Nationality Law of the People's Republic of China (Adopted at
the Third Session of the Fifth National People's Congress,
promulgated by Order No.8 of the Chairman of the Standing Committee
of the National People's Congress on and effective as of September
10, 1980)
Article 1
This Law is applicable to the acquisition, loss and restoration of
nationality of the People's Republic of China.
Article 2
The People's Republic of China is a unitary multinational
state; Persons belonging to any of the nationalities in China shall
have Chinese nationality.
Article 3
The People's Republic of China does not recognize dual
nationality for Any Chinese national.
Article 4
Any person born in China whose parents are both Chinese
nationals and one of whose parents is a Chinese national shall have
Chinese nationality.
Article 5
Any person born abroad whose parents are both Chinese
nationals and one of whose parents is a Chinese national shall have
Chinese nationality. But a person whose parents are both Chinese
nationals and have both settled abroad, or one of whose parents is
a Chinese national and has settled abroad, and who has acquired
foreign nationality at birth shall not have Chinese
nationality.
Article 6
Any person born in China whose parents are stateless or of
Uncertain nationality and have settled in China shall have Chinese
nationality.
Article 7
Foreign nationals or stateless persons who are willing to abide by
China's Constitution and laws and who meet one of the following
conditions may be naturalized upon approval of their
applications:
(1) they are near relatives of Chinese nationals;
(2) they have settled in China; or
(3) they have other legitimate reasons.
Article 8
Any person who applies for naturalization as a Chinese
national shall acquire Chinese nationality upon approval of his
application; a person whose application for naturalization as a
Chinese national has been approved shall not retain foreign
nationality.
Article 9
Any Chinese national who has settled abroad and who has
been naturalized as a foreign national or has acquired foreign
nationality of his own free will shall automatically lose Chinese
nationality.
Article 10
Chinese nationals who meet one of the following conditions
may renounce Chinese nationality upon approval of their
applications:
(1) they are near relatives of foreign nationals;
(2) they have settled abroad; or
(3) they have other legitimate reasons.
Article 11
Any person who applies for renunciation of Chinese nationality
shall lose Chinese nationality upon approval of his
application.
Article 12
State functionaries and military personnel on active
service shall not renounce Chinese nationality.
Article 13
Foreign nationals who once held Chinese nationality may
apply for restoration of Chinese nationality if they have
legitimate reasons; those whose applications for restoration of
Chinese nationality have been approved shall not retain foreign
nationality.
Article 14
Persons who wish to acquire, renounce or restore Chinese
nationality, with the exception of the cases provided for in
Article 9, shall go through the formalities of application.
Applications of persons under the age of 18 may be filed on their
behalf by their parents or other legal representatives.
Article 15
Nationality applications at home shall be handled by the
Public Security Bureaus of the municipalities or counties where the
applicants reside; nationality applications abroad shall be handled
by Chinese diplomatic representative agencies and consular
offices.
Article 16
Applications for naturalization as Chinese nationals and
for renunciation or restoration of Chinese nationality is subject
to examination and approval by the Ministry of Public Security of
the People's Republic of China. The Ministry of Public Security
shall issue a certificate to any person whose application has been
approved.
Article 17
The nationality status of persons who have acquired or
lost Chinese nationality before the promulgation of this Law shall
remain valid.
Article 18
This Law shall come into force on the day of its promulgation.
(english.gov.cn)