Day-to-day duty
In short
Yes, and it is a statutory duty, not a tip. Article 38 of the Exit and Entry Administration Law requires foreigners aged 16 and over to carry their passport, another international travel document, or a stay or residence permit, and to accept inspection by public security organs. Refusing that inspection draws a warning and a fine of up to RMB 2,000. Police do not accept printed copies.
If the passport is actually goneApplies to
Every foreign visitor aged 16 or over, everywhere in mainland China, including on a day trip out of your hotel.
Check before you rely on it
The law penalises refusing the check. No opened source states a penalty for simply having left the passport at your hotel, so this page does not print one.
Review date: 2026-07-25
Most travellers meet this rule once, at a station gate or a hotel desk, and never think about it again. The people it goes wrong for are the ones who left the passport in a safe. Nothing here is legal advice.
The statute
Reproduced exactly, because a reader consulting it is deciding what to do at a counter.
“Foreigners having reached the age of 16 who stay or reside in China shall carry with them their passports or other international travel documents, or foreigners' stay or residence permits, and accept the inspection of public security organs.”
Article 76 attaches the penalty to refusal: a warning shall be given, and a fine of not more than RMB 2,000 yuan may also be imposed, where a foreigner refuses examination of their exit-entry documents or refuses to submit a residence permit for examination.
Exit and Entry Administration Law of the People's Republic of China, Articles 38 and 76 (National Immigration Administration, page dated 2021-03-10, read 2026-07-25)If you are stopped
The ladder
From a routine check to detention for investigation, with the article number next to each step.
| Situation | What the source publishes | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| You are 16 or over and staying in China | You shall carry your passport, other international travel document, or foreigners' stay or residence permit, and accept the inspection of public security organs. | Article 38 · National Immigration Administration, read 2026-07-25 |
| You refuse to let public security examine your exit-entry documents | A warning shall be given, and a fine of not more than RMB 2,000 yuan may also be imposed. The same applies to refusing to submit a residence permit for examination. | Article 76(1) and 76(2) · National Immigration Administration, read 2026-07-25 |
| You only have a photocopy or a photo on your phone | The UK foreign ministry states that police do not accept printed copies, and that failure to produce your ID can lead to a fine or detention. | UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, read 2026-07-25 |
| You are suspected of an exit-entry violation | You may be interrogated on the spot, and interrogated in continuation where the suspicion is illegal entry or exit, assisting others to enter or exit illegally, illegal residence or work, or endangering national security or public order. | Article 59 · National Immigration Administration, read 2026-07-25 |
| Suspicion is not cleared and further investigation is needed | You may be detained for investigation on a written decision, and interrogated within 24 hours. The period shall not exceed 30 days, extendable to 60 days for complicated cases. | Article 60 · National Immigration Administration, read 2026-07-25 |
| You are seriously ill, pregnant, breast-feeding an infant under one, under 16, or 70 or over | Detention for investigation does not apply. Movement may be restricted instead, for a period not exceeding 60 days. | Article 61 · National Immigration Administration, read 2026-07-25 |
| You enter an area closed to foreigners without approval | You shall be ordered to leave promptly; where circumstances are serious, detention of not less than five days but not more than ten days, with material obtained and tools used confiscated or destroyed. | Article 77 · National Immigration Administration, read 2026-07-25 |
| You are repatriated | Repatriated persons shall not be allowed to enter China for one to five years, calculating from the date of repatriation. | Article 62 · National Immigration Administration, read 2026-07-25 |
Am I allowed to go there?
Carrying the passport is not enough everywhere. Some places need a separate document, and one of them needs it 60 days ahead.
A foreigners' travel permit is issued to a foreigner applying to travel to places not open to foreigners. Apply in person at an exit-entry administration at prefecture level or above, with evidence of your reason for going. Decision within 30 working days of acceptance, published fee CNY 50, collected in person.
