Dual AUS/China Nationals Travelling to China - How to Use The Passports

Lmlaus on 13/03/2017 - 15:08

Hi guys,

I'm currently a Chinese national and a soon-to-be Australian citizen. I was wondering if there is someone who has experience in doing so and what is the most appropriate manner in which I should use my two passports (AUS and China) when entering and leaving China once I get my Aus passport, without having to apply for a Chinese visa.

  1. When booking the ticket with the airline, which passport detail should I give them? A lot of Chinese airlines require passport details up-front when you book the ticket and it seems that you have to have the same passport detail recorded for onward and return leg.

  2. Leaving Australia: I understand that I will need to pass the immigration using Australian passport once I'm a citizen but which passport should I present at the check-in counter? Should it be the same as the one whose detail I provided at the time of booking the ticket? If not, will they refuse me a boarding pass because the info doesn't match? Will I run into any trouble if I only present my Chinese passport at check-in but use Australian passport to go through immigration?

  3. Entering China: I can use my Chinese passport or other Chinese travel documents that I have to enter China without any issue. However, this means that I must use Chinese passport to pass the immigration when exiting China which creates issues below.

  4. Leaving China: Again, which passport should I present at the check-in counter? I understand that the check-in agent will verify my right of entry to Australia using DIBP's system but does the passport used for this purpose have to be the same one used to extract booking records and the one under which the boarding pass is issued? If not, can I present Chinese passport for boarding pass issuance and Australian one for confirming my right of entry to Australia (i.e. in lieu of an Australian visa). Will they get suspicious because there's no Chinese entry stamp on my Australian passport and alert the authority? And again, will the Chinese immigration be alerted if I only use my Australian passport at the check-in counter but later pass the immigration control using my Chinese passport?

  5. Entering Australia: All good! Home sweet home.

Cheers,
Rob

Travel

Comments

  • Marcsie on 13/03/2017 - 15:15

    Forget about Chinese passport, to be safe, use Australian passport all the way, just pay for the visa, as simple as that :)

  • onetwothreefour on 13/03/2017 - 15:16

    In Australia show them your Australian passport and in China show them your Chinese passport.

    I'm dual UK and Australian citizen and only have a UK passport as it's expensive to have 2 passports and no real benefit that I can see. My UK one expires next year and it is cheaper than getting an Australian passport so I'll just renew my UK one rather than getting an Australian passport.

    • MeesusEff on 13/03/2017 - 15:52

      this sounds strange, wouldnt your Australian passport not show that you arrived in China because theres no stamp? And vice versa?

      • onetwothreefour on 13/03/2017 - 16:08

        They will only stamp one passport, anyway the OP can't have dual citizenship as the other posters have said so he should get his Australian passport and just use that.

    • Randxyz123 on 13/03/2017 - 17:12

      How can you not use an Australian passport. As a citizen you can't have a visa on your UK passport.

      Have you travelled recently ?

      There are no more stamps in Australia. A UK citizen needs a e-visa to visit Australia now.

      • onetwothreefour on 13/03/2017 - 18:44

        I've been overseas last year and the year before, I traveled on my UK passport.

        • Randxyz123 on 13/03/2017 - 21:29

          How did you get back into Australia ? I'm surprised you could do that without a fuss from immigration . My understanding is and I could be wrong , Is that you need your Australian passport or visa to get back into Australia. Since an Australian citizen can't get a multi entry visa to Australia.

        • onetwothreefour on 13/03/2017 - 22:18

          @knick007: I've never even thought about it, immigration says you can face difficulties and delays but i havent https://www.border.gov.au/Trav/Citi/Curr/Citizenship-through…

          I'm going away again in may so I'll see what happens this time.

        • Randxyz123 on 13/03/2017 - 22:48

          @onetwothree: you're probably still in their system as being authorised to enter and exit. (I'm assuming you were born in the UK?) Otherwise that's a bit of a gap in our immigration system.

        • onetwothreefour on 14/03/2017 - 10:05

          @knick007:

          Yes born there, moved here in 2004 got citizenship in 2015 been overseas twice since.

          My UK passport expires soon so I might get an Australian one next time, it doesn't make a big difference to me which one I have, was just going to get a UK one again as it is cheaper.

