Law of the People’s Republic of China on Public Security Administration Punishments
Contents
Chapter I General Provisions
Chapter II Categories and Application of the Punishments Thereto
Chapter III Acts Violating the Public Security Administration and the Punishments Thereto
Section 1 Acts Disrupting Public order and the Punishments Thereto
Section 2 Acts Impairing Public Safety and the Punishments Thereto
Section 3 Acts Infringing upon the Right of the Person or Encroaching upon Right of
Property and the Punishments Thereto
Section 4 Acts Impairing the Social Administration and the Punishments Thereto
Chapter IV Punishment Procedures
Section 1 Investigation
Section 2 Decision
Section 3 Execution
Chapter V Supervision over Law Enforcement
Chapter VI Supplementary Provisions
Chapter I General Provisions
Article 1This Law is enacted with a view to maintaining the social security order,
guaranteeing public safety, protecting the lawful rights and interests of the citizens, legal persons
and other organizations, regulating and ensuring the lawful fulfillment of the public security
administration duties by the public security organs and the people’s policemen.
Article 2With regard to an act of disrupting public order, encroaching upon the right of the
person, the right of property or impairing social administration, if it is of social harmfulness and
constitutes any crime as provided for in the Criminal Law of the People’s Republic of China, it
shall be subject to criminal liabilities. If it is not serious enough to be subject to a criminal
punishment, it shall, in accordance with this law, be subject to public security punishment by the
public security organ.
Article 3The provisions of this Law shall apply to the procedures for the public security
administration punishments. If any matter is not covered by this Law, the relevant provisions of
the Administrative Punishment Law of the People’s Republic of China shall apply.
Article 4This Law shall apply to the acts violating the public security administration within
the territory of the People’s Republic of China unless it is otherwise provided for in any law.
This Law shall apply to the acts violating the public security administration that occur in the
vessels and aircrafts of the People’s Republic of China unless it is otherwise provided for in any
law.
Article 5The public security administration punishments shall be based on facts and shall be
suitable for the nature and circumstances and extent of harm to the society caused by the act
violating the public security administration.
The imposition of public security administration punishments shall be open and impartial, shall
respect and guarantee human rights and shall protect the personal dignity of the citizens.
1The principle of combining education with punishments shall be observed in tackling security
cases.
Article 6The people’s governments at all levels shall strengthen the comprehensive control of
social security, shall take effective measures to solve social contradictions, enhance social
harmony and maintain social stability.
Article 7The public security department of the State Council shall be responsible for the
public security administration throughout the country. The public security organs of the people’s
governments above the county levels shall be responsible for the public security administration
within their respective administrative division.
The jurisdiction of security cases shall be set forth by the public security department of the
State Council.
Article 8Where an act violating public security administration causes any damage to any other
person, the violator or its guardian shall bear civil liabilities under the law.
Article 9With regard to the acts violating public security administration, such as fight and
destroy of property of any other person due to civil disputes, if the circumstances are lenient, the
public security organ may solve them by mediation. Upon mediation of the public security organ,
if the parties concerned reach an agreement, it shall be exempted from punishment. If no
agreement is reached, or if an agreement has been reached but not executed, the public security
organ may punish the violator of public security administration in accordance with this Law and
inform the parties concerned that they may lodge a civil lawsuit in the people’s court for the civil
dispute concerned.
Chapter II Categories and Application of the Punishments Thereto
Article 10The public security administration punishments are classified into the following
categories:
(1) Warning;
(2) Pecuniary penalty;
(3) Administrative detention;
(4) Revocation of the license issued by the public security organ;
Any foreigner who violates the public security administration may be given an additionally
applicable time limit for exiting China or being expelled from China.
Article 11The drugs, obscene articles and other prohibited articles, gambling tools, gambling
stakes, tools for drug injection, and all the tools of the violator directly used for committing a
violation of the public security administration that are discovered in a public security case shall be
confiscated and disposed of in accordance with the relevant provisions.
The properties gained by violating the public security administration shall be confiscated and
returned to the victim. If there is no victim, the properties shall be recorded down and shall be
auctioned openly or shall be disposed of in accordance with the relevant provisions of the state,
and the proceeds therefrom shall be turned over to the state treasury.
Article 12Where a person who attains to the age of 14 but is less than 18 years old violates
public security administration, he shall be given a lighter or mitigated punishment. Where a person
who is less than 14 years old violates public security administration, he shall be immune from
punishment, but his guardian shall be ordered to offer him strict custodian education.
2Article 13If a mentally insane patient causes any harmful consequences at a time when he (she)
is unable to understand or control his own conduct, he shall be immune from punishment, but his
(her) guardian shall be ordered to keep him under strict watch and control and give him medical
treatment. An intermittently mentally insane patient shall be punished if he (she) violates the
public security administration when he is in a normal mental state.
Article 14A blind or deaf-and-mute person who violates the administration of public security
may be given a lighter or mitigated punishment or may be exempted from punishment.
Article 15An intoxicated person who violates the administration of public security shall be
punished.
As to any intoxicated person who may face danger himself (herself) or cause danger to the
body or property of any other person or to the public safety, a protective measure shall be taken to
control him (her) until he (she) sobers up.
Article 16Where a person commits two or more acts violating public security administration,
rulings shall be made separately but shall be executed concurrently. The maximum time period for
the concurrently executed punishments as administrative detention shall not exceed 20 days.
Article 17Where 2 or more persons jointly commit a violation of public security
administration, they shall be punished separately on the basis of their respective role in the
violation.
Any person who instigates, coerces or induces any other person to violate public security
administration, he (she) shall be punished according to the act he has instigated, coerced or
induced.
Article 18Where an entity violates public security administration, the directly liable
person-in-charge of the entity and other directly liable persons shall be punished in accordance
with this Law. Where any other law or administrative regulation prescribes any punishment on the
same violation, the other law or administrative regulation shall prevail.
Article 19Under any of the following circumstances, the violator of public security
administration shall be given a mitigated punishment or may be exempted from punishment:
(1) The circumstances are extremely lenient;
(2) The violator has eliminated or mitigated the consequences of the illegal act on his own
initiative and has obtained the understanding of the victim;
(3) He (She) committed the violation because he (she) is forced or induced to do so;
(4) He (She) surrenders himself to justice and faithfully makes a statement about the violation
to the public security organ; and
(5) He (She) has performed meritorious services.
Article 20Under any of the following circumstances, a violator of public security
administration shall be given a heavier punishment:
(1) Having caused rather serious consequences;
(2) Instigating, coercing or inducing any other person to violate public security administration;
(3) Revenging on the person who reported the case to the public security organ, the
accuser, informant or witness;
(4) Having ever been subjected to any public security administration punishment within 6
months.
3Article 21Where a violator of public security administration is under any of the following
circumstances, if he should be given a punishment of administrative detention under this Law, the
punishment of administrative detention shall not be executed:
(1) He (She) attains to the age of 14 but is under the age of 16;
(2) He (She) attains to the age of 16 but less than the age of 18 and violates public security
administration for the first time;
(3) He (She) attains to the age of 70 or more; or
(4) She (is) pregnant or is breast-feeding her baby of less than 1 year old.
Article 22Where any violation of public security administration has not been found by the
public security organ within 6 months, no punishment may be given thereafter.
The time period as provided for in the preceding paragraph shall be counted from the day when
the violation is committed. If the violation is continuous or in a state of continuity, the time period
shall be counted as of the day when the violation ends.
Chapter III Acts Violating Public Security Administration
and the Punishments Thereto
Section 1 Acts Disrupting Public Order and the Punishments Thereto
Article 23Where a person commits any of the following acts, he shall be given a warning or a
pecuniary penalty. If the circumstances are serious, he (she) shall be detained for not less than 5
days but not more than 10 days and may be fined 500 yuan:
(1) He (she) disturbs the order of any organ, social organization, enterprise or public institution
and makes it impossible for the work, production, business, medical services, teaching or
scientific research to proceed normally, but has not caused any serious loss;
(2) He (She) disturbs the order of any bus station, port, dock, civil airport, emporium, park,
exhibition hall or any other public place;
(3) He (She) disturbs the order of any bus, trolleybus, train, ship, aircraft or any other means of
public transport;
(4) He (She) illegally stops or board any slowly going motor vehicle, ship, aircraft or any other
means of transport and affects the normal operation of the means of transport; or
(5) He (She) disturbs the order of any on-going election.
The principal violator who gathers a crowd to commit any of the acts as mentioned in the
preceding paragraph shall be detained for not less than 10 days but not more than 15 days, and
may be fined not more than 1, 000 yuan.
Article 24Where a person commits any of the following acts to disturb the order of a cultural
activity, sport or any other large scale mass activity, he (she) shall be given a warning or fined not
more than 200 yuan. If the circumstances are serious, he (she) be detained for not less than 5 days
but not more than 10 days, and may be fined not more than 500 yuan:
(1) Entering into the venue by force;
(2) Setting off fireworks and firecrackers or other articles in a prohibited area by violating
relevant provisions;
(3) Showing any insulting banner, scroll or other article;
(4) Besieging any referee, athlete or other working personnel;
(5) Throwing sundries into the arena and refusing to stop doing so after being ordered to stop;
or
4(6) Other acts disturbing the order of large scale mass activities.
Where a person is given a punishment of detention due to disturbing the order of a sport game,
he (she) may ordered not to enter into gymnasiums to watch games of the same type. If he enters
into a gymnasium by violating the provisions, he shall be forced to leave the venue.
Article 25Anyone who commits any of the following acts shall be detained for not less than 5
days but not more than 10 days, and may be concurrently fined not more than 500 yuan. If the
circumstances are relatively lenient, he(she) shall be detained 5 days or less or be fined not more
than 500 yuan:
(1) Intentionally disturbing public order by spreading any rumor, giving false information about
the situation of any risk, epidemic disease or emergency, or by any other means;
(2) Disturbing public order by throwing any fake explosive, toxic, radioactive or caustic
substances, or any fake infectious disease pathogen;
(3) Disturbing public order by threat to set fire, blast or throw dangerous substances.
Article 26Anyone who commits any of the following acts shall be detained for not less than 5
days but not more than 10 days, and may be fined not more than 500 yuan. If the circumstances
are quite serious, he (she) shall be detained for not less than 10 days but not more than 15 days,
and may be fined not more than 1, 000 yuan:
(1) Gang-fighting;
(2) Chasing or heading off any other person;
(3) Forcibly taking or demanding, willfully damaging, destroying or appropriating any public
or private property;
(4) Other acts of picking a quarrel and making trouble.
Article 27Anyone who commits any of the following acts may be detained for not less than
10 days but not more than 15 days, and may be concurrently fined not more than 1,000 yuan. If
the circumstances are relatively lenient, he (she) shall be detained for not less than 5 days but not
more than 10 days, and may be concurrently fined not more than 500 yuan:
(1) Organizing, instigating, intimidating, inducing or inciting any other person to carry out
activities of any cult or superstitious sect or secret society, or disturbing the social order or
impairing the health of any other person by using any cult, or superstitious sect or secret society,
or superstitious activity; or
(2) Disturbing the social order or impairing the health of any other person in the name of any
religion or Qigong.
Article 28Where anyone, who deliberately interfere with the operation of any normal radio
business or produces harmful interference to any normally operating radio station by violating the
provisions of the state, fails to adopt effective measures to eliminate the interference after the
relevant administrative organ points it out. If the circumstances are serious, he (she) shall be
detained for not less than 10 days but not more than 15 days.
