China's State Council exit-entry provisions (Order No. 841): a plain reading of the text

The instrument

State Council Order No. 841, the Provisions of the State Council on Exit and Entry Administration, was adopted at a State Council executive meeting on 29 June 2026, signed on 22 July, published on 31 July and took effect on 15 September 2026. It is made under the Exit and Entry Administration Law.

Truthful applications (Article 3)

• Reasons for applying to exit, enter, stay or reside must be true and lawful.
• When verifying identity and reasons, immigration and visa authorities may ask questions and require documents, materials and electronic data, and applicants must cooperate.
• A unit or person issuing an invitation letter or other application material is responsible for the truth of what it states.
• Where false materials or false statements are given, the authorities may refuse to issue exit-entry documents or refuse exit or entry.

When exit may be barred (Article 4)

The text sets out three situations for Chinese citizens:

• after administrative detention for fraudulently obtaining exit-entry documents or for illegal exit or entry, immigration authorities may bar exit for 6 months to 3 years from the end of the penalty;
• for illegal or criminal activity abroad that endangers national security and interests, a bar of 6 months to 3 years from return may be decided by the relevant State Council department or, after verification, by the provincial government of the person’s domicile; and
• for breaches of export-control or technology import and export rules that may endanger industrial or technological security, the relevant departments may bar exit.

Notice (Article 6)

The deciding authority must notify the immigration authority, and inform the person in writing of the facts, reasons, legal basis and available remedies. It may withhold notice where informing the person could affect national security, a criminal investigation or similar matters.

Foreign nationals (Article 5)

A foreign national who gives false materials or statements when applying for a Chinese visa abroad, or for entry at a port, may be barred from entry for 1 to 5 years. Similar bars apply after certain penalties for border offences or fraudulently obtained documents.

What this does not mean

This is a plain reading of the published text. It does not discuss how the Provisions are applied, and it does not cover nationality or other laws. All exit-entry paperwork must be true. This piece is not legal, tax or immigration advice.