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Sign up with Google Sign up with FacebookQ: How do visas and passports work with mixed babies?
I am told by some senior diplomat ... that if a mixed baby (one parent Chinese) is born in china.. then he/she is automatically Chinese... so if he/she takes foreign passport.. must renounce Chinese citizenship...
In such cases Chinese govt is some kind of blacklisting the child.. and its getting extremely difficult to get continuous visa... max 6 months..
He mentioned that majority cases the parents come back to renounce the foreign passport instead after finding out the seriousness...
Anyone with hands on experience?
11 years 31 weeks ago in Visa & Legalities - China
By registering your child as a citizen in China, the child cannot hold citizenship with another country (China does not allow dual-citizenship). By applying for foreign citizenship, the child cannot be registered as a Chinese citizen.
The child who holds a foreign citizenship has their visa through the foreign parent. The visa is automatic (the foreign parent puts the details of their child on the visa renewal application). They are eligible to stay in China for whatever time the foreign parent's visa is valid.
Where the real issue is...if you want to avoid paying "foreigner" rates at Chinese schools and air travel problems, then registering your child as a Chinese citizen is best. If you want the assurance that you could get your child back to your home country in case of an emergency, or want to repatriate to your home country, then getting them registered as citizens of your home country is best.
My kids are born in China but are Canadian citizens. I've never had a problem with visas.
Before I start, I must make a disclaimer. Any ideas you get from reading what follows, are your own, I am not suggesting you do anything. I will only be explaining facts, and nothing else.
First, China does not allow dual citizenship, if you get another, you automatically loose the Chinese one if found out. But many other countries do, including USA.
Second, a child born in China of a foreigner/national couple, is eligible for Chinese citizenship unless another citizenship is claimed for the child at one of the foreign Embassies within China. If you do so, and Chinese officials find out, then the child will loose the Chinese citizenship and the accompanying benefits with it, requiring a visa, that will be concurrent with the one of the foreign parent (type, validity,etc).
Third, a child born abroad of a foreign/national couple, residing abroad (the national parent emigrated from China) can never have Chinese citizenship.
That said, there are three things you can do. One will be to register the child as Chinese citizen, and in doing so the child can have a Chinese passport, and have access to many social benefits not available to foreigners for free or at deep discounts.
Another will be to register the child birth at your foreign Embassy, obtaining a passport, then with it go to PSB and get a residence permit identical to your in terms of validity and number of entries. Of course, she will not be eligible for free grammar education, subject to foreigner's fees, and loose few other goodies.
And the last one will be to register the child as Chinese, get her an international Chinese passport, and do the same at your home country Embassy or Consulate. Of course, this is not legal if found out by Chinese officials. Lately, since they are becoming smarter with each passing day, you must be extremely careful how you use both passports to enter and exit foreign countries.
And in regards to one of your questions, yes I do have personal experience, I do have a 10 years old child. But if you excuse me, what I choose to do was my personal business.