Article 29Anyone who commits any of the following acts shall be detained for not more than
5 days. If the circumstances are relatively serious, he (she) shall be detained for not less than 5
days but not more than 10 days:
(1) Invading a computer information system and causing any damage by violating the
provisions of the state;
5(2) Deleting, modifying, increasing or interfering with the functions of a computer information
system and making the computer information system impossible to operate normally by violating
the provisions of the state;
(3) Deleting, modifying or adding the data memorized, processed or transmit
ted in a computer information system, and the application programs of the computer information
system; or
(4) Deliberately making and spreading any destructive programs such as computer virus and
affecting the normal operation of a computer information system.
Section 2 Acts Impairing Public Safety and the Punishments Thereto
Article 30Anyone who produces, buys, sells, preserves, transports, mails, carries, uses, offers
or disposes of any dangerous substance, such as explosive, toxic, radioactive or caustic substances
or infectious disease pathogens, he (she) shall be detained for not less than 10 days but not more
than 15 days. If circumstances are relatively lenient, he (she) shall be detained for not less than 5
days but not more than 10 days.
Article 31Where any dangerous substance, such as explosive, toxic, radioactive or caustic
substances or any infectious disease pathogen, are stolen, robbed or lost, if the liable person fails
to report according to the relevant provisions, he (she) shall be detained for not more than 5 days.
If he (she) deliberately conceals the fact so as not to report, he (she) shall be detained for not less
than 5 days but not more than 10 days.
Article 32Anyone who illicitly carries any gun, ammunition, crossbow, dagger or any other
tool controlled by the state shall be detained for not more than 5 days, and may be concurrently
fined 500 yuan. If the circumstances are lenient, he (she) shall be given a warning or be fined not
more than 200 yuan.
Anyone who illicitly carries any gun, ammunition, crossbow, dagger or any other tool
controlled by the state into a public place or public transport tool shall be detained for not less than
5 days but not less than 10 days and may be concurrently fined 500 yuan.
Article 33Anyone who commits any of the following acts shall be detained for not less than
10 days but not more than 15 days:
(1) Stealing, damaging or destroying any public facilities for oil and gas pipeline, electricity
and telecom, radio and television facilities, water conservancy and flood prevention engineering or
facilities for hydrological monitoring and measurement, weather observation and forecast,
environment monitoring, geographical monitoring or earthquake monitoring;
(2) Removing, damaging or destroying any border mark and facilities such as boundary tablet,
boundary marker, or indicating facilities for territorial land or territorial sea; or
(3) Illicitly carrying out any activity that may affect the direction of the border (boundary)
line or build any facilities that may hamper the border (boundary) administration.
Article 34Anyone who steals, damages or illegally moves any aviation facilities in use, or
forces into the cockpit of any aircraft shall be detained for not less than 10 days but not more than
15 days.
Where a person uses any device or tool that may affect the normal functions of the navigation
system on an aircraft in use, if he (she) refuses to stop its act after being dissuaded from doing so,
he (she) shall be detained for not more than 5 days or shall be fined not more than 500 yuan.
Article 35Where a person commits any of the following acts shall be detained for not less than
5 days but not more than 10 days, and may be concurrently fined 500 yuan. If the circumstances
6are relatively lenient, he (she) shall be detained for not more than 5 days or shall be fined not more
than 500 yuan:
(1) Stealing, damaging or destroying or illicitly removing any railway facilities, equipment,
locomotive fittings and safety signals;
(2) Placing obstacles on a railway or intentionally throwing any object to a train;
(3) Digging holes or quarrying or obtaining sand at the location of a railway, bridge or
culvert; or
(4) Illegally establishing any crossway or road junction on a railway.
Article 36Where a person illegally enters into a railway protection net or walks, sits or lies on
a railway or rushes to cross a railway when a train is coming, if he (she) affects the safety of the
train, he (she) shall be given a warning or shall be fined not more than 200 yuan.
Article 37Anyone who commits any of the following acts shall be detained for not more than 5
days or shall be fined not more than 500 yuan. If the circumstances are serious, he(she) shall be
detained for not less than 5 days but not more than 10 days, and may be concurrently fined not
more than 500 yuan:
(1) Installing or using any power grid without approval, or installing or using any power grid
that doesn’t conform to the safety requirements;
(2) Failing to install any covering, sign or fence for a pit, well, ridge and hole in a
construction site where vehicles and pedestrians pass, or intentionally damaging, destroying, or
removing any covering, sign and fence;
(3) Stealing, damaging or destroying any public facilities, such as well lids and lighting
devices on a road.
Article 38Where a large scale mass culture or sport activity is in violation of the relevant
provisions, if there is any risk of safety accident, the organizer shall be detained for not less than 5
days but not more than 10 days, and shall be concurrently fined not less than 200 yuan but not
more than 500 yuan. If the circumstances are relatively lenient, he (she) detained for not more than
5 days or shall be fined not more than 500 yuan.
Article 39Where the business manager of a hotel, restaurant, cinema, theatre, entertainment
place, playground, exhibition hall or any other place for public activity causes any safety accident
risk in this place by violating the safety provisions, if he(she) refuses to make corrections after he
(she) has been ordered to make corrections, he (she) shall be detained for not more than 5 days.
Section 3 Acts Infringing upon Personal Rights or Encroaching upon Property Right and
the Punishments Thereto
Article 40Anyone who commits any of the following acts shall be detained for not less than
10 days but not more than 15 days, and shall be concurrently fined not less than 500 yuan but not
more than 1, 000 yuan. If the circumstances are relatively lenient, he (she) shall be detained for
not less than 5 days but not more than 10 days, and shall be concurrently fined not less than 200
yuan but not more than 500 yuan:
(1) Organizing, coercing or inducing any minor who hasn’t attained to the age of 16 or a
disabled person to make terrific or cruel performances;
(2) Forcing any other person to work by violence, menace or by any other means; or
(3) Illegally restricting the personal freedom of any other person, illegally intruding the house
of any other person or illegally searching the body of any other person.
7Article 41Anyone who coerces, induces or uses any person to go begging shall be detained for
not less than 10 days but not more than 15 days, and may be concurrently fined not more than 1,
000 yuan.
Anyone who goes begging by importuning, forcibly begging or by any other means of
annoying any person shall be detained for not more than 5 days or shall be given a warning.
Article 42Anyone who commits any of the following acts shall be detained for not more than 5
days or shall be fined not more than 500 yuan. If the circumstances are relatively serious, he (she)
shall be detained for not less than 5 days but not more than 10 days, and may be concurrently
fined not more than 500 yuan:
(1) Threatening the personal safety of any other person by writing threat letters or by any other
means;
(2) Insulting any other person openly or making up stories to defame any other person;
(3) Attempting to make any other person subject to criminal punishment or public security
administration punishment by making up stories and bringing a false charge against any other
person;
(4) Threatening, insulting, beating or revenging upon the witness and his (her) close relatives;
(5) Interfering with the normal life of any other person by sending any obscene, insulting,
threatening or other information time after time;
(6) Peeping into, sneaking photos, wiretapping or spreading the privacy of any other person.
Article 43Anyone who blows any person or intentionally injures the body of any person shall
be detained for not less than 5 days but not more than 10 days, and shall be fined not less than 200
yuan but not more than 500 yuan. If the circumstances are lenient, he (she) shall be detained for
not more than 5 days or shall be fined not more than 500 yuan.
Anyone who commits any of the following acts shall be detained for not less than 10 days but
not more than 15 days, and shall be fined not less than 500 yuan but not more than 1, 000 yuan:
(1) Beating or injuring any person by forming a group;
(2) Beating or injuring any person who is disabled, pregnant, under the age of 14 or more than
60 years old; or
(3) Beating or injuring any person for two or more times, or beating or injuring several people
at a time.
Article 44Anyone who acts indecently towards any person or deliberately expose his body at a
public place shall be detained for not less than 5 days but not more than 10 days if the
circumstances are absolutely vile. Anyone who acts indecently towards a disabled person,
mentally insane patient, or minor under the age of 14, or who commits any other severe violation
shall be detained for not less than 10 days but not more than 15 days.
Article 45Anyone who commits any of the following acts shall be detained for not more than
5 days or shall be given a warning:
(1) Maltreating his (her) family member; the maltreated person requests for punishing him or
her; or
(2) Abandoning any person who hasn’t the abilities of living by himself and shall be supported
by him (her).
Article 46Anyone who forcibly buys and sells any goods, forces any person to provide services
or forces any person to accept services shall be detained for not less than 5 days but not more than
10 days, and shall be concurrently fined not less than 200 yuan but not more than 500 yuan. If the
8circumstances are lenient, he (she) shall be detained for not more than 5 days or shall be fined not
more than 500 yuan.
Article 47Anyone who stir up hatred or discrimination among ethnic groups, or publishes any
content discriminating or insulting any minority ethnic group shall be detained for not less than 10
days but not more than 15 days, and may be concurrently fined 1, 000 yuan.
Article 48Anyone who claims any other’s mail in the latter’s name, concealing, destroying and
discarding, opening any other’s mail without permission, or illegally inspecting any other’s mail
shall be detained for not more than 5 days or fined not more than 500 yuan.
Article 49Anyone who steals, swindles, plunders, pillages, extorts or intentionally damages or
destroys any public or private property shall be detained for not less than 5 days but not more than
10 days, and may be concurrently fined 500 yuan. If the circumstances are serious, he (she) shall
be detained for not less than 10 days but not more than 15 days, and may be concurrently fined 1,
000 yuan.
Section 4 Acts Impairing the Social Administration and the Punishments Thereto
Article 50Anyone who commits any of the following acts shall be given a warning or shall be
fined not less than 200 yuan. If the circumstances are serious, he shall be detained for not less than
5 days but not more than 10 days, and may be concurrently fined 500 yuan:
(1) Refusing to execute the decision or order lawfully issued by the people’s government in an
emergent situation;
(2) Obstructing any functionaries of the state organ from performing their duties;
(3) Hindering any fire engine, ambulance, engineering emergency-relief vehicle or police car
from passing; or
(4) Forcibly rushing into the warning area or warning zone delimited by the public organ.
Anyone who prevents the people’s policemen from performing their duties shall be given a
heavier punishment.
Article 51Anyone who commits any fraudulent act by impersonating any functionary of the
state organ or by using any other false identity shall be detained for not less than 5 days but not
more than 10 days, and may be concurrently fined 500 yuan. If the circumstances are relatively
lenient, he (she) shall be detained for not more than 5 days or shall be fined not more than 500
yuan.
Anyone who commits any fraudulent act by impersonating any serviceman or policeman shall
be given a heavier punishment.
Article 52Anyone who commits any of the following acts shall be detained for not less than
10 days but not more than 15 days, and may be concurrently fined not more than 1, 000 yuan. If
the circumstances are relatively lenient, he (she) shall be detained for not less than 5 days but not
more than 10 days, and may be concurrently fined not more than 500 yuan:
(1) Counterfeiting, altering, buying or selling any document, certificate, certification document
or seal of any state organ, mass organization, enterprise, public institution or any other
organization;
(2) Buying, selling or using any counterfeited or altered document, certificate, certification
document or seal of any state organ, mass organization, enterprise, public institution or any other
organization;
9(3) Counterfeiting, altering, scalping passengers tickets for vehicles, vessels, airplanes, artistic
and cultural performances or sport games, or other negotiable instruments or vouchers; or
(4) Counterfeiting or altering any registration plates of vessels, buying, selling or using any
counterfeited or altered registration plates of vessels, or altering the serial number of the engine of
a vessel.
