ExitChina.org (出海指南, “the site”, “we”) is operated by EXIT CHINA LTD. Everything published on the site is general information, intended to help readers understand the basics of moving abroad and living overseas. It is not legal, tax, immigration, financial or investment advice, and it does not replace advice on your own situation from a lawyer, tax adviser, licensed immigration consultant or other qualified professional.

Visa and immigration rules change quickly, and the same rule can be applied differently by different countries, consulates or even individual officers. We work hard to keep our information accurate, but we cannot guarantee that every page is complete, up to date and applicable to you at the moment you read it. By using this site, you acknowledge and accept the points below.

Information only

Our guides describe general rules and typical situations. Your nationality, household registration, marital status, occupation, source of funds and travel history can all change the outcome. Before you submit an application, sign a contract, move money or make any other important decision, consult a suitably qualified professional.

Check official sources

Every guide lists its sources and a verification date. The verification date is when an editor last checked the page against its sources; it does not mean the rules have not changed since. Before taking any step, check the official websites of the destination country’s government and its embassy or consulates again. For procedures in China, see the latest notices on the Chinese consular service website and the National Immigration Administration. Where official information differs from ours, the official information prevails.

Rules change

Visa-free arrangements, visa fees, financial thresholds, immigration programmes and tax rules can all change at short notice; some changes are announced in advance, others take effect immediately. We review our guides at least every six months and update them as soon as we can after major changes (see our Editorial Policy and Sources), but a page may be out of date between reviews.

External links

We link to government websites, international organisations, media and third-party service providers for readers’ convenience. We do not control their content, availability or privacy practices, and a link does not mean we endorse everything on the linked site. Once you leave our site, read that site’s terms and privacy policy.

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This site earns money from advertising and affiliate partnerships. Some links are affiliate links: if you sign up for or buy a service through them, we may earn a commission, at no extra cost to you. Advertising and affiliate links are clearly labelled. Commercial relationships do not influence our guides, and partners cannot pay to change rankings or assessments; see About Us. Please judge for yourself whether a third-party product or service is right for you.

Gambling content: 18+ and only where legal

Some country pages describe local gambling laws and the regulation of casinos and online gambling, and the site may show advertising or affiliate links for licensed gambling operators. Please note:

  • This content is only for readers aged 18 or over; where the local legal age is higher (in some places it is 21), the local rule applies.
  • It is only for readers in places where gambling is legal. Gambling is prohibited in mainland China, and our gambling promotions are not aimed at readers in mainland China.
  • We only work with operators that hold a valid licence in their jurisdiction, but a licence does not make gambling risk-free.
  • Gambling is entertainment in which you can lose money. It is not a way to earn money or solve financial problems. Set a budget, and if you find it hard to stop, take a break and contact a local problem-gambling support service.

Chinese law: Article 303 of the Criminal Law

Chinese citizens living abroad still need to be aware of Chinese law. Amendment XI to the Criminal Law of the People’s Republic of China was adopted at the 24th session of the Standing Committee of the 13th National People’s Congress on 26 December 2020 and took effect on 1 March 2021. Article 303 of the Criminal Law, as amended, reads (our translation):

Whoever, for the purpose of making a profit, gathers people to gamble or makes gambling his profession shall be sentenced to fixed-term imprisonment of not more than three years, criminal detention or public surveillance, and shall also be fined.

Whoever opens a casino shall be sentenced to fixed-term imprisonment of not more than five years, criminal detention or public surveillance, and shall also be fined; if the circumstances are serious, to fixed-term imprisonment of not less than five years but not more than ten years, and shall also be fined.

Whoever organises citizens of the People’s Republic of China to take part in gambling outside the country (or territory), where the amount involved is huge or there are other serious circumstances, shall be punished in accordance with the preceding paragraph.

The third paragraph was added by Amendment XI. The Supreme People’s Court and Supreme People’s Procuratorate named the offence “organising participation in gambling abroad” (组织参与国（境）外赌博罪) in their Supplementary Provisions (VII) on charges, effective 1 March 2021. The same amendment also raised the penalties for opening a casino: the basic range went from up to three years to up to five years, and the range for serious cases from three to ten years to five to ten years. As generally understood, the offence of organising participation in gambling abroad targets organisers, for example people who recruit or organise Chinese citizens to gamble abroad or on overseas online gambling sites, where the amounts are huge or there are other serious circumstances.

In addition, Article 7 of the Criminal Law provides that it applies to Chinese citizens who commit offences under the Criminal Law outside China, although offences whose maximum penalty is three years’ imprisonment or less may not be prosecuted; for state functionaries and military personnel the Criminal Law always applies. Taking part in gambling inside China can also lead to administrative penalties: under Article 82 of the Public Security Administration Punishments Law, as revised on 27 June 2025 and in force since 1 January 2026, providing the conditions for gambling for profit, or gambling with relatively large stakes, is punishable by up to five days’ detention or a fine of up to 1,000 yuan, and in serious cases by 10 to 15 days’ detention plus a fine of 1,000 to 5,000 yuan. So even in a country where gambling is legal, do not organise or recruit other Chinese citizens to gamble, and do not help gambling platforms with promotion, referrals or payment processing: these activities may expose you to criminal liability.

This is a general description of the legal provisions, not legal advice. Whether specific conduct is unlawful depends on the facts of the case, judicial interpretations and court practice. If in doubt, consult a lawyer qualified in China.

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To the fullest extent permitted by law, ExitChina.org and its operator, EXIT CHINA LTD, are not liable for any direct or indirect loss arising from the use of, or reliance on, content on this site, including external links and third-party services. Nothing in this disclaimer excludes liability that cannot be excluded under applicable law.

Corrections and contact

This site is operated by EXIT CHINA LTD, T2110, Kehychivka, Kharkiv Oblast, 64000, Ukraine, email: info@exitchina.org. If you find something that is wrong or out of date, write to info@exitchina.org with a link to an official source. We will check it and correct it promptly; see Contact Us.

Sources

  1. NPC: Amendment XI to the Criminal Law of the PRC (adopted 26 December 2020) (accessed October 2026)
  2. National Database of Laws and Regulations: Criminal Law of the PRC (Article 7) (accessed October 2026)
  3. China Consular Service (Ministry of Foreign Affairs) (accessed October 2026)
  4. National Immigration Administration (accessed October 2026)
  5. Supreme People’s Court: Supplementary Provisions (VII) on charges under the Criminal Law (Chinese) (accessed October 2026)
  6. Gov.cn: revised Public Security Administration Punishments Law adopted (27 June 2025, Chinese) (accessed October 2026)
  7. Beijing traffic police: full text of the Public Security Administration Punishments Law (2025 revision, Chinese) (accessed October 2026)