GoKunming Forums

Renouncing Child's citizenship

michael2015 (784 posts) • -2

@redjon
Many people travel with dual citizenship and dual passports. It is not illegal and rather typical in the EU, Canada, Australia, and especially Hong Kong, and becoming more frequent in China - especially since China somewhat relaxed its one-child policy for the Han-race minority (other recognized and designated minorities in China are not restricted by the one-child policy).

These are the simple steps to traveling with dual nationality passports. This assumes your child has both a Chinese AND a UK passport already, as I'm not familiar with entering / exiting China without a passport, even for babies.

ENTRY/EXIT CHINA
Upon entry/exit China, use China travel documents.

ENTRY/EXIT UK
Upon entry/exit UK, use your UK travel documents.

Rarely do immigration officials check WHERE you came from if you use that country's passport. If you're asked, just present the other passport, which shows entry/exit stamps. As you're traveling with a child on your UK passport and your child's Chinese passport, you should expect them to scrutinize both the entry and exit carefully, because of the issues of child trafficking and child kidnapping. If the immigration officer asks where you came from and the passport has no record of that exit - you'll need to show the second passport for proof.

If asked why you're entering the country with that country's passport - just tell them it's the law for dual citizenship holders.

There is nothing illegal about traveling with dual nationality passports, unless one of your home countries specifically has laws against that. It MAY raise eyebrows in third world countries (too many spy movies), but in most developed countries - this is not unusual; not pervasive, but not unusual.

As long as you're forthcoming in your answers - you should have no issues traveling with your child.

FYI - in the USA - even if/when our child is/was a baby, we were required to secure children's passports when traveling.

Children's passports expire every FIVE (5) years and the USA recently stopped its program of "adding pages" to passports, so we always get the "extra pages" passports, at no additional cost (adding pages used to cost us USD 80+, while a new passport was USD 105).

Finally - and not related to this thread - if your child was born in a foreign country and you secured a US Consulate/Embassy Report of Birth Abroad as a "birth certificate" AND you bring your kids to China under the US passport - the US State Department will NOT authenticate your children's birth certificates.

If you have this issue, PM me and I'll tell you how to legally resolve this issue, bypassing the US State Department's bizarre policy (since 2012). If more than one person PM's me - I'll just start another thread.

OceanOcean (1193 posts) • 0

@Michael2015
I don't see how this can work. If you take an international flight from China they will want to see a visa in the Chinese passport for the country you are going to. You can't get a British visa in a Chinese passport if you also own a British passport. The Chinese will not recognise the British passport. What am I missing?

michael2015 (784 posts) • 0

@ocean
Simply show the child's UK passport when exiting China, if this issue arises. As long as you're traveling with the birth mother OR you have a document permitting you to transport the child as legal guardian (or worst case, a death certificate), this should not be an issue.

If you're concerned about exiting China on a Chinese passport without a destination visa - simply visit the Chinese ENTRY/EXIT office and ask the officer for advice. They will probably not be familiar with these special entry/exit procedures and will need to escalate the question to their supervisor.

Beware of staff making up stupid rules because they don't know the answer. The supervisor will know the correct policy and procedure. Make sure you get his name, badge number, and phone number (ask for it - don't just write it down) and ask politely if the exit office can call him to confirm, if you have problems exiting.

Front desk staff will probably panic if you ask if you can record their badge number and cite them as a reference at the airport entry/exit gates.

OceanOcean (1193 posts) • 0

@Michael
But the UK passport will have no China visa and no Entry stamp. Immigration officials will surely question how the child got into the country. And if they get wind that the child is Chinese (by virtue of birth here) the British passport won't be recognised at all...?

redjon777 (560 posts) • +1

Yeah I'll think that sticking to the guidelines will be the better way for me.

I'm not going to travel with the thought of border controls perhaps creating trouble.

Napoleon (1187 posts) • 0

Some people seem to be talking about America here and some people are talking about Britain. I would imagine both countries have different ways of doing things, one rule can't apply for both countries. The original question related to Britain I think.

OceanOcean (1193 posts) • +1

@Napolean
The major hurdle as I see it is leaving China (wherever you are heading for). I believe the US, as in UK has no issue with multiple nationalities, so getting into the countries on a US or UK is simple enough.

AmycaoAmycao (10 posts) • +2

Yeah, just do the entry/exit permit. If you have this, you can keep dual citizenship until your child is 18 years old. It is just a bit troublesome as you will need to apply for the entry/ exit permit every time you go to your home country.

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