Source: National Immigration Administration — Service Guide on Issuance of Travel Permits for Foreigners (page dated 2021-04-01; read 2026-07-25)
The UK foreign ministry states you must get a permit through a specialist travel agent in China and must also travel on an organised tour. It adds that the authorities sometimes stop issuing permits without notice, or restrict travel to Tibetan Autonomous Prefectures in neighbouring provinces, even if you hold a permit.
Source: UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office — Foreign travel advice: China — Regional risks (read 2026-07-25)
From 15 April 2026 the Border Administration Area Permit is electronic and paper issuance has stopped. Chinese mainland residents apply through the NIA 12367 app and its WeChat and Alipay mini programs. Foreign nationals apply in person at an exit-entry administration at or above county level, or at a designated police station.
Source: National Immigration Administration — Announcement on the Implementation of Electronic Border Administration Area Permit (page dated 2026-04-03; read 2026-07-25)
The published facts
Statute quoted from the law itself; the practical warnings come from a foreign ministry and are labelled as such. Sources read 2026-07-25.
"Foreigners having reached the age of 16 who stay or reside in China shall carry with them their passports or other international travel documents, or foreigners' stay or residence permits, and accept the inspection of public security organs."
Article 38 · Exit and Entry Administration Law of the People's Republic of China (National Immigration Administration, page dated 2021-03-10, read 2026-07-25)
Article 76 gives a warning and allows a fine of not more than RMB 2,000 yuan where a foreigner refuses examination of their exit-entry documents, or refuses to submit a residence permit for examination. The penalty attaches to refusal, and the law sets no separate figure for simply not having the document with you.
Article 76 · Exit and Entry Administration Law of the People's Republic of China (National Immigration Administration, page dated 2021-03-10, read 2026-07-25)
The UK foreign ministry's China advice states that you should always carry your passport, that police carry out random checks especially during periods of heightened security and major sporting or political events, that they do not accept printed copies, and that failure to produce your ID can lead to a fine or detention.
Foreign travel advice: China — Safety and security (UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, read 2026-07-25)
A hotel registers your accommodation with the public security organ where it is located, and a stay anywhere else has to be registered by you or your host within 24 hours. The registration step is why the passport leaves your hands at check-in; the carrying duty resumes the moment it is back.
Article 39 · Exit and Entry Administration Law of the People's Republic of China (National Immigration Administration, page dated 2021-03-10, read 2026-07-25)
The UK foreign ministry states that where an offence does not meet the threshold for criminal proceedings, police still have the right to impose up to 15 days' administrative detention without trial. It also states that a person suspected of a crime can be detained for up to 37 days without charge.
Foreign travel advice: China — Safety and security (UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, read 2026-07-25)
Article 77 sets an order to leave promptly, and five to ten days' detention where circumstances are serious, for entering a foreigner-restricted area without approval. The UK foreign ministry adds that restricted military areas exist where foreigners can be detained, fined or deported without prior authorisation, and that signs typically indicate them but it may not always be clear.
Article 77 · Exit and Entry Administration Law of the People's Republic of China (National Immigration Administration, page dated 2021-03-10, read 2026-07-25)
A foreigners' travel permit may be issued to a foreigner applying to travel to places not open to foreigners. You apply in person at an exit-entry administration at prefecture level or above, submit evidence of your reason for going, and a decision is made within 30 working days of acceptance. The published fee is CNY 50 and you collect the permit in person with your receipt.
Service Guide on Issuance of Travel Permits for Foreigners (National Immigration Administration, page dated 2021-04-01, read 2026-07-25)
For a foreign tour group travelling to places not open to foreigners, the travel agency files a reception plan with the provincial exit-entry administration 60 days before the group arrives. Routes clear of prohibited regions need no approval; routes passing through them need approval with the reception plan, a personnel list and passport and visa copies.
Service Guide on Issuance of Travel Permits for Foreigners (National Immigration Administration, page dated 2021-04-01, read 2026-07-25)
The UK foreign ministry states that you must get a permit to travel to Tibet and the Tibet Autonomous Region through a specialist travel agent in China, and must also travel on an organised tour. It adds that the authorities sometimes stop issuing permits without notice, or restrict travel to Tibetan Autonomous Prefectures in neighbouring provinces, even if you hold a permit.
