By continuing you agree to eChinacities's Privacy Policy .
Sign up with Google
Sign up with Facebook
Q: Does having your child as a Chinese citizen worry you?
My First born is British,my new son has too be Chinese,as he was born here ,It sometimes really worries me,Whats your view
The UK law on citizenship has changed relatively recently, in that citizenship due to having ONE British parent is no longer automatic. That is why we had our daughter in the UK and delayed coming to China by a couple of months (which was largely down to good luck in the due dates not any kind of planning).
Please don't quote me as a source on this as I am only going from memory and hearsay, however while citizenship is no longer automatic I do believe it is pretty routine.
There are of course advantages to being Chinese in China, and there are disadvantages, cost of education is one and of course if you are here for the long term it is probable that your son will 'feel' Chinese and may even resent not being able to stay in China once he becomes an adult.
Personally, I would get your son citizenship (of Britain) as soon as possible before they change the rules any further, immigration is a hot political topic in the UK and I wouldn't want your son to be on the receiving end of any changes.
paulmartin:
I have also,been reading the same news,on automatic citizenship,but China makes it very difficult too change if you plan on staying here ,like i do
Hugh.G.Rection:
Well, our daughter was initially given a 12 month residence visa / permit , which we renewed last month and she was give a two year visa / permit, (which cost 4 times the amount of a 1 year permit 
).
It is the long term I'm concerned about, i.e. Secondary school / Uni. As a British citizen she will be entitled to UK universities at UK costs, however she will need to get the entry qualifications which may require her to do a foundation year. Then of course if she has been living in China for 18 years (by the time she goes to Uni) she won't be allowed to live in China as she will be British, so there are potential difficulties there too.
If the British Embassy grants your son citizenship, there is nothing the Chinese can do about it. However, if you wait until he has a Chinese ID card (16?) then the UK rules may have changed. It is a difficult choice, but I would opt for immediate British citizenship and let the future unfold.
paulmartin:
Because,my son was born here,he can not renounce his Chinese citizenship,until he his 18 ,unless we move out of China,then we can,but if you plan too live in China it cant be done,
Hugh.G.Rection:
Hmm I wasn't aware of that. It's a difficult one, but I think if I was you I may just take a UK break and get it sorted, then come back, with your son as a British citizen, so long as your wife is still Chinese the residence permit (for your son) is fairly routine.
Hugh.G.Rection:
Further to my last, hold that!
Actually it may NOT be routine! Our daughter is British and has a British passport but we also needed her notarised UK birth certificate AND a translation of the birth certificate. If you son was born in China he would not have a UK birth certificate. Not sure how that would work!
paulmartin:
That was my idea as well,UK for a month or so,but when you show your childs birth certificate.THey say he doesnt need a visa has he his Chinese citizen untill hes 18 if you live here.So you end up with a worthless passport,with no chance of getting entry and exit visa
Hugh.G.Rection:
Then don't tell them!
Get a UK passport for him and don't tell the Chinese he has one. The UK border agency aren't going to contact the Chinese to tell them they have issued someone a British passport. So he is British but he will also hold a Chinese Birth Certificate and so won't need a visa! What's more when he's 18 he can either chose to remain British or get a Chinese passport / ID card!
What 'they' don't know can't hurt them.
not really i just went to the us embassy and the chilld got instant us citizenship
Hugh.G.Rection:
Yeah,bat, but it's different in the UK, automatic citizenship with only one UK parent is no longer automatic, it is on a case by case basis. Although from what I've heard (again hearsay), rejections are extremely unusual.
i have read all the answers above. so you all are suggesting that it is better to have your own country passport or citizenship for the new-born instead of opting for Chinese even if a person has long term plans for staying in china.
Hugh.G.Rection:
I am yes. Now don't get me wrong, I think China is a wonderful country and I feel the children are generally safer here, overall, (there are obviously exceptions), than they are in inner cities in the UK, however, China has a centrally controlled government who are able and willing to restrict individual liberties and actions.
Of course this may change and become more relaxed over the coming years but it may not. In the West we are used to certain individual freedoms, those of us who come to work and live in China are (usually) willing to forego them for the many benefits that China offers us. However, I feel that it would be one step too far to deny the possibility of those freedoms I was raised with to my daughter.
it will be a tradeoff, not having had any offspring myself yet, I do not have all the details in place, however some considerations have been made on the subject.
if your child has a Chinese parent, is born in China and will live in China, then it makes sense to have Chinese citizenship.
In every day life in China, it may be easier with a Chinese passport, access to healthinsurance, universities etc could be cheaper, but maybe, as you already have a non-Chinese child you would choose to go the private way for insurance, school etc. then maybe having a British passport is easier.
Since your spouse is Chinese, it will be a fact that you will need to visit a visa office in any case when you want to go back home for visits. Since you already have non-Chinese nationals in the household you will need to visit the PSB office in China once in a while.
I personally would prefer my children to not be Chinese nationals. Although it is difficult to predict about the future, then in the here an now picture, I think it is advantageous to have another passport than Chinese, purely because those of us who have EU passports generally can travel everywhere with little visa issues.
Hey, Paul, are you sure about that? I mean Canadians just have to register their kids at the emabssy and go through some really irritating red tape, but are Canadians. SHould be the same for you guys.
