Your passport is the first document you need to go abroad and the basis for everything that follows: visas are placed in it, notaries, banks and landlords record its number, and many countries require it to be valid for at least six more months on entry or departure. China issued 20.897 million ordinary passports in 2025 and another 10.392 million in the first half of 2026. Demand keeps growing, and queues at exit-entry offices are common in peak season.

This guide is based on the National Immigration Administration’s (NIA) Ordinary Passport Issuance Guide and fee schedule. It covers who can apply, what documents you need, the fee, how long it takes, and how expedited service, renewal on expiry, and applying away from your hukou location or overseas work. Information is current as of October 2026; your local exit-entry office has the final word.

RMB 120Ordinary passport fee
7 working daysStandard processing at your hukou location
5 working daysApproved expedited applications
10 yearsValidity for applicants 16 and over (5 years under 16)

Who can apply, and when to renew

Chinese citizens travelling abroad for non-official reasons, including settling, visiting family, study, work, tourism and business, can apply for an ordinary passport at a public security exit-entry office at county level or above using their resident ID card. Registered state employees and active-duty military personnel first need approval from their employer or competent authority.

If you already have a passport, you can apply for a renewal when:

  • the visa pages are almost full;
  • it has less than six months’ validity left, or not enough for your destination;
  • your hukou details (such as name or date of birth) have changed, or your appearance has changed significantly;
  • fingerprints can now be taken after a hand injury has healed, or in other cases accepted by the exit-entry authority.

If a passport is damaged, lost or stolen, you apply for a replacement. To add a former name, traditional-character name, foreign-language name, or a note on polyphonic characters or non-standard pinyin, you apply for an endorsement.

Many visas require at least two blank visa pages. Before applying for a long-stay visa or emigrating, check validity and blank pages and renew early if needed, so you don’t end up with a visa in an old passport that later has to be transferred.

Documents required

Situation Documents
First application Photo meeting the exit-entry photo standard, Exit-Entry Document Application Form, resident ID card (a temporary ID is accepted while a new card is being made)
Under 16 Must be accompanied by a guardian, with proof of guardianship such as a birth certificate or hukou booklet and the guardian’s ID; if the guardian cannot attend, a power of attorney and the accompanying adult’s ID
State employees Written consent from the employer or supervising authority under personnel management rules
Renewal Original passport and copy; people who live abroad and are back for a short visit also need proof of overseas residence and a temporary residence certificate from the local police
Replacement A statement on how the passport was damaged, lost or stolen; hand in the damaged passport if applicable
Endorsement Application form, supporting evidence, valid passport and resident ID card

Photos are usually taken at the counter. If you submit a photo online, the NIA photo guide requires a white or light-blue background, a dark top with a collar, no coloured contact lenses or jewellery, no beautifying, retouching or filters, and a width of 400 to 1,000 pixels in a 3:4 ratio.

Step-by-step process

  1. Find an office and bookUse the NIA office finder to locate a nearby exit-entry hall and book a slot through the platform or the NIA app (移民局) if your city requires it.
  2. Apply in personBring your ID card and documents, fill in or confirm the form, and have your photo and fingerprints taken.
  3. Pay and keep the receiptPay RMB 120 per passport and keep the receipt, which shows the collection date and method.
  4. ProcessingAt your hukou location the passport is normally approved and issued within 7 working days; track progress on the NIA platform or the 12367 service platform.
  5. CollectPick it up at the counter or choose postal delivery. Check the pinyin of your name, date of birth and signature.

Fees and processing times

The fee for an ordinary passport is RMB 120, set by the National Development and Reform Commission and the Ministry of Finance in NDRC Price [2017] No. 1186 and NDRC Price [2019] No. 914, among others. The same fee applies to first applications, renewals and replacements.

Under the service guide, the exit-entry authority at your hukou location must approve, issue and produce the passport within 7 working days of accepting the application. The guide also says that applications made outside your home province may take up to 20 days, and that remote areas or special cases may be extended to 30 days with provincial approval. Actual times vary; go by your receipt.

Expedited passports: who qualifies

Expedited service is not something you simply pay extra for; you need to prove an urgent reason. According to the guide, you may request expedited processing in any of these cases, and approved applications are completed within 5 working days:

  • attending a funeral or visiting a critically ill relative abroad;
  • a visa or entry permit you already hold is about to expire;
  • attending an urgent meeting, negotiation or contract signing abroad;
  • the registration deadline for overseas study is approaching;
  • losing your documents shortly before travel, or other genuinely urgent reasons.

