Multiple Chinese provinces have quietly expanded a policy once reserved for civil servants—requiring the surrender of personal passports—to encompass broader segments of the population, according to reports compiled on 22 January 2026 by independent outlet Kan Zhongguo. Residents in parts of Gansu, Guizhou and Yunnan say they were told by police or neighbourhood committees to hand in passports and obtain written approval before booking international flights. Individuals with outbound tickets have reportedly received follow-up calls probing destination, travel purpose and intended length of stay.
An exit-permit system already applies to party officials, state-owned-enterprise managers and teachers, but extending it to ordinary citizens marks a significant tightening of China’s outbound mobility regime. Lawyers interviewed warn that, absent a national law or State Council order, blanket confiscation of passports violates China’s Exit-Entry Administration Law, which restricts such actions to criminal investigations or national-security cases.
For residents and businesses now navigating this uncertain environment, VisaHQ can serve as a practical resource. The company’s China portal (https://www.visahq.com/china/) tracks regulatory shifts in real time and offers tailored advice on alternative travel documentation, emergency visa options and compliance strategies—helping travelers determine whether their plans remain viable and what additional paperwork might be required.
![Local Authorities Across China Begin Collecting Passports From Ordinary Citizens, Tightening Exit Controls]()
Business impact could be immediate. Private-sector employees whose firms rely on regional sales meetings or factory audits abroad may face weeks-long approval cycles, undermining China Inc.’s ability to compete. Multinational HR managers also fear that locally hired staff could miss overseas training or expatriation windows, complicating succession planning.
The policy’s spread appears uneven and opaque. In first-tier cities like Shanghai and Shenzhen, consular agencies say they have not yet received instructions to withhold passports from the general public. However, some state-owned enterprises in coastal provinces have begun centralising document storage “for convenience”. Without official clarification, travel consultants advise corporates to build contingency plans—such as holding key meetings virtually and applying early for urgent business passports if available.
Analysts link the escalation to capital-outflow concerns and a desire to stem undocumented migration via third countries. Whether Beijing formalises the practice or reins it in will signal how it balances economic openness with perceived security risks as growth slows.
An exit-permit system already applies to party officials, state-owned-enterprise managers and teachers, but extending it to ordinary citizens marks a significant tightening of China’s outbound mobility regime. Lawyers interviewed warn that, absent a national law or State Council order, blanket confiscation of passports violates China’s Exit-Entry Administration Law, which restricts such actions to criminal investigations or national-security cases.
For residents and businesses now navigating this uncertain environment, VisaHQ can serve as a practical resource. The company’s China portal (https://www.visahq.com/china/) tracks regulatory shifts in real time and offers tailored advice on alternative travel documentation, emergency visa options and compliance strategies—helping travelers determine whether their plans remain viable and what additional paperwork might be required.
Business impact could be immediate. Private-sector employees whose firms rely on regional sales meetings or factory audits abroad may face weeks-long approval cycles, undermining China Inc.’s ability to compete. Multinational HR managers also fear that locally hired staff could miss overseas training or expatriation windows, complicating succession planning.
The policy’s spread appears uneven and opaque. In first-tier cities like Shanghai and Shenzhen, consular agencies say they have not yet received instructions to withhold passports from the general public. However, some state-owned enterprises in coastal provinces have begun centralising document storage “for convenience”. Without official clarification, travel consultants advise corporates to build contingency plans—such as holding key meetings virtually and applying early for urgent business passports if available.
Analysts link the escalation to capital-outflow concerns and a desire to stem undocumented migration via third countries. Whether Beijing formalises the practice or reins it in will signal how it balances economic openness with perceived security risks as growth slows.