Article 53Where a vessel illegally enters into or moors in an area or island banned or restricted
by the state, the person-in-charge and other relevant liable persons of the vessel shall be fined not
less than 500 yuan but not more than 1, 000 yuan. If the circumstances are serious, he (she) shall
be detained for not more than 5 days, and shall be fined not less than 500 yuan but not more than 1,
000 yuan.
Article 54Anyone who commits any of the following acts shall be detained for not less than
10 days but not more than 15 days, and shall be concurrently fined not less than 500 yuan but not
more than 1, 000 yuan:
(1) Violating the relevant provisions of the state by carrying out activities in the name of an
unregistered social organization, and continuing to carry out activities after the social organization
is canceled;
(2) A deregistered social organization still carries out activities in the name of the social
organization; or
(3) Illegally engaging in any business that shall be subject to the approval of the public organ
under the relevant provisions of the state. Any of the acts as mentioned in the preceding paragraph
shall be cracked down.
Where a business operator licensed by the public organ violates the relevant provisions of the
state, if the circumstances are serious, the public organ may revoke the license.
Article 55Where a person instigates or schemes any unlawful assembly, parade or
demonstration, if he (she) refuses to stop its act after being dissuaded from doing so, he (she) shall
be detained for not less than 10 days but not more than 15 days.
Article 56Where a worker of a hotel fails to register the name, type and number of the identity
certificate of any customer, or where the worker of a hotel clearly knows that a customer is
carrying dangerous substances, if he fails to stop him from carrying the dangerous substances into
the hotel, he shall be fined not less than 200 yuan but not more than 500 yuan.
Where a worker of a hotel knows any customer is a criminal suspect or is wanted for arrest by
the public organ, if he (she) fails to report it to the public organ, he (she) shall be fined not less
than 200 yuan but not more than 500 yuan. If the circumstances are serious, he (she) shall be
detained for not more than 5 days, and may be concurrently fined not more than 500 yuan.
Article 57A lessor of a house who rents the house to a person without an identity certificate or
who fails to register the name, type and number of the identity certificate of the lessee shall be
fined not less than 200 yuan but not more than 500 yuan.
A lessor of a house who knows that the lessee is committing any crime by using the rented
house but fails to report it to the public organ shall be fined not less than 200 yuan but not more
than 500 yuan. If the circumstances are serious, he (she) shall be not less than 5 days, and may be
fined not less than 500 yuan.
Article 58Anyone who makes noises and disturbs the normal life of any other person by
violating the legal provisions on the prevention and control of pollution of social life noises shall
10be given a warning. If he (she) fails to make corrections after he (she) has been given a warning,
he (she) shall be fined not less than 200 yuan but not more than 500 yuan.
Article 59Anyone who commits any of the following acts shall be fined not less than 500 yuan
but not more than 1, 000 yuan. If the circumstances are serious, he (she) shall be detained for not
less than 5 days but not more than 10 days, and shall be concurrently fined 1, 000 yuan.
(1) If a pawnbroking worker fails to check the relevant certifications or to perform the register
formalities for any pawn accepted by him (her), or if a he (she) clearly knows that the pawner is a
criminal suspect or the pawn is a booty, he (she) fails to report it to the public organ;
(2) Purchasing any discarded equipment and device specifically used for railways, oil fields,
power supply, telecommunications, mines, water conservancy or urban public utilities;
(3) Purchasing any of booties or articles suspected to be booties that are being searched by the
public organ; or
(4) Purchasing any other articles as prohibited by the state from being purchased.
Article 60Anyone who commits any of the following acts shall be detained for not less than 5
days but not more than 10 days, and shall be concurrently fined not less than 200 yuan but not
more than 500 yuan:
(1) Concealing, removing, selling off, damaging or destroying any property detained, sealed up
or frozen by any administrative law enforcement organ;
(2) Affecting the administrative law enforcement organ’s handling of a case by counterfeiting,
concealing or destroying any evidence, or providing any false testimonies, giving any false
information about the cases in question;
(3) Harboring, removing or selling on behalf of any other person any booties which he (she)
obviously knows;
(4) A criminal who is under control, is deprived of political rights, is during the period of
suspension of execution, or is on a medical parole or is serving any other sentence outside prison,
or a person under compulsory criminal measures according to law commits an act in violation of
any law, administrative regulation, or relevant supervision and administration provisions of the
public security department of the State Council.
Article 61Anyone who helps to organize or transport any other person(s) to illegally cross the
national border (frontier) shall be detained for not less than 10 days but not more than 15 days,
and shall be concurrently fined not less than 1, 000 yuan but not more than 5, 000 yuan.
Article 62Anyone who knowingly facilitates any other person to illegally cross the national
border (frontier) shall be detained for not less than 5 days but not more than 10 days, and shall be
fined not less than 500 yuan but not more than 2, 000 yuan.
Anyone who illegally crosses the national border (frontier) shall be detained for not more than
5 days or shall fined not more than 500 yuan.
Article 63Anyone who commits any of the following acts shall be given a warning or shall be
fined not more than 200 yuan. If any circumstances are serious, he (she) shall be detained for not
less than 5 days but not more than 10 days, and shall be concurrently fined not less than 200 yuan
but not more than 500 yuan:
(1) Destroying any cultural relics or historical sites of interest under national protection by
carving on, smearing them or by any other means;
(2) Endangering the safety of cultural relics by carrying out any activities of blasting,
excavation or otherwise in violation of the provisions of the state.
11Article 64Anyone who commits any of the following acts shall be fined not less than 500 yuan
but not more than 1, 000 yuan. If the circumstances are serious, he (she) shall be detained for not
less than 10 days but not more than 15 days, and shall be concurrently fined not less than 500 yuan
but not more than 1, 000 yuan:
(1) Driving the motor vehicle of any other person without permission; or
(2) Driving any aircraft or motor vessel without a driving license or driving the aircraft or motor
vessel of any other person without permission.
Article 65Anyone who commits any of the following acts shall be detained for not less than 5
days but not more than 10 days. If the circumstances are serious, he shall be detained for not less
than 10 days but not more than 15 days, and may be concurrently fined 1, 000 yuan:
(1) Deliberately destroying or defiling the tomb of any other person or destroying, throwing
away the skeleton or bone ashes of any other person; or
(2) Parking any corpse at a public place or affecting the normal life or work order of any other
person for parking a corpse, and refusing to stop his (her) act after being dissuaded from doing so.
Article 66Anyone who whores or goes whoring shall be detained for not less than 10 days but
not more than 15 days, and may be concurrently fined not more than 5, 000 yuan. If the
circumstances are relatively lenient, he (she) shall be detained for not more than 5 days or shall be
fined not more than 500 yuan.
Anyone who finds customers for any prostitute at a public place shall be detained for not more
than 5 days or shall be fined not less than 500 yuan.
Article 67Anyone who induces, shelters, introduces any other person to prostitute shall be
detained for not less than 10 days but not more than 15 days, and may be concurrently fined 5, 000
yuan. If the circumstances are relatively lenient, he (she) shall be detained for not more than 5
days or shall be fined not 500 yuan.
Article 68Anyone who produces, transports, copies, sells or rents any obscene book and
periodical, picture, film, audio and visual product, etc. or transmitting any obscene information
through the computer network, telephone or other telecommunication tools shall be detained for
not less than 10 days but not more than 15 days and may be concurrently fined 3, 000 yuan. If the
circumstances are relatively lenient, he (she) shall be detained for not more than 5 days or shall be
fined not more than 500 yuan.
Article 69Anyone who commits any of the following acts shall be detained for not less than
10 days but not more than 15 days, and may be concurrently fined not less than 500 yuan but not
more than 1, 000 yuan:
(1) Organizing the broadcasting of any obscene audio and video program;
(2) Organizing or making any obscene performance; or
(3) Joining people in licentious activities.
Anyone who knowingly facilitates any other person to engage in any of the activities as
mentioned in the preceding paragraph shall be punished in accordance with the preceding
paragraph.
Article 70Anyone who facilitates gambling for the purpose of making profits, or participates
in any gambling activity on a relatively large sum of gambling stakes shall be detained for not
more than 5 days or shall be fined not more than 500 yuan. If the circumstances are serious, he
(she) shall be detained for not less than 10 days but not more than 15 days, and shall be
concurrently fined not less than 500 yuan but not more than 3, 000 yuan.
12Article 71Anyone who commits any of the acts shall be detained for not less than 10 days but
not more than 15 days, and may be concurrently fined not more than 3, 000 yuan. If the
circumstances are relatively lenient, he (she) shall be detained for not more than 5 days or shall be
fined not more than 500 yuan:
(1) Illegally planting 500 opium poppies or less or a small number of original plants for
narcotics;
(2) Illegally buying, selling, transporting, carrying or holding a small number of seeds or
seedlings of mother plants of narcotic drugs; or
(3) Illegally transporting, buying, selling, storing or selling a small number of poppy capsules.
If a person stops committing the acts as mentioned in the Item (1) of the preceding paragraph
on his (her) initiative before it is mature, he (she) shall not be punished.
Article 72Anyone who commits any of the following acts shall be detained for not less than
10 days but not more than 15 days, and may be concurrently fined not more than 2, 000 yuan. If
the circumstances are relatively lenient, he (she) shall be detained for not more than 5 days or shall
be fined not more than 500 yuan:
(1) Illegally holding less than 200 grams of opium, heroin or methyl amphetamine, or a small
quantity of other drugs;
(2) Providing any drug to any other person;
(3) Taking or injecting any drug; or
(4) Coercing or cheating any medical worker to prescribe any narcotic or psychotropic drug.
Article 73Anyone who instigates, induces or cheats any other person to take or inject any drug
shall be detained for not less than 10 days but not more than 15 days, and shall be fined not less
than 500 yuan but not more than 2, 000 yuan.
Article 74Where a staff member of an entity of the hotel industry, catering industry, culture
and entertainment industry or taxi industry divulges the secret information to a violator or criminal
when the public security organ investigates into or punishes an activity, i.e. drug addiction,
gambling, whoring or going whoring, he (she) shall be detained for not less than 10 days but not
more than 15 days.
Article 75Anyone who interferes with the normal life of any other person due to animal
breeding shall be given a warning. If he fails to make corrections after the warning, or if he
indulges his animal to frighten any other person, he (she) shall be fined not less than 200 yuan but
not more than 500 yuan.
Anyone who provokes an animal to injure any other person shall be punished in accordance
with the first paragraph of Article 43
Article 76Where a person commits any of the acts as mentioned in Article 67, 68 or 70, if he
(she) refuses to make corrections despite of repeated warning, he (she) may be subject to a
mandatory education measure as provided for by the state.
Chapter IV Punishment Procedures
Section 1 Investigation
Article 77A public security organ shall timely accept and record any case involving a
violation of the public security administration, which is reported, charged or tipped off by any
person or entity, or any case in which the violator of public security administration gives himself
up to the police, or transferred by any other administrative department or by a judicial organ.
13Article 78After the public security organ accepts a case reported, charged, tipped off by any
person or entity, or voluntarily confessed by the violator (s), if it considers that it falls within the
category of violation of public security administration, it shall immediately begin to investigate
into it. If it considers that it doesn’t fall within the category of violation of public security
administration, it shall notify the person or entity who reports, charges or tips off the case, or the
violator who gives himself up to police of the relevant information and shall make an explanation.
Article 79The public security organs and the people’s policemen shall investigate into the
public security cases in compliance with the law. It is strictly prohibited for anyone to collect
evidence by illegal methods, such as making an interrogation by torture or extorting a confession
from the interrogated, or threatening, enticing or cheating the interrogated.
