A Chinese individual who has acquired Australian citizenship revealed on social media that when he went to the Chinese Visa Application Center in Adelaide to apply for a Chinese visa, he was informed that, starting from October 7, 2024, applicants who were once Chinese citizens must provide proof of household registration cancellation when applying for a Chinese visa for the first time.
Since China does not recognize dual citizenship, if a Chinese citizen acquires the nationality of another country, they must apply for a Chinese visa as a foreign national when returning to China.
Many overseas Chinese still have properties, savings, and other assets