China Issues New Exit-Entry Regulations Targeting Safety Risks, Fraud, and Sanctions

Chinese Premier Li Qiang has signed State Council Decree No. 841, issuing 19 new regulations on exit and entry administration that will take effect on September 15, 2026. The comprehensive rules institutionalize cross-agency safety warnings for citizens traveling to high-risk zones, enforce stricter penalties for fraudulent applications, and codify exit and entry bans tied to national security, export control violations, and foreign counter-sanction lists. Additionally, the decree introduces mandatory administrative filing requirements for exit and entry intermediary service agencies.

The new regulations consolidate border control authorities under national security and economic protection priorities. By explicitly linking exit bans to export control violations and integrating counter-sanctions enforcement into immigration procedures, Beijing is expanding its legal framework to protect domestic technology and respond to foreign regulatory measures.

Chinese Premier Li Qiang signed State Council Decree No. 841 to promulgate new administrative regulations on exit and entry management, according to official reports from Xinhua and state media. The 19-article decree, approved during a State Council executive meeting in late June 2026 and published on July 31, 2026, is scheduled to take effect on September 15, 2026. The stated objective of the rules is to standardize border administration, protect the legitimate rights of travelers, and safeguard national sovereignty, security, and development interests. Under the administrative framework, Chinese foreign affairs and tourism authorities, alongside overseas diplomatic missions, are required to issue public safety warnings and risk assessments for foreign destinations based on security conditions such as armed conflicts, social instability, natural disasters, accidents, or epidemic outbreaks. Immigration authorities must warn citizens applying for travel documents or clearing border controls against traveling to high-risk regions, and are empowered to actively dissuade citizens from visiting areas with extreme risk levels or severe threats to personal safety. The regulations mandate that all applicants present truthful and lawful grounds for exit, entry, or residency requests. Submitting fraudulent materials or false statements gives immigration and visa authorities the right to deny document issuance or bar travel. For Chinese citizens, administrative penalties for illegal exit-entry or document fraud can result in exit bans ranging from six months to three years after the penalty is served. Furthermore, citizens engaging in activities abroad that harm national security, or those violating export control and technology transfer rules that threaten industrial and technical safety, may face exit bans imposed by competent state or provincial authorities. For foreign nationals, providing false statements during visa applications or at port entries can lead to entry bans lasting one to five years. Similar entry bans apply to foreign citizens penalized for border administration offenses. The rules also formalize enforcement procedures denying entry or travel documents to foreigners listed on countermeasure lists, unreliable entity lists, or malicious entity blacklists. Finally, the decree establishes a mandatory filing and registration system for intermediary agencies and personnel providing exit and entry services.