Any proof gathered by illegal means shall not be the basis for punishment.
Article 80The public security organs and the people’s policemen shall keep confidential the
state secrets and business secrets to which they access when handling the public security cases.
Article 81When the people’s policemen confront with any of the following circumstances
when handling a case, they shall disqualify themselves. The violators of public security
administration, victims or their statutory agents may also have the right to request them to
disqualify themselves:
(1) Being partied concerned or being close relatives of any party concerned in the case in
question;
(2) They themselves or their close relatives have any interest in the case in question;
(3) Having any other relationship with any party concerned in this case that may affect the
impartial handling of the case.
The disqualification of the people’s policeman shall be decided by the public organ they work
for. The person-in-charge of a public security organ shall be decided by the superior public
security organ.
Article 82Where it is necessary to summon a violator of public security administration to
accept investigation, upon approval the person-in-charge of the case-handling department of the
public security organ, a summon certificate shall be used for summoning him (her). With regard to
a violator of public security administration found on the spot, the people’s policeman may, after
presenting his work certificate, orally summon him (her), but shall give explanatory notes in the
interrogatory transcripts.
Public security organs shall inform the summoned of the reasons and grounds for summoning.
Anyone who refuses to accept the summon without sufficient reasons or evades the summon may
be summoned by force.
Article 83For anyone who violates the rules of public security administration, the public
security organ shall make a timely interrogation after summoning him, and the interrogation may
not last more than eight hours at most. Where the circumstances are complicated and the
punishment of administrative detention may apply according to the present Law, the time for
interrogation may not exceed twenty four hours.
The public security organ shall inform a family member of the summoned of the reason of
summon and his whereabouts in a timely manner.
Article 84The interrogatory transcripts shall be presented to the interrogated for verification.
If the interrogated cannot read, the transcripts shall be read out to him. Where there is any
omission or mistake in the transcripts, the interrogated may suggest a supplement or correction.
14When the interrogated assures that there is no error or mistake in the transcripts, he shall affix his
signature or seal to the transcripts, to which the people’s policeman who effects the interrogation
shall also affix his own signature.
Where the interrogated requests for providing written materials by himself regarding the
matters he is interrogated of, such request shall be permitted; where necessary, the people’s
policeman may also demand the interrogated to produce written materials by himself.
To interrogate any violator of public security administration who is under the age of sixteen,
the parents or any other guardian of the violator shall be informed to be present.
Article 85To interrogate a victim or any other witness, the people’s policeman may make the
interrogation at the entity where the victim or the witness works or the abode where the victim or
witness lives; where necessary, the victim or witness may also be informed to bear witness at the
public security organ.
To interrogate the victim or any other witness at any place other than the public security organ,
the people’s policeman shall show his working certificate.
The interrogation of victims and witnesses shall be simultaneously governed by the provisions
of Article 85 of the present Law.
Article 86To interrogate a violator of public security administration, a victim or any other
witness who is deaf or dumb, someone who is home at sign language shall be present to provide
assistance, and it shall be remarked on the transcripts.
To interrogate a violator of public security administration, a victim or any other witness who
does not understand the language which is commonly used in the local place, an interpreter shall
be equipped, which shall be remarked on the transcripts.
Article 87The public security organ may search the places, articles, and persons involved in a
violation of public security administration. To conduct the search, there shall be no less than two
people’s policemen present, who shall show their working certificates and the proof of search as
issued by the public security organ of the people’s government at the county level or above.
Where it is necessary to make an immediate search, the people’s policemen may carry out an
onsite search, with the exception of searching a citizen’s abode when a proof of search as issued
by the public security organ of the people’s government at the county level of above shall be
produced.
The search of the body of a woman shall be conducted by a female worker.
Article 88Transcripts shall be made for the searches conducted, to which the searchers, the
searched and witnesses shall affix their signatures or seals. Where the searched refuses to affix his
signature, it shall be remarked on the transcripts by the people’s policemen.
Article 89When handling a public security administration case, the public security organ may
detain the articles which are to be used as evidence relating to the case in question, with the
exception of the property lawfully occupied by the victim or bone fide third party which shall not
be detained but shall be recorded down. Anything that is irrelevant to the case in question shall not
be detained.
For the detained articles, the people’s policemen shall make a check jointly with the witnesses
on the spot and the holder of the detained articles and shall produce a checklist in duplicate, which
shall bear the signature or seal of the searchers, witnesses, and holder, with one copy kept by the
holder and the other kept in the case files for future reference.
15The detained articles shall be properly preserved and may not be used for any other purposes.
For those articles that are not suitable for longtime keeping, they shall be dealt with according to
relevant provisions. Where it is found that any of the detained articles is irrelevant to the case in
question, it shall be returned in a timely manner. Where it is verified that it is the lawful property
of any other person, it shall be returned after being recorded down. Where no person claims right
to the said property or where it is impossible to find out the right holder after six month expires, it
shall be publicly auctioned or dealt with according to the relevant provisions of the state, and the
proceeding arising therefrom shall be turned over to the state treasury.
Article 90Where it is necessary to solve any controversial issue involved in the case in
question for the purpose of clarifying the facts involved, a person with the corresponding
professional knowledge may be designated or hired to conduct an authentication. After making the
authentication, the authenticator shall produce his opinions of authentication, to which he shall
affix his signature.
Section II Decision
Article 91A public security punishment shall be decided by the public security organ of the
people’s government on the county level or above; in particular, a warning or a fine of less than
500 yuan may be decided by a local police station.
Article 92For anyone to whom it is decided to give the punishment of administrative detention,
the time for restricting his personal freedom by coercive means taken prior to the punishment shall
be counted into the administrative detention, with one day of personal freedom restriction
counting as one day of administrative detention.
Article 93The public security organ may, in the handling of a public security administration
case, make a public security punishment decision where there is no statement of the violator but
there are sufficient evidence to prove the facts of the case in question. However, where there are
statements of the violator without the support of other evidences, no public security punishment
decision may be made.
Article 94The public security organ shall, before making a public security punishment
decision, inform the violator of public security administration of the facts, reasons, and grounds,
and shall inform him of the rights that he may enjoy according to law.
The violator of public security administration shall have the right to make statements and
defend himself. The public security organ shall fully listen to the thoughts of the violator of public
security administration, and shall check the facts, reasons and evidences as presented by the
violator; where any of the facts, reasons and evidences as presented by the violator is found to
hold water, it shall be accepted by the public security organ.
The public security organ may not aggravate the punishment as a result of the violator’s
making a statement or defense.
Article 95The public security organ shall, after finishing the investigation of a public security
administration case, make the following decisions according to the different situations:
(1) Where there is any act to which a public security punishment shall be given according to
law, a punishment decision shall be made according to the severity and the specific situation of the
circumstances concerned;
(2) Where no punishment is to be given according to law or where the facts of breaking the law
cannot establish, a decision of no punishment shall be made;
16(3) Where the violation is suspected to constitute any crime, it shall be transferred to the
competent organ to subject the violator to criminal liabilities;
(4) Where it is found that the violator of public security administration has committed any other
law-breaking acts, the public security organ shall inform the competent organ to deal with it when
it makes the decision of punishment for the violation of public security administration.
Article 96Where the public security organ makes a decision of public security punishment, it
shall make a written decision of public security punishment, which shall specify the following
contents:
(1) the name, gender, and age of the person to be punished, the name and number of the
identity certificate as well as the address of residence thereof;
(2) the facts and evidences of violation;
(3) the type of punishment and the grounds thereof;
(4) the way and term of executing the punishment;
(5) how to request for administrative reconsideration or how to lodge an administrative lawsuit
and the time limit thereof in case the person to be punished refuses to accept the punishment
decision;
(6) the name of the public security that makes the punishment decision and the date when the
punishment decision is made.
The written decision shall bear the seal of the public security organ that makes the said decision.
Article 97The public security organ shall announce the written decision of public security
punishment to the person to be punished and shall deliver it to him on the spot. Where it is
impossible to deliver to him the written decision on the spot, the written decision shall be served
to him within two days. Where it is decided to give him an administrative punishment, the public
security organ that makes the decision shall inform a family member of the person to be punished.
Where there is any victim, the public security organ shall send a reproduction of the written
decision to the victim concerned.
Article 98The public security organ shall, before making the public security punishment
decision of canceling the license of the violator or impose upon the violator a fine of 2,000 yuan
or more, inform the violator of the right to request for holding a hearing. Where the violator
requests for holding a hearing, the public security organ shall hold a hearing according to law in a
timely manner.
Article 99The time limit for the public security organs to handle public security cases shall not
be any more than thirty days as of the day when it accepts the case in question; where the case is
very difficult or complicated, the time limit may be prolonged for thirty days, subject to the
approval of the public security organ on the next higher level.
The time required by authentication for the purpose of clarifying the facts concerned shall not
be included in the time limit for handling the case in question.
Article 100For a violation of public security administration with clear facts and exact
evidence to which a warning or a fine of not more than 200 yuan shall apply, a public security
punishment decision may be made on the spot.
Article 101To make a public security punishment decision on the spot, the people’s policemen
shall show their working certificates to the violator of public security administration and shall fill
out a punishment decision. The punishment decision shall be delivered to the punished on the spot.
If there is any victim, a copy of the decision shall be given to the victim.
17The punishment decision as mentioned in the preceding paragraph shall state the name and
violation of the punished, the basis for punishment, amount of the fine, the time, venue as well as
the name of the public security organ, and shall bear the signature or seal of the people’s
policemen who make the punishment decision.
Where a public security punishment decision is made on the spot, the people’s policemen who
make it shall, within 24 hours, report it to public security organ where they work for archival
purposes.
Article 102If the punished refuses to accept the public security punishment decision, he (she)
may apply for administrative reconsideration or lodge an administrative lawsuit.
Section 3 Execution
Article 103For a person to whom it is decided to give the punishment of administrative
detention, he shall be sent to the detention house by the public security organ that makes the
decision for executing the decision.
Article 104A person who is given a punishment of fine shall, within 15 days after he (she)
receives a punishment decision, pay the fine to the designated bank. However, the people’s
policemen may collect the fine under any of the following circumstances:
(1) The fine is not more than 50 yuan and the punished raises no objection to the fine;
(2) In a remote, on-water or unaccessible area, after the public security organ and its
policemen makes a decision of fine in accordance with this Law, it is really difficult for the
punished to pay the fine to the designated bank and the punished states his difficulty; or
(3) The punished has no fixed abode in the local area and it is difficult to execute the fine in
the future if the fine is not collected on the spot.
Article 105The people’s policemen shall, within 2 days after collecting a fine, turn the fine
over to the public security organ where they work. An on-site fine collected on water or passenger
train shall be turned over to the public security organ within 2 days after the vessel reaches the
land or arrives at a station. The public security organ shall put the fine into the designated bank
within 2 days after it receives it.
Article 106To collect a fine on the spot, the policemen shall issue to the punished a receipt of
fine uniformly produced by the public finance department of the people’s government of the
province, autonomous region or municipality directly under the Central Government. If they fail
to do so, the punished may refuse to pay the fine.
Article 107If the punished refuses to accept the administrative punishment detention decision
and if he (she) applies for an administrative reconsideration or lodge an administrative lawsuit, he
(she) may file an application with the public security organ for suspending the execution of the
administrative detention. If the public security organ believes that there will be no danger as a
result of the suspension of administrative detention, after the punished or his (her) close relative
proposes a guarantor who meets the requirements as specified in Article 108 of this Law or pays a
bail of 200 per day, the execution of punishment decision of administrative detention may be
suspended.
