course the deal, if it's to be any kind of deal, big or small, is how will it affect our Chinese born US Citzen wives who are ID based property owners if the local ID is 'suddenly' confiscated.

 

Of course, the person who told my wife about this could not, and did not provide any reference whatsoever except to say, "Oh, I know it's true, it's been a law for years. It's on all the web sites."

 

You lose the ID, not the property. In general, someone who OWNS property is allowed to KEEP it - the restrictions are on sales, not on previously existing ownership.

[griz326]

Gotta tell my girls so they can investigate and had an informed decision.

[Lee VD]

Wondering if there is any new information on this?

Will the ID card be requested and confiscated upon entry or in any other official business if the ID is flagged in someway?

How does Chinese government know that the person has switched to US Citizen? Can he/she still enter China on Chinese passport? or is it just a matter of risk of being found out?

If one does send in the Chinese passport requesting a visa in a US passport, do they get the Chinese passport back or is it confiscated?

 

Lee

[dnoblett]

My wife is a US Citizen, this past trip to China she needed to apply for a Two year visit visa to go to China. She was required to send both US and China passport to get the visa, the consulate invalidates the China passport and stamp it void, more than likely the consulate informs China of the citizenship change, invalidating the national ID too.

 

As for question about travel on China passport. How would traveler leave China? A US citizen no longer has a green card, so would need a US visa in passport, which the US consulate would not issue to a US citizen.

 

Some have conceived of travel to Homgkong leave US passport in Hongkong and enter China on China passport, and get an entry card to return to HK to then return to the USA. Can be troublesome this way.

[Randy W]

Wondering if there is any new information on this?

Will the ID card be requested and confiscated upon entry or in any other official business if the ID is flagged in someway?

How does Chinese government know that the person has switched to US Citizen? Can he/she still enter China on Chinese passport? or is it just a matter of risk of being found out?

If one does send in the Chinese passport requesting a visa in a US passport, do they get the Chinese passport back or is it confiscated?

 

Lee

 

Nothing sinister here - if you can manage to keep it, you get to keep it. It then becomes a matter of HIDING the American passport from the Chinese authorities. There's no channel between the two governments for them to find out, other than by you actually using it.

 

When a former Chinese citizen gets a visa in a new American passport, the old Chinese passport must be submitted. It is then voided and returned with the American passport.

[warpedbored]

when my wife got her first visa to China she had to send in her Chinese passport. When they sent her the visa they returned her Chinese passport intact, no void stamps or holes punched. On her last visit to China she didn't send her Chinese passport. As far as I know it's still valid.

[yuehan123]

To answer Lee's questions, in a reverse sort of order-

 

After becoming a US citizen, the first time a Chinese Visa is requested for a 'new' US Passport, the 'old' Chinese Passport must be submitted. In every case, but one, that I know of, the Chinese Passport has been returned unusable.

 

I have yet to learn of a 'documented' case where a local ID was confiscated from a US Citizen.

 

However, as for a naturalized Chinese National now a US citizen travelling on a Chinese Passport, I can only report that as Randy shared, it is impossible. At least for my wife. Note that although not shown, the passport front cover page has ben cut and the page shown has been cut and stamped "cancelled."

 

edit- well, it beats me. I am unable to insert, paste or otherwise get the page to show up even though it shows in the initial 'reply'

 

 

When I took the bus from Hong Kong to Guangzhou some years ago, one fellow did not rejoin the bus on the Chinese side of the border. Why?

 

He had more than one passport in his possesion and that fact was discovered during the Customs search.

Edited June 5, 2014 by yuehan123 (see edit history)

[yuehan123]

And, now, the saga continues. That is, it is still "somebody said." According to this guy, his mom, a US Citizen now, returned to China for a visit. While there she wanted to cancel her retirement.

 

So, the son did some reserch (the son = this guy). Background- the son (also now living in the US ) alledgedly went to college in China and obtained a degree having to do with Customs and Immigration. According to his research, (no, I don't know any details) he said that lately there have been articles in the Chinese media with two themes:

 

1. newspaper articles 'encouraging' readers to to report former Chinese with foreign Citizenship still in possesion of local ID.

2. newspaper articles discussing the Chinese Government led effort to 'link' local Police Station data with Immigration data.

 

Supposedly, it has been 'the law' for a long time that surrender of local ID is required upon attaining foreign citizenship.

Yeah, and registering with the local Police during every visit is also 'required.'

 

Penalties available for failure to do either.

 

The notion(s) being severa;- loss of ID, loss of Retirement, pay a big fee for 'foreign' ownership or 'foreign' transfer of ownership of property.

 

Anybody seen said articles?

[Randy W]

And, now, the saga continues. That is, it is still "somebody said." According to this guy, his mom, a US Citizen now, returned to China for a visit. While there she wanted to cancel her retirement.

 

So, the son did some reserch (the son = this guy). Background- the son (also now living in the US ) alledgedly went to college in China and obtained a degree having to do with Customs and Immigration. According to his research, (no, I don't know any details) he said that lately there have been articles in the Chinese media with two themes:

 

1. newspaper articles 'encouraging' readers to to report former Chinese with foreign Citizenship still in possesion of local ID.

2. newspaper articles discussing the Chinese Government led effort to 'link' local Police Station data with Immigration data.

 

Supposedly, it has been 'the law' for a long time that surrender of local ID is required upon attaining foreign citizenship.

Yeah, and registering with the local Police during every visit is also 'required.'

 

Penalties available for failure to do either.

 

The notion(s) being severa;- loss of ID, loss of Retirement, pay a big fee for 'foreign' ownership or 'foreign' transfer of ownership of property.

 

Anybody seen said articles?

 

 

It's unclear what question remains. Try Googling things like "China ID dual citizen", "China dual citizen penalty" - other combinations may pull up different articles, if you're really that interested.

 

One I came across is this one in China Daily in 2012 - Lawmakers call for dual nationality check

 

I'd be surprised if there were an actual penalty, beyond the loss of your Chinese ID and hukou, for being caught with two passports - "but the stipulation has been criticized as being too harsh and may drive away overseas talents." I'd expect that local officials have some leeway to impose penalties and/or extract bribes, if they're so inclined, but that it's not in China's best interest to do this.

 

Remember that attaining foreign citizenship will cause you to lose your Chinese citizenship under the Nationality law.

Edited August 5, 2014 by Randy W (see edit history)

[yuehan123]

Thank you for the link and the search ideas.

[Randy W]

They ARE collaborating with the U.S. in exchanging banking information, transitioning from this year into next

 

Beijing to back United States over new FATCA law against tax evasion

This benefits both the IRS' tracking of overseas accounts and the Chinese effort to root out corruption.