Foreign travel advice: China — Regional risks (UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, read 2026-07-25)
From 15 April 2026 the Border Administration Area Permit is issued electronically and paper issuance stopped. Chinese mainland residents aged 16 and over can apply through the NIA 12367 app and its WeChat and Alipay mini programs. Foreign nationals, and residents of Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan, must apply in person at an exit-entry administration at or above county level or at a designated police station.
Announcement No. 2 of 2026 · Announcement on the Implementation of Electronic Border Administration Area Permit (National Immigration Administration, page dated 2026-04-03, read 2026-07-25)
The UK foreign ministry describes airport-style security including passport and security checks at shopping centres, markets and parks, and says you may need to give security forces your phone number, have your photograph taken and explain why you are travelling. It advises always carrying your passport there and not photographing security officials or installations.
Foreign travel advice: China — Regional risks (UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, read 2026-07-25)
Dialling +86-12367 and choosing English on the interactive voice response system gives an immediate, direct voice response. The China Immigration Service Hotline runs around the clock, and the same service is in the NIA 12367 app and its WeChat and Alipay mini-programs, both bilingual.
China Immigration Service Hotline 12367 Now Supports French (National Immigration Administration, page dated 2025-12-11, read 2026-07-25)
The UK foreign ministry states that if you are detained, only your legal representatives and consular staff from the British Embassy are allowed to visit you until your sentence is passed. Travellers on other passports should check the equivalent statement from their own foreign ministry.
Foreign travel advice: China — Safety and security (UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, read 2026-07-25)
In short
Including the one people search at the moment it matters: the passport is back at the hotel.
Yes. Article 38 of the Exit and Entry Administration Law requires foreigners aged 16 and over who stay or reside in China to carry their passport, another international travel document, or a stay or residence permit, and to accept the inspection of public security organs.
The published penalty in Article 76 attaches to refusing examination: a warning, and a fine of up to RMB 2,000. The law sets no separate figure for having left the document at your hotel. The UK foreign ministry states more bluntly that failure to produce your ID can lead to a fine or detention. Say where the passport is, offer any receipt you were given, and ask to contact your embassy if you are taken anywhere.
No. The UK foreign ministry states that police do not accept printed copies. Article 38 names the document itself. Carry the passport and keep a photo only as a backup for reporting a loss.
Article 59 allows on-the-spot questioning of a person suspected of an exit-entry violation, and continued questioning in four named situations. Article 60 is a separate step: detention for investigation, which requires a written decision, an interrogation within 24 hours, and a maximum of 30 days, extendable to 60 for complicated cases. Article 61 replaces detention with movement restriction of up to 60 days for people who are seriously ill, pregnant, breast-feeding an infant under one, under 16, or 70 and over.
Yes. Article 77 penalises entering a foreigner-restricted area without approval with an order to leave promptly, and five to ten days' detention where circumstances are serious. A foreigners' travel permit exists for places not open to foreigners: apply in person, CNY 50, decision within 30 working days. Tibet needs both a permit arranged through a specialist agent in China and an organised tour.
A decision on a foreigners' travel permit is made within 30 working days of acceptance, and you collect it in person with your receipt. A travel agency taking a foreign group into places not open to foreigners files its reception plan 60 days before arrival. Neither timetable fits a plan made in-country the week before.
No. The 2026 announcement puts Chinese mainland residents aged 16 and over on the NIA 12367 app and the WeChat and Alipay mini programs, and requires foreign nationals to apply in person at an exit-entry administration at or above county level or at a designated police station.
Not published
A reader in this situation carries real legal exposure. Here is exactly where the sources stop.
Police report, embassy, and the Chinese exit permit that gets you out when the embassy cannot help.
Open the recovery pageThe 24-hour duty that moves to you and your host when the first night is an apartment.
Open pageThe extension route, the seven-day deadline, and what the law sets as the overstay penalty.
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