Article 108A guarantor may meet the following conditions:
(1) He (She) is not involved in this case;
(2) He (She) enjoys the political rights and his (her) personal freedom is not restricted;
(3) He (She) has a registered permanent residence or fixed abode in the local area; and
18(4) He (She) is able to perform his (her) the obligations of a guarantor.
Article 109The guarantor shall guarantee that the guaranteed will not evade the execution of
punishment of administrative detention.
If the guarantor fails to perform the obligations of a guarantor, which leads to the
guaranteed’s evading the execution of punishment of administrative detention, the public security
organ shall fine him (her) not more than 3, 000 yuan.
Article 110Where a person to whom it is decided to give a punishment of administrative
detention evades the execution thereof after a bail is paid and the administrative detention is
suspended, the security shall be confiscated and shall be turned over to the state treasury and the
decision of administrative detention shall be still executed.
Article 111After a punishment decision of administrative detention is revoked or after an
administrative detention punishment begins to be executed, the bail collected by the public
security organ shall be refunded to the payer in a timely manner.
Chapter V Supervision over Law Enforcement
Article 112The public security organs and the policemen shall deal with the public security
cases impartially, strictly and efficiently in accordance with the law. None of them may seek any
private benefits therefrom.
Article 113During the process of handling a public security administration case, the public
security organ and the people’s policemen are prohibited from beating, scolding, maltreating or
insulting any violator of public security administration.
Article 114A public security organ and their policemen thereof shall be ready to accept the
supervision of the general public and citizens in handling public security cases.
Where, in the process of handling any public security case, a public security organ or any of its
people’s policemen fails to enforce the law strictly or violate any law or discipline, any entity or
individual shall be entitled to expose or charge against them in the public security organ or
administrative supervision organ, which shall timely deal with the case according to its functions.
Article 115To execute a fine in accordance with the law, the public security organ shall, in
accordance with the relevant law or administrative regulation, separate the decision of a fine from
the collection of fine. All the fines it has collected shall be turned over to the state treasury.
Article 116Where a people’s policeman conducts any of the following acts when handling a
public security case, he (she) shall be given an administrative sanction. If any crime is constituted,
he (she) shall be subject to criminal liabilities:
(1) Making an interrogation by torture or extorting a confession from the interrogated,
inflicting physical suffering on, maltreating or insulting any other person;
(2) Restricting the personal freedom by exceeding the time limit for interrogation;
(3) Failing to execute the system with the decision of a fine separated from the collection of
fine, failing to turn any confiscated property over to the state treasury according to relevant
provisions, or illegally disposing of any confiscated property;
(4) Illegally dividing, occupying, misappropriating or deliberately destroying any confiscated
or detained property;
(5) Using the property of a victim or failing to return the property of a victim in a timely
manner by violating the relevant provisions;
(6) Failing to return the security in a timely manner by violating the relevant provisions;
19(7) Accepting the property of any other person or seeking other benefits by taking the
advantages of his (her) position;
(8) Failing to issue a receipt of fine or failing to faithfully fill in the amount of a fine after
collecting the fine on the spot;
(9) Failing to deal with the case in a timely manner after being requested to stop a violation of
public security administration;
(10) Divulging the secret information to the suspect of a violation or crime when punishing
and investing a violation of public security administration; or
(11) Seeking private benefits, abusing his (her) power, or other circumstances in which he (she)
fails to perform the statutory duties.
Where the public security organ commits any of the acts as mentioned in the preceding
paragraph, the directly liable person-in-charge and other directly liable persons shall be given an
administrative sanction accordingly.
Article 117Where a public security organ or any of the people’s policeman encroaches upon
the lawful rights and interests of any citizen, legal person or any other organization due its (his)
exercise of power, it (he) shall make an apology. If it (he) causes any damage, it (he) shall liable
for compensation.
Chapter VI Supplementary Provisions
Article 118The terms "not less than", "not more than" and "within" as mentioned in this Law
include the said figure.
Article 119This Law shall come into force as of March 1, 2006. The Regulation of the on the
Administrative Penalties for Public Security which was promulgated on September 5, 1986 and
was amended and promulgated on May 12, 1994 shall be abolished simultaneously.
20Exit and Entry Administration Law of the People’s Republic of China
Contents
Chapter I General Provisions
Chapter II Exit and Entry of Chinese Citizens
Chapter III Entry and Exit of Foreigners
Section 1 Visa
Section 2 Entry and Exit
Chapter IV Stay and Residence of Foreigners
Section 1 Stay and Residence
Section 2 Permanent Residence
Chapter V Border Inspection of Transport Vehicles Exiting/Entering China
Chapter VI Investigation and Repatriation
Chapter VII Legal Liabilities
Chapter VIII Supplementary Provisions
Chapter I
General Provisions
Article 1In order to regulate exit/entry administration, safeguard the sovereignty, security
and social order of the People’s Republic of China, and promote foreign exchanges and opening to
the outside world, this Law is hereby formulated.
Article 2This Law is applicable to the administration of exit and entry of Chinese citizens,
entry and exit of foreigners, stay and residence of foreigners in China, and the exit/entry border
inspection of transport vehicles.
Article 3The State protects Chinese citizens’ legitimate rights and interests of exiting and
entering the country.
The legitimate rights and interests of foreigners in China shall be protected by laws.
Foreigners in China shall abide by the Chinese laws, and shall not endanger China’s national
security, harm public interests and disrupt social and public order.
Article 4The Ministry of Public Security and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs shall, within
the scope of their respective responsibilities, be responsible for administering exit/entry affairs.
Embassies and consulates of the People’s Republic of China and other institutions stationed
abroad entrusted by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (hereinafter referred to as “the visa-issuing
authorities abroad”) shall be responsible for issuance of entry visas to foreigners. Exit/entry border
inspection authorities shall be responsible for carrying out exit/entry border inspection. Public
security organs under local people’s governments at or above the county level and their exit/entry
administrations shall be responsible for the administration of the stay and residence of foreigners.
The Ministry of Public Security and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs may, within the scope of
their respective responsibilities, entrust exit/entry administrations of public security organs or
foreign affairs departments under local people’s governments at or above the county level to
accept foreigners’ applications for entry, stay and residence in China.
In the administration of exit/entry affairs, the Ministry of Public Security and the Ministry of
Foreign Affairs shall strengthen communication and cooperation, cooperate closely with relevant
21departments under the State Council, and exercise functions and powers and bear liabilities within
the scope of their respective responsibilities in accordance with the law.
Article 5The State shall establish a uniform exit/entry administration information platform
to share information among relevant administrative departments.
Article 6The State shall establish exit/entry border inspection authorities at the ports open to
foreign countries.
Chinese citizens, foreigners as well as transport vehicles shall exit or enter China via the
ports open to foreign countries, or via the places approved by the State Council or by the
departments authorized by the State Council under special circumstances. Personnel and transport
vehicles that exit or enter China shall be subject to exit/entry border inspection.
Exit/entry border inspection authorities shall be responsible for relevant administration work
in the restricted zones of ports. On the basis of the need for safeguarding national security and
maintaining the order of exit/entry administration, exit/entry border inspection authorities may
conduct border inspection on the belongings of the persons who exit or enter China. When
necessary, exit/entry border inspection authorities may conduct border inspection on the goods
carried by transport vehicles that exit or enter China. However, exit/entry border inspection
authorities shall notify the Customs of such inspections.
Article 7Upon approval by the State Council, the Ministry of Public Security and the
Ministry of Foreign Affairs may, on the basis of the need for exit/entry administration, set forth
regulations on the collection and keep of fingerprints and other biometric identification
information of the persons who exit or enter China.
Where foreign governments have special regulations on issuing visas to Chinese citizens or
the exit/entry administration of Chinese citizens, the Chinese government may, as the
circumstances require, take corresponding and equivalent measures.
Article 8Departments and institutions that are responsible for the exit/entry administration
shall take practical measures, constantly improve service and administration, enforce laws
impartially, provide convenient and efficient service and ensure the security and conveyance of
the exit/entry procedures.
Chapter II
Exit and Entry of Chinese Citizens
Article 9Chinese citizens who exit or enter China shall, in accordance with the law, apply
for passports or other travel documents.
Chinese citizens bound for other countries or regions shall obtain visas or other entry permits
from destination countries, unless the Chinese government has signed visa exemption agreements
with the governments of those countries, or otherwise stipulated by the Ministry of Public Security
and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Chinese citizens who exit or enter China as seamen or work on foreign ships shall apply for
seamen’s certificates in accordance with the law.
Article 10Chinese citizens who travel between the Mainland and the Hong Kong Special
Administrative Region, between the Mainland and the Macao Special Administrative Region, and
between the Mainland and Taiwan Region, shall apply for exit/entry permits in accordance with
the law, and abide by the relevant provisions of this Law. The specific administrative measures
shall be stipulated by the State Council.
22Article 11Chinese citizens who exit or enter China shall submit their exit/entry documents
such as passports or other travel documents to the exit/entry border inspection authorities for
examination, go through the prescribed formalities, and may exit or enter upon examination and
approval.
For ports that meet relevant conditions, exit/entry border inspection authorities shall provide
convenience such as special lanes for the exit and entry of Chinese citizens.
Article 12Under any of the following circumstances, Chinese citizens are not allowed to exit
China:
(1) Hold no valid exit/entry documents, or refuse or evade border inspection;
(2) Are sentenced to criminal punishments, the execution of which have not been completed,
or are suspects or defendants in criminal cases;
(3) Are involved in unsettled civil cases and not allowed to exit China upon decision of the
people’s courts;
(4) Are subject to criminal punishment for impairing border administration, or are repatriated
by other countries or regions due to illegal exit from China, illegal residence or illegal
employment, and the No-Exit-from-China period has not expired;
(5) May endanger national security or interests, and are not allowed to exit China upon
decision by competent departments under the State Council; or
(6) Other circumstances in which exit from China is not allowed in accordance with laws or
administrative regulations.
Article 13Chinese citizens residing abroad who desire to return to China for permanent
residence shall, prior to the entry, file applications with Chinese embassies or consulates or other
institutions stationed abroad entrusted by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. They may also file such
applications to the overseas Chinese affairs departments under the local people’s governments at
or above the county level of the proposed places of permanent residence on their own or via their
relatives in China.
Article 14When handling financial affairs or affairs involving education, medical treatment,
transportation, telecommunications, social insurance or property registration, where identity
certificates are required, Chinese citizens residing abroad may provide their passports for proof of
identity.
Chapter III
Entry and Exit of Foreigners
Section 1 Visa
Article 15In order to entering China, foreigners shall apply to the visa-issuing authorities
stationed abroad for a visa, except as otherwise provided for in this Law.
Article 16Visas are categorized as diplomatic visa, courtesy visa, official visa and ordinary
visa.
Diplomatic or official visas shall be issued to foreigners who enter China for diplomatic or
official reasons; and courtesy visas shall be issued to foreigners who are given courtesy due to
their special status. The scope and measures for issuing diplomatic, courtesy and official visas
shall be stipulated by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
23Appropriate types of ordinary visa shall be issued to foreigners who enter China due to
non-diplomatic or official reasons including work, study, family visit, travel, business activities
and talent introduction. The types of ordinary visa and relevant issuance measures shall be
stipulated by the State Council.
Article 17The registered items of a visa shall include visa type, name, sex, date of birth,
number of allowed entries, validity period of entry and duration of stay of the holder, date and
place of issuance, as well as passport number or other international travel documents number.
