Birth registration for a foreign infant

Article 26 of the Rules Governing the Implementation of the Law of the People’s Republic of China on the Entry and Exit of Foreigners stipulates that the parents of a foreign infant born in China or their agent shall, within one month after its birth, report to the local public security bureau with the birth certificate and complete registration procedures.

The passport of the infant’s parent shall be submitted for birth registration. The residence permit (foreigner’s residence permit or temporary residence permit) held by the parent(s) shall also be submitted. If the infant has already obtained his/her own passport from the embassy or consulate of his/her home country in China, the passport shall also be submitted.

The Chinese government does not recognize dual nationality for any Chinese national. Any person born in China whose parents are both Chinese nationals or one of whose parents is a Chinese national shall have the right to Chinese nationality.

In the event that one of the infant’s parents is a foreign national and the other is a Chinese national but has permanent residence status in a foreign country, the infant, if he/she will reside in a foreign country after birth and have foreign nationality, shall first apply for quitting his/her Chinese nationality and then, upon approval, go through the birth registration procedures for foreigners.

Chinese nationals who meet one of the following conditions may quit their Chinese nationality upon application and approval:

1. being the close relatives of foreign nationals;

2. having permanent residence status in a foreign country;

3. having other legitimate reasons.

In going through the procedures for quitting the Chinese nationality for an infant, the parents or their agent shall submit to the exit-and-entry department of the public security organs the infant’s birth certificate, his/her parent’s foreign passport, foreigner's residence permit issued by the exit-and-entry department of the public security organs in China, his/her parent’s Chinese passport and documents supporting their residence in a foreign country. Applicants for quitting Chinese nationality shall submit their applications in written form. All the documents or certificates should be submitted in duplicate. Photocopies are acceptable but the original documents or certificates should be submitted for confirmation. Applicants shall fill in the application form of quitting Chinese nationality in duplicate, submit 6 two-inch half-length, bareheaded and full-faced photos and pay the registration fees as stipulated.

If an infant who has acquired foreign nationality at birth or has, upon approval, quitted Chinese nationality and acquired foreign nationality shares the same passport with the parent, he/she may, as an accompanying person, share the same visa or foreigners' residence certificate with the parent; if the infant has a separate passport, he/she may, as an accompanying person, share the same visa or foreigners' residence certificate with the parent, or go through separately the application procedures for visas or foreigners' residence certificates.