Bring evidence, such as a death certificate or critical-illness notice, the visa page, a meeting invitation, or an admission letter showing the registration date. The exit-entry office decides whether to approve.

The State Council Provisions on Exit and Entry Administration, in force since 15 September 2026, require applicants to state the true purpose of travel. Submitting false materials, to speed things up or for any other reason, leads to refusal, possible penalties, and a possible ban on leaving China for six months to three years. If an agent online offers “guaranteed express passports”, check that it is legally registered.

Applying away from home: nationwide processing

In the past, applying outside your hukou location meant showing a residence permit and other papers. Since 1 April 2019, under the NIA’s nationwide processing policy (全国通办), mainland residents can apply for an ordinary passport at any exit-entry office in the country, without residence, work or study papers, so you can apply in the city where you live or work without travelling back to your hukou location. Booking and collection arrangements differ between offices, so check by phone or online before you go.

Once you have your passport, the next steps are usually your visa and document authentication; see Notarisation and apostille in China.

Online booking and fully online renewal

The NIA online service platform (website and mobile app) offers service guides, an office finder, appointment booking and progress tracking, and the 12367 service platform answers questions by phone and online. In 2025 the number of pilot cities offering fully online renewal and replacement of exit-entry documents for mainland residents rose to 50: eligible applicants submit the application and photo online and receive the document by post, without visiting a counter.

Fully online processing currently covers renewals and replacements in pilot cities only. First-time applicants must still go in person to give fingerprints. Check the platform to see whether your city is included.

Renewing or replacing a passport abroad

If you already live abroad and your passport is expiring, full or lost, you do not need to return to China. Apply to the Chinese embassy or consulate in your country of residence. According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs online service platform, issuance, renewal, replacement and endorsement of passports and travel documents can be applied for online through the “China Consular” (中国领事) app: upload your photo and documents as prompted, then collect the passport or receive it by post as the mission instructs.

  • Apply early: Renewal abroad involves review and production by the mission, and residence-card renewals often require ample passport validity. Apply at least six months ahead.
  • Proof of residence: Missions usually ask for proof of legal residence, such as a residence card or visa.
  • Urgent return: If you lose your passport and must return to China quickly, you can apply for a travel document (旅行证) as a temporary document, subject to the mission’s rules.
  • Fees: Missions charge in local currency, which differs from the RMB 120 domestic fee. Check your embassy’s notice.

You can also renew in China during a short visit home, but besides your old passport you must provide proof of overseas residence and a temporary residence certificate from the local police.

FAQ

How early can I renew before my passport expires?

You can renew once validity drops below six months, or below what your destination requires. If you plan to emigrate or study long term, get a new passport before applying for the long-stay visa.

What goes wrong most often?

Rejected photos, and name spellings that don’t match other documents. The pinyin on admission letters, contracts and tickets must match your passport exactly. If you have a former name or unusual spelling, request an endorsement in advance.

What comes after the passport?

Prepare your visa and, in parallel, your police certificate and document authentication; see the police certificate guide. For the full order of formalities, see the Leaving China checklist. Heading to the US or Canada? Go straight to the US visa and Canada visa guides.

Sources

  1. National Immigration Administration service platform: Ordinary passport issuance guide (accessed October 2026)
  2. National Immigration Administration website (fee schedule: ordinary passport RMB 120, NDRC Price [2019] No. 914) (accessed October 2026)
  3. NIA service platform: Photo submission guide for fully online document renewal (accessed October 2026)
  4. NIA service platform: Exit-entry office finder (accessed October 2026)
  5. National Immigration Administration: Nearly 700 million border crossings in 2025 (28 Jan 2026) (accessed October 2026)
  6. National Immigration Administration: 369 million border crossings in H1 2026 (10 Jul 2026) (accessed October 2026)
  7. Ministry of Foreign Affairs online services: Passports and travel documents via the China Consular app (accessed October 2026)
  8. gov.cn: State Council Provisions on Exit and Entry Administration (Decree No. 841) (accessed October 2026)
  9. National Immigration Administration: Nationwide processing of exit-entry documents for mainland residents from 1 April (27 Mar 2019) (accessed October 2026)
  10. National Immigration Administration: the “Immigration Administration” (移民局) app – appointments and courier delivery (accessed October 2026)
  11. Huarong County (Hunan) catalogue of administrative fees: private passport RMB 120, based on NDRC Price [2017] No. 1186 and [2019] No. 914 (Nov 2024) (accessed October 2026)