Risk of Exit Ban and Forced Citizenship for Foreign Travelers in China

Summary

New Chinese entry/exit regulations effective September 2026 allow authorities to prohibit departure for anyone deemed a 'national security' risk, without notification or legal recourse. Cases include a Japanese national visiting relatives who was told his Chinese citizenship had been 'restored' and had to record a video renouncing Japanese citizenship. This applies even to those who have renounced PRC citizenship, and the criteria are vague and discretionary. Travelers only learn of the ban at the airport, leaving no way to prepare or contest. This creates extreme anxiety and risk for anyone of Chinese descent or with professional ties, and there is no reliable way to assess the risk before traveling, making travel to China a potential trap.