        • Lysander on 15/03/2017 - 13:41

          @knick007:

          They can look up that you are a citizen. It is citizenship that gives you the right to enter and live in Australia without a visa, not the passport. Passport is merely evidencing such citizenship. For example, showing your citizenship certificate also works without problems.
          Of course they want you to have a passport as (a) it saves them having to go to a PC and type in your name, and (b) the government makes money off passports.

  • Lysander on 13/03/2017 - 15:23
    +1

    Agreed - just use one passport.

    Technically, there cannot be dual Chinese/Australian citizens as China does not allow that. In fact, if you ever want to go back to China it is dangerous to risk them finding out which at some point in the future (with more government cooperation due to terrorism) they are bound to do.
    Not sure what the Chinese government might or might not do to you and/or your relatives in China in terms of fines and punishment but I would not want to risk that.

    However, I would use the Chinese passport. If you use the Australian passport, the authorities might then check against your name whether you also have a Chinese passport and then find out that you have illegal dual citizenship.

    I would check if Australian immigration can provide a documents now to certify you have permanent residency which you can then show to the check in counter in China which should take care of the visa issue. It will take a while for them to check but it works.

    I travelled with an expired European passport and an Aussie certificate showing I did not require a visa for Australia and after about 1 hour they managed to clear me and check me in. A hassle but maybe it is worth it to keep your Chinese passport if that is what you want.

  • daiwai on 13/03/2017 - 15:35

    China do not recognize dual nationality, I won't take the chance if I were you. If you already applied Aus PP then apply an visa. That will cost you some money but definitely will give you protection if anything goes south when you're there.

    • swimmingtoad on 13/03/2017 - 22:57

      By memory it's a two year ban from entering China if the government find out your using an absolute passport (i.e. No longer a citizen) or if they find out that you haven't taken your name Off the family register.

  • geek001 on 13/03/2017 - 15:47

    Interesting discussion. Definitely choose to use one passport for the entire trip as it will look very suspicious if you return to China without having been anywhere else as there are no passport stamps on your Chinese passport!

    • FutureTech on 13/03/2017 - 20:03

      This issue can be avoided in its entirety by using the e-channel (automated border clearing system) when entering China. Unfortunately this facility is not readily available for leaving the country except for at a very limited number of airports in China.

  • [Deactivated] on 13/03/2017 - 16:17

    please dont become an aussie citizen

    • onetwothreefour on 13/03/2017 - 16:20

      Why?

      • [Deactivated] on 13/03/2017 - 16:22
        +1

        generally because they are trying to be dodgy with their citizenship because China does not recognize dual nationality, therefore they have to give that up.
        OP should decide if they wanna be aussies or chinese, not both.

        • onetwothreefour on 13/03/2017 - 16:35
          -1

          Maybe he didn't know that he would have to give up his Chinese passport?

  • scrimshaw on 13/03/2017 - 16:55

    Only use 1 passport, and preferably, the Aussie one.

    China does not recognize dual nationality and Multiple Citizenship. The Article 3 of China Nationality Law holds that the country will not admit the dual nationality of a Chinese citizen. Moreover, the Article 9 of that law declares that as soon as a Chinese takes a foreign citizenship, /s/he will automatically lose his Chinese citizenship. You don't even have to formally renounce the citizenship — you are automatically stripped of your Chinese citizenship status.

    If you are caught by officials to have a dual citizenship while abroad because you used both, they might decide to detain you or immediately kick you out.

  • Randxyz123 on 13/03/2017 - 17:18

    China doesn't accept dual citizens. When you become an Australian citizen you'll renounce your Chinese citizenship.

    Use your Australian Passport Do NOT use your Chinese passport. Just apply for a Chinese visa like Australians would

    • Lysander on 15/03/2017 - 14:08

      The opposite. If I was immigration and the OP looks as a Chinese national and can speak the local language without a foreign accent I would check his name in the system and then find that he also holds a Chinese passport. Boom. Caught. You will lose your Chinese passport.

      Use only your Chinese passport and get a certificate now showing you hold permanent residency (which should also be attached to your Chinese passport as long as you have not become a citizen yet).

      If that is not possible, you will have to decide for one nationality as you are likely to get caught otherwise.

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