Article 18Foreigners who apply for visas shall submit their passports or other international
travel documents, as well as information of specific application matters, to the visa-issuing
authorities stationed abroad. They shall go through relevant formalities and accept interviews in
accordance with the requirements of the visa-issuing authorities stationed abroad.
Article 19Where foreigners applying for visas need to provide written invitations issued by
entities or individuals within China, the applicants shall provide such invitations in accordance
with the requirements of the visa-issuing authorities abroad. Entities or individuals that issue
written invitations shall be liable for the fidelity of the contents.
Article 20Foreigners who need to enter China urgently for humanitarian reasons, or are
invited to enter China for urgent business or rush repair work, or have other urgent needs, and
hold materials that prove the competent departments’ approval of their applying for visas at port,
may apply for port visas with the visa-issuing authorities entrusted by the Ministry of Public
Security at the ports (hereinafter referred to as “port visa authorities”) which are approved to issue
port visas by the State Council.
Travel agencies that organize inbound tourism in accordance with relevant State regulations
may apply for group tourist visas from port visa authorities.
Foreigners who apply to port visa authorities for visas shall submit their passports or other
international travel documents, as well as relevant information of specific application matters.
They shall go through relevant formalities in accordance with the requirements of the port visa
authorities, and enter China at the ports where they apply for visas.
Visas issued by port visa authorities shall be single entry and the duration of stay shall not
exceed 30 days.
Article 21Under any of the following circumstances, visas shall not be issued to foreigners:
(1) Was deported, or was repatriated upon decision, and the No-Entry-into-China period has
not expired;
(2) Is suffering from serious mental disorders, infectious tuberculosis or other infectious
diseases that may severely jeopardize the public health;
(3) May endanger China’s national security or interests, or disrupt social and public order, or
engage in other illegal or criminal activities;
(4) Resort to fraudulent acts in visa application or cannot guarantee expected expenditures
during their stay in China;
(5) Fail to submit relevant information required by the visa-issuing authorities; or
(6) Other circumstances in which visa authorities consider a visa should not be issued.
The visa-issuing authorities are not required to give reasons for refusing the issuance of a
visa.
Article 22Under any of the following circumstances, foreigners may be exempt from
applying for visas:
24(1) So exempted based on the visa exemption agreements signed by the Chinese government
with the governments of other countries;
(2) Hold valid foreigners’ residence permits;
(3) Hold connected passenger tickets and are in transit to a third country or region by an
international aircraft, ship or train via China, will stay for not more than 24 hours in China without
leaving the port of entry, or will stay in the specific zones approved by the State Council within
the prescribed time limit; or
(4) Other circumstances stipulated by the State Council in which visas may be exempted.
Article 23Where foreigners under any of the following circumstances need to enter China
temporarily, they shall apply to exit/entry border inspection agencies for going through the
formalities for temporary entry:
(1) Foreign seamen and their accompanying family members disembark at cities where the
ports are located;
(2) Persons specified in Subparagraph (3) of Article 22 of this Law need to leave ports; or
(3) Foreigners need to enter China temporarily due to force majeure or for any other urgent
reason.
The duration of stay for temporary entry shall not exceed 15 days.
For foreigners who apply for going through the formalities for temporary entry, exit/entry
border inspection authorities may require such foreigners, the persons in charge of the transport
vehicles used for such foreigners’ entry or the agencies handling the exit/entry business for
transport vehicles to provide necessary guaranty measures.
Section 2 Entry and Exit
Article 24Foreigners who enter China shall submit their passports, other international travel
documents, visas or other entry permits to the exit/entry border inspection authorities for
examination, go through the prescribed formalities, and may enter upon examination and
approval.
Article 25Under any of the following circumstances, foreigners shall not be allowed to enter
China:
(1) Hold no valid exit/entry documents, or refuse or evade border inspection;
(2) Are involved in any of the circumstances specified in Subparagraph (1) through (4) of the
first paragraph of Article 21 of this Law;
(3) May engage in activities not conform to the types of visa after entering China; or
(4) Other circumstances in which entry is not allowed in accordance with laws or
administrative regulations.
Exit/entry border inspection authorities are not required to give reasons for denying an entry.
Article 26Exit/entry border inspection authorities shall order foreigners who are denied
entry in China to return, and shall force the return of those who refuse to do so. While waiting for
return, those foreigners shall not leave the restricted zones.
Article 27Foreigners who exit China shall submit their exit/entry documents including
passports or other international travel documents to the exit/entry border inspection authorities for
examination, go through prescribed formalities, and may exit upon examination and approval.
Article 28Under any of the following circumstances, foreigners shall not be allowed to exit
China:
25(1) Are sentenced to criminal punishments, the execution of which are not completed, or
suspects or defendants in criminal cases, except those who are sentenced and transferred under
relevant agreements between China and foreign countries;
(2) Are involved in unsettled civil cases and are not allowed to exit China upon decision of
the people’s courts;
(3) Are in arrears of paying off labor remuneration and therefore are not allowed to exit by
decision of the relevant departments under the State Council or of the people’s governments of
provinces, autonomous regions or municipalities directly under the Central Government; or
(4) Other circumstances in which exit shall not be allowed in accordance with laws or
administrative regulations.
Chapter IV
Stay and Residence of Foreigners
Section 1 Stay and Residence
Article 29Where the duration of stay specified in a visa held by a foreigner does not exceed
180 days, the holder may stay in China within the duration specified therein.
Where the duration of stay needs to be extended, the visa holder shall file an application with
the exit/entry administration of public security organ under the local people’s government at or
above the county level in the place of his stay seven days prior to the expiry of the duration
specified in the visa, and shall submit information of specific application matters in accordance
with relevant requirements. If upon examination, the reasons for extension are appropriate and
sufficient, such extension shall be granted; if an extension is denied, the foreigner shall leave
China on the expiry of the duration.
The accumulated length of extension shall not exceed the original duration of stay specified
in the visa.
Article 30Where visas held by foreigners specify that foreigners need to apply for residence
permits after entry, such foreigners shall, within 30 days from the date of their entry, apply to the
exit/entry administrations of public security organs under local people’s governments at or above
the county level in the proposed places of residence for foreigners’ residence permits.
Applicants for foreigners’ residence permits shall submit their passports or other international
travel documents, as well as relevant information of specific application matters, and provide
biometric identification information such as fingerprints. The exit/entry administrations of public
security organs shall, within 15 days upon the date of receipt, conduct examination and make a
decision thereupon. Based on the purpose of residence, those administrations shall issue the
appropriate types of foreigners’ residence permits with the duration.
The validity period of a foreigner’s work-type residence permit shall be 90 days at the
minimum and five years at the maximum; and the validity period of a non-work-type foreigner’s
residence permit shall be 180 days at the minimum and five years at the maximum.
Article 31Under any of the following circumstances, a foreigner’s residence permit shall not
be issued:
(1) The visa held does not belong to the type for which a foreigner’s residence permit should
be issued;
(2) Resorts to fraudulent acts in application;
26(3) Fails to provide relevant supporting materials in accordance with relevant regulations;
(4) Is not eligible to reside in China because of violation of relevant Chinese laws or
administrative regulations; or
(5) Other circumstances in which the issuing authority considers a foreigner’s residence
permit should not be issued.
Foreigners with expertise and foreign investors who conform to relevant State regulations or
foreigners who need to change their status from stay to residence for humanitarian or other
reasons, may undergo the formalities for obtaining foreigner’s residence permits upon approval by
the exit/entry administrations of public security organs under local people’s governments at or
above the city with districts.
Article 32Foreigners residing in China who apply for the extension of the duration of
residence shall, within 30 days prior to the expiry of the validity period on their residence permits,
file applications with the exit/entry administrations of public security organs under local people’s
governments at or above the county level, and submit relevant information of specific application
matters in accordance with relevant requirements. If upon examination, the reasons for extension
are appropriate and sufficient, an extension shall be granted; if an extension is denied, the
foreigner concerned shall leave China on the expiry of the validity period specified in their
residence permits.
Article 33The registered items of a foreign residence permit shall include name, sex, date of
birth, reason for residence and duration of residence of the holder, date and place of issuance,
passport number or other international travel documents number.
Where the registered item in a foreigner’s residence permit has changed, the holder shall,
within 10 days from the date of change, apply to the exit/entry administration of public security
organ under the local people’s government at or above the county level in the place of residence
for going through the formalities for alteration.
Article 34Where visa-exempt foreigners need to stay in China longer than the visa-free
period, or foreign seamen and their accompanying family members need to leave the cities where
the ports are located, or under other circumstances in which foreigners’ stay permits should be
applied for, they shall apply for such permits in accordance with relevant regulations.
The maximum validity period of a foreigner’s stay permit shall be 180 days.
Article 35Where ordinary visas, stay or residence permits held by foreigners need to be
reissued due to damage, loss, theft, robbery or other reasons in compliance with relevant State
regulations after foreigners enter China, those foreigners shall apply for a reissue with the
exit/entry administrations of public security organs under local people’s governments at or above
the county level in the places of stay or residence in accordance with relevant regulations.
Article 36Decisions made by the exit/entry administration of public security organ on
rejecting applications for visa extension or reissuance, or on not issuing foreigners’ stay or
residence permits or not extending the duration of residence shall be final.
Article 37Foreigners who stay or reside in China shall not engage in activities not
corresponding to the purpose of stay or residence, and shall leave China prior to the expiry of the
prescribed duration of stay or residence.
Article 38Foreigners 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.
27Foreigners who reside in China shall, within the prescribed time limit, submit foreigners’
residence permits to public security organs under local people’s governments at or above the
county level in the places of residence for examination.
Article 39Where foreigners stay in hotels in China, the hotels shall register their
accommodation in accordance with the regulations on the public security administration of the
hotel industry, and submit foreigners’ accommodation registration information to the public
security organs in the places where the hotels are located.
For foreigners who reside or stay in domiciles other than hotels, they or the persons who
accommodate them shall, within 24 hours after the foreigners’ arrival, go through the registration
formalities with the public security organs in the places of residence.
Article 40For foreign infants born in China, their parents or agents shall, within 60 days
after they are born, on the strength of the birth certificates, go through the formalities for stay or
residence registration for them with the exit/entry administrations of public security organs under
people’s governments at or above the county level in the places of their parents’ stay or residence.
For foreigners who decease in China, their relatives, guardians or agents shall, in accordance
with relevant regulations, on the strength of the death certificates, report their death to the
exit/entry administrations of the public security organs under local people’s governments at or
above the county level to cancel their stay or residence permits.
Article 41Foreigners who work in China shall obtain work permits and work-type residence
permits in accordance with relevant regulations. No entities or individuals shall employ foreigners
who have no work permits or work-type residence permits.
The administrative measures for foreigners working in China shall be stipulated by the State
Council.
Article 42The competent department of human resources and social security and the
competent department in charge of foreign experts affairs under the State Council shall, in
conjunction with relevant departments under the State Council, formulate and regularly adjust the
guiding catalogue for foreigners working in China based on the needs for economic and social
development as well as the supply and demand of human resources.
The competent department of education under the State Council shall, in conjunction with
relevant departments under the State Council, establish an administrative system for foreign
students working to support their study in China and set forth regulations on the scope of jobs and
the limit of work time for such foreign students.
Article 43Any of the following acts of foreigners shall be deemed unlawful employment:
(1) Work in China without obtaining work permits or work-type residence permits in
accordance with relevant regulations;
(2) Work in China beyond the scope prescribed in the work permits; or
(3) Foreign students work in violation of the regulations on the administration of foreign
students working to support their study in China and work beyond the prescribed scope of jobs or
prescribed time limit.
Article 44On the basis of the need for maintaining national security and public security,
public security organs and national security organs may impose restrictions on foreigners and
foreign institutions from establishing places of residence or work in certain areas; and may order
that established places of residence or work be relocated within a prescribed time limit.
Without approval, foreigners shall not access foreigner-restricted areas.
28Article 45Entities that employ foreigners or enroll foreign students shall report relevant
information to local public security organs in accordance with relevant regulations.
Citizens, legal persons or other organizations who find foreigners illegal enter, reside or work
in China shall duly report such matter to the local public security organs.
Article 46Foreigners applying for refugee status may, during the screening process, stay in
China on the strength of temporary identity certificates issued by public security organs;
foreigners who are recognized as refugees may stay or reside in China on the strength of refugee
identity certificates issued by public security organs.
Section 2 Permanent Residence
Article 47Foreigners who have made remarkable contribution to China’s economic and
social development or meet other conditions for permanent residence in China may obtain
permanent residence status upon application approved by the Ministry of Public Security.
The administrative measures for examination and approval of foreigners’ permanent
residence in China shall be stipulated by the Ministry of Public Security and the Ministry of
Foreign Affairs in conjunction with relevant departments under the State Council.
Article 48Foreigners who have obtained permanent residence status may reside or work in
China on the strength of permanent residence permits, and exit or enter China on the strength of
their passports and permanent residence permits.
Article 49Where foreigners fall under any of the following circumstances, the Ministry of
Public Security shall decide to cancel their permanent residence status in China:
(1) Endanger China’s national security or interests;
(2) Are deported;
(3) Obtain permanent residence status in China by fraudulent acts;
(4) Fail to reside in China for the prescribed time limit; or
(5) Other circumstances in which foreigners are not eligible to reside in China permanently.
Chapter V
Border Inspection of Transport Vehicles Exiting/Entering China
Article 50Transport vehicles that exit or enter China shall be subject to border inspection
when leaving or arriving at ports. Border inspection of entering transport vehicles shall be
conducted at the first arriving port in China; border inspection of exiting transport vehicles shall
be conducted at the last port when they leave China. Under special circumstances, border
inspection may be conducted in places designated by competent authorities.
Without the permission of exit/entry border inspection authorities in accordance with
prescribed procedures, transport vehicles that exit China shall not embark or disembark passengers,
or load and unload goods or articles between exit inspection and exit, and nor shall transport
vehicles that enter China do so between entry and entry inspection.
Article 51Persons in charge of transport vehicles or agencies handling the exit/entry
business for transport vehicles shall, in accordance with relevant regulations, report to the
exit/entry border inspection authorities in advance on the entering or exiting transport vehicles’
time of arrival at or departure from the port and the places of stay, and truthfully declare
information including staff, passengers, goods and articles.
29Article 52Persons in charge of transport vehicles or agencies handling the exit/entry
business for transport vehicles shall provide cooperation in exit/entry border inspection, and shall
immediately report any violations of this Law found thereby and give assistance in the
investigation and handling of such violations.
Where transport vehicles that enter China carry persons who are not allowed to enter China,
the persons in charge of the transport vehicles shall be responsible for their leaving.
Article 53Exit/entry border inspection authorities shall supervise transport vehicles that exit
or enter China under any of the following circumstances:
(1) Between exit border inspection and exit for transport vehicles that exit China, and
between entry and entry border inspection for transport vehicles that enter China;
(2) When foreign ships navigate in China’s inland waters; or
(3) Other circumstances in which supervision is necessary.
Article 54Persons who need to embark on or disembark from foreign ships for reasons such
as goods loading or unloading, maintenance operations or visit shall apply to exit/entry border
inspection authorities for boarding pass.
Where a Chinese ship needs to berth alongside a foreign ship, or a foreign ship needs to berth
alongside another foreign ship, the captain or the agency handling the exit/entry business for
relevant transport vehicles shall apply to the exit/entry border inspection authority for going
through formalities for berth.
Article 55Foreign ships and aircrafts shall navigate according to prescribed routes.
Ships and aircrafts that exit or enter China shall not access areas outside the ports open to
foreign countries. The aforesaid ships or aircrafts that access such areas due to unforeseeable
emergencies or force majeure shall immediately report to the nearest exit/entry border inspection
authority or local public security organ, and accept supervision and administration.
Article 56Under any of the following circumstances, transport vehicles shall be not allowed
to exit or enter China; those that have left ports may be ordered to return:
(1) Exit or enter China without examination and approval when leaving or arriving at port;
(2) Change the port of exit or entry without approval;
(3) Are suspected of carrying persons who are not allowed to exit or enter China and
therefore need to be inspected and verified;
(4) Are suspected of carrying articles endangering national security or interests or disrupting
social or public order and therefore need to be inspected and verified; or
(5) Other circumstances in which transport vehicles refuse to subject themselves to exit/entry
border inspection authorities’ administration.
After the circumstances specified in the preceding paragraph disappear, exit/entry border
inspection authorities shall immediately release relevant transport vehicles.
Article 57Agencies handling the exit/entry business for transport vehicles shall file records
with exit/entry border inspection authorities. For agents engaging in such a business, the entities
they work for shall file relevant records for them with exit/entry border inspection authorities.
Chapter VI
Investigation and Repatriation
Article 58Measures for on-the-spot interrogation, continued interrogation, detention for
investigation, movement restriction and repatriation prescribed in this Chapter shall be enforced
30by public security organs under local people’s governments at or above the county level or by
exit/entry border inspection authorities.
Article 59Persons suspected of violating the regulations on exit/entry administration may be
interrogated on the spot; upon on-the-spot interrogation, the aforesaid persons may be interrogated
in continuation in accordance with the law under any of the following circumstances:
(1) Are suspected of illegally exiting or entering China;
(2) Are suspected of assisting others in illegally exiting or entering China;
(3) Are foreigners suspected of illegally residing or working in China; or
(4) Are suspected of endangering national security or interests, disrupting social or public
order, or engaging in other illegal or criminal activities.
On-the-spot interrogation and continued interrogation shall be conducted in accordance with
the procedures prescribed in the People’s Police Law of the People’s Republic of China.
Where public security organs under local people’s governments at or above the county level
or exit/entry border inspection authorities need to summon the persons suspected of violating the
regulations on exit/entry administration, they shall handle the matter in accordance with the
relevant regulations of the Law of the People’s Republic of China on Penalties for Administration
of Public Security.
Article 60Where foreigners involved in any of the circumstances specified in the first
paragraph of Article 59 of this Law cannot be cleared of suspicion after on-the-spot interrogation
or continued interrogation and therefore need to be further investigated, he may be detained for
investigation.
When detaining a foreigner for investigation, the authority concerned shall present a written
decision on detention for investigation and shall interrogate the detained foreigner within 24 hours.
Where the aforesaid organ finds that a foreigner should not be detained for investigation, it shall
immediately release him from detention for investigation.
The period of detention for investigation shall not exceed 30 days; for complicated cases, the
period may be extended to 60 days upon approval by the public security organs under the local
people’s governments at the next higher level or by the exit/entry border inspection authorities at
the next higher level. For foreigners whose nationalities and identities are unknown, the period of
detention for investigation shall be calculated from the date when their nationalities and identities
are found out.
Article 61Under any of the following circumstances, detention for investigation is not
applicable to foreigners, however, their movements may be restricted:
(1) Suffer from serious diseases;
(2) Are pregnant or breast-feeding their own infants under one year of age;
(3) Are under 16 years of age or have reached the age of 70; or
(4) Other circumstances in which detention for investigation should not be applied.
Foreigners whose movements are restricted shall subject themselves to investigation as
required, and shall not leave the restricted zones without approval of public security organs. The
period of movement restriction shall not exceed 60 days. For foreigners whose nationalities and
identities are unknown, the period of movement restriction shall be calculated from the date when
their nationalities and identities are found out.
Article 62Under any of the following circumstances, foreigners may be repatriated:
(1) Are ordered to exit China within a prescribed time limit but fail to do so;
31(2) Are involved in circumstances in which they are not allowed to enter China;
(3) Illegally reside or work in China; or
(4) Need to be repatriated for violation of this Law or other laws or administrative
regulations.
Other overseas personnel who fall under any of the circumstances prescribed in the preceding
paragraph may be repatriated in accordance with the law.
Repatriated persons shall not be allowed to enter China for one to five years, calculating from
the date of repatriation.
Article 63Persons who are detained for investigation or who are to be repatriated upon
decision but cannot be repatriated promptly shall be held in custody in detention houses or places
of repatriation.
Article 64Foreigners dissatisfied with the measure imposed on them in accordance with this
Law, such as continued interrogation, detention for investigation, movement restriction or
repatriation, may apply for administrative reconsideration in accordance with the law, and the
administrative reconsideration decision shall be final.
Where other overseas personnel dissatisfied with the decision of repatriation imposed on
them in accordance with this Law apply for administrative reconsideration, the provisions in the
preceding paragraph are applicable.
Article 65Where persons are not allowed to exit or enter China upon decisions made in
accordance with the law, the decision-making authorities shall duly inform the exit/entry border
inspection authorities of such decisions in accordance with relevant regulations; where the
circumstances in which the persons are not allowed to exit or enter China disappear, the
decision-making authorities shall duly cancel the aforesaid decisions and inform exit/entry border
inspection authorities of the cancellation.
Article 66On the basis of the need for safeguarding national security and maintaining the
order of exit/entry administration, exit/entry border inspection authorities may, when necessary,
search the persons entering and exiting the country. Personal Search shall be conducted by two
border inspectors who are the same sex as the persons subject to the search.
Article 67In such cases that the exit/entry documents such as visas or foreigners’ stay or
residence permits are damaged, lost or stolen, or that after the issuance of such documents, the
holders are found not eligible for being issued such documents, the issuing authorities shall
declare the aforesaid documents void.
Exit/entry documents which are forged, altered, obtained by fraudulent means or are declared
void by issuing authorities shall be invalid.
Public security organs may cancel or confiscate the exit/entry documents prescribed in the
preceding paragraph or used fraudulently by persons other than the specified holders.
Article 68Public security organs may seize the transport vehicles used to organize, transport
or assist others in illegally exiting or entering China as well as the articles needed as evidence in
handling the cases.
Public security organs shall seize banned articles, documents and data involving state secrets,
as well as tools used in activities violating the regulations on exit/entry administration, and handle
them in accordance with relevant laws or administrative regulations.
32Article 69The authenticity of exit/entry documents shall be determined by the issuing
authorities, the exit/entry border inspection authorities or the exit/entry administrations of public
security organs.
Chapter VII
Legal Liabilities
Article 70Unless otherwise provided for in this Chapter, the administrative penalties
prescribed in this Chapter shall be decided by the public security organs under local people’s
governments at or above the county level or the exit/entry border inspection authorities. Penalties
involving the imposition of warnings or fines of not more than RMB 5,000 yuan may be decided
by the exit/entry administrations of public security organs under local people’s governments at or
above the county level.
Article 71Persons who commit any of the following acts shall be fined not less than RMB
1,000 yuan but not more than RMB 5,000 yuan; where circumstances are serious, such persons
shall be detained for not less than five days but not more ten days and may also be fined not less
than RMB 2,000 yuan but not more than RMB 10,000 yuan.
(1) Exit or enter China with forged, altered or fraudulently obtained exit/entry documents;
(2) Exit or enter China using others’ exit/entry documents;
(3) Evade exit/entry border inspection; or
(4) Illegally exit or enter China in any other way.
Article 72Persons who assist others in illegally exiting or entering China shall be fined not
less than RMB 2,000 yuan but not more than RMB 10,000 yuan; where circumstances are serious,
they shall be detained for not less than 10 days but not more than 15 days and shall also be fined
not less than RMB 5,000 yuan but not more than RMB 20,000 yuan, and the illegal gains, if any,
shall be confiscated.
Entities engaging in any of the acts prescribed in the preceding paragraph shall be fined not
less than RMB 10,000 yuan but not more than RMB 50,000 yuan, with the illegal gains
confiscated if there are any; and the persons in charge of the entities who are directly responsible
and other persons directly responsible shall be punished in accordance with the provisions in the
preceding paragraph.
Article 73Persons who obtain exit/entry documents such as visas or stay or residence
permits by resorting to fraudulent acts shall be fined not less than RMB 2,000 yuan but not more
than RMB 5,000 yuan; where circumstances are serious, they shall be detained for not less than 10
days but not more than 15 days and shall also be fined not less than RMB 5,000 yuan but not more
than RMB 20,000 yuan.
Entities engaging in any of the acts prescribed in the preceding paragraph shall be fined not
less than RMB 10,000 yuan but not more than RMB 50,000 yuan; and the persons in charge of the
entities who are directly responsible and other persons directly responsible shall be punished in
accordance with the provisions in the preceding paragraph.
Article 74Persons who issue written invitations or other application materials to foreigners
in violation of this Law shall be fined not less than RMB 5,000 yuan but not more than RMB
10,000 yuan, with the illegal gains confiscated if there are any, and shall also be ordered to bear
exit expenses of the invited foreigners.
33Entities engaging in any of the acts prescribed in the preceding paragraph shall be fined not
less than RMB 10,000 yuan but not more than RMB 50,000 yuan, with the illegal gains
confiscated if there are any, and shall also be ordered to bear exit expenses of the invited
foreigners; the persons in charge of the entities who are directly responsible and other persons
directly responsible shall be punished in accordance with the provisions in the preceding
paragraph.
Article 75Where Chinese citizens are repatriated due to illegally going to other countries or
regions after exiting China, exit/entry border inspection authorities shall confiscate their exit/entry
documents. Exit/entry document issuing authorities shall refuse to issue new exit/entry documents
to such citizens for a period ranging from six months to three years calculating from the date of
their repatriation.
Article 76Under any of the following circumstances, a warning shall be given, and a fine of
not more than RMB 2,000 yuan may also be imposed:
(1) Foreigners refuse to accept examination of their exit/entry documents by public security
organs;
(2) Foreigners refuse to submit their residence permits for examination;
(3) Persons concerned fail to go through the formalities for foreigners’ birth registration or
death declaration in accordance with relevant regulations;
(4) Foreigners fail to go through the formalities for altering registration in accordance with
the relevant regulations when there is any change in the registered items in their residence permits;
(5) Foreigners in China use others’ exit/entry documents; or
(6) Persons concerned fail to go through registration formalities in accordance with the
provisions in the second paragraph of Article 39 of this Law.
Hotels that fail to process accommodation registration for foreigners shall be punished in
accordance with the relevant provisions of the Law of the People’s Republic of China on Penalties
for Administration of Public Security; hotels that fail to submit foreigners’ accommodation
registration information to public security organs shall be given a warning; where circumstances
are serious, such hotels shall be fined not less than RMB 1,000 yuan but not more than RMB
5,000 yuan.
Article 77Foreigners accessing foreigner-restricted areas without approval shall be ordered
to leave promptly; where circumstances are serious, such foreigners shall be detained for not less
than five days but not more than ten days. The text records, audio-visual data, electronic data and
other articles illegally obtained thereof by the foreigners shall be confiscated or destroyed, and the
tools used for the aforementioned purposes shall be confiscated.
Foreigners or foreign institutions refusing to execute decisions made by public security
organs or national security organs ordering them to relocate within a prescribed time limit shall be
given a warning and be relocated mandatorily; where circumstances are serious, relevant
responsible persons shall be detained for not less than five days but not more than fifteen days.
Article 78Foreigners who reside in China illegally shall be given a warning; where
circumstances are serious, they shall be imposed with a fine of RMB 500 yuan per day, with a cap
of RMB 10,000 yuan in total, or be detained for not less than five days but not more than 15 days.
Where guardians or other persons responsible for guardianship fail to perform the guardian
obligation and result in foreigners below 16 years of age residing in China illegally, the said
34guardians or other obligated persons shall be given a warning and may also be fined not more than
RMB 1,000 yuan.
Article 79Persons harboring or hiding foreigners who illegally enter or reside in China, or
assisting such foreigners in evading inspection, or providing, in violation of the law, exit/entry
documents for foreigners who illegally reside in China shall be fined not less than RMB 2,000
yuan but not more than RMB 10,000 yuan; where circumstances are serious, such persons shall be
detained for not less than five days but not more than fifteen days and shall also be fined not less
than RMB 5,000 yuan but not more than RMB 20,000 yuan, with the illegal gains confiscated if
there are any.
Entities engaging in any of the acts prescribed in the preceding paragraph shall be fined not
less than RMB 10,000 yuan but not more than RMB 50,000 yuan, with the illegal gains
confiscated if there are any; and the persons in charge of the entities who are directly responsible
and other persons directly responsible shall be punished in accordance with the provisions in the
preceding paragraph.
Article 80Foreigners who work in China illegally shall be fined not less than RMB 5,000
but not more than RMB 20,000 yuan; where circumstances are serious, they shall be detained for
not less than five days but not more than fifteen days and shall also be fined not less than RMB
5,000 yuan but not more than RMB 20,000 yuan.
Persons who introduce jobs to ineligible foreigners shall be fined RMB 5,000 yuan for each
job illegally introduced to one foreigner, with a cap of not more than RMB 50,000 yuan in total;
and entities that introduce jobs to ineligible foreigners shall be fined RMB 5,000 yuan for each job
illegally introduced to one foreigner, with a cap of RMB 100,000 yuan in total; and the illegal
gains, if any, shall be confiscated.
Individuals or entities that illegally employ foreigners shall be fined RMB 10,000 yuan for
each illegally employed foreigner, with a cap of RMB 100,000 yuan in total; and the illegal gains,
if any, shall be confiscated.
Article 81Where foreigners engage in activities not corresponding to the purposes of stay or
residence, or otherwise violate the laws or regulations of China, which makes them no longer
eligible to stay or reside in China, they may be ordered to exit China within a time limit.
Where a foreigner’s violation of this Law is serious but does not constitute a crime, the
Ministry of Public Security may deport them. The penalty decision made by the Ministry of Public
Security shall be final.
Deported foreigners shall not be allowed to enter China within 10 years calculating from the
date of deportation.
Article 82Under any of the following circumstances, relevant persons shall be given a
warning and may also be fined not more than RMB 2,000 yuan:
(1) Disrupt the administrative order of the restricted zones of ports;
(2) Foreign seamen or their accompanying family members disembark without going through
the formalities for temporary entry; or
(3) Embark on or disembark from foreign ships without obtaining boarding passes.
Persons who violate Subparagraph (1) of the preceding paragraph may be detained for not
less than five days but not more than ten days if the circumstances are serious.
35Article 83Where transport vehicles fall under any of the following circumstances, the
persons in charge of the transport vehicles shall be fined not less than RMB 5,000 yuan but not
more than RMB 50,000 yuan:
(1) Exit or enter China without examination and approval, or change the ports of exit or entry
without approval;
(2) Fail to truthfully declare information of staff, passengers, goods or articles, or refuse to
assist in exit/entry border inspection; or
(3) Embark or disembark passengers, or load or unload goods or articles in violation of the
regulations on exit/entry border inspection.
Transport vehicles that exit or enter China carrying persons who are not allowed to exit or
enter China shall be fined not less than RMB 5,000 yuan but not more than RMB 10,000 yuan for
each aforesaid person carried. Where the persons in charge of the transport vehicles prove that
they have taken reasonable preventative measures, they may be given mitigated penalties or be
exempt from penalties.
Article 84Where transport vehicles fall under any of the following circumstances, the
persons in charge of the transport vehicles shall be fined not less than RMB 2,000 yuan but not
more than RMB 20,000 yuan:
(1) Chinese or foreign ships berth alongside foreign ships without approval;
(2) Foreign ships or aircrafts fail to navigate according to the prescribed routes in China; or
(3) Ships and aircrafts that exit or enter China access areas outside the ports open to foreign
countries.
Article 85Where staff members performing the duty of exit/entry administration commit any
of the following acts, they shall be given disciplinary sanctions in accordance with the law:
(1) In violation of laws or administrative regulations, issue exit/entry documents such as visas
or stay or residence permits to foreigners who do not meet the prescribed conditions;
(2) In violation of laws or administrative regulations, examine and allow the exit or entry of
persons or transport vehicles that do not meet the prescribed conditions;
(3) Divulge personal information gained in exit/entry administration work and infringing the
legitimate rights and interests of relevant parties;
(4) Fail to turn over in accordance with relevant regulations to the State Treasury the fees,
fines or illegal gains or property that are collected or confiscated in accordance with the law;
(5) Privately share, encroach on or misappropriate the funds or articles confiscated or seized
or the fees collected; or
(6) Other failures in performing statutory duties in accordance with the law, such as abuse of
power, dereliction of duty, or resorting to malpractice for personal gain.
Article 86In the case of violation of regulations on exit/entry administration and that a fine
of not more than RMB 500 yuan should be imposed, the exit/entry border inspection authorities
may make a penalty decision on the spot.
Article 87Persons or entities that are fined for violation of regulations on exit/entry
administration shall pay their fines in the designated banks within 15 days from the date of
receiving the written decision on penalty. Where it is difficult to collect fines after a fine is
imposed because the person or entity subject to penalty has no fixed domicile in the place where
the fine is imposed or it is difficult to pay fine to the designated bank at the port, the fine may be
collected on the spot.
36Article 88Where a violation of this Law constitutes a crime, criminal liabilities shall be
investigated in accordance with the law.
Chapter VIII
Supplementary Provisions
Article 89Definitions of the following terms mentioned in this Law:
Exit refers to leaving the Chinese mainland for other countries or regions, for the Hong Kong
Special Administrative Region or the Macao Special Administrative Region, or for Taiwan
Region.
Entry refers to entering the Chinese mainland from other countries or regions, from the Hong
Kong Special Administrative Region or the Macao Special Administrative Region, or from
Taiwan Region.
Foreigners refer to persons without Chinese nationality.
Article 90Upon approval by the State Council, provinces and autonomous regions bordering
on neighboring countries may, in accordance with the boundary administration agreements signed
by China with relevant countries, formulate local regulations or local government rules to regulate
the association of residents in border areas of the two countries.
Article 91Where there are other regulations on the administration of the entry/exit, stay or
residence of the members of foreign diplomatic and consular missions in China, or the entry/exit,
stay or residence of other foreigners who enjoy diplomatic privileges and immunities, these
regulations shall prevail.
Article 92Foreigners who apply for exit/entry documents such as visas or foreigner stay or
residence permits or apply for document extension or alteration shall pay visa fees or document
fees in accordance with relevant regulations.
Article 93This Law shall come into force as of July 1, 2013. The Law of the People’s
Republic of China on the Entry and Exit Administration of Foreigners and the Law of the People’s
Republic of China on the Entry and Exit Administration of Chinese Citizens shall be annulled
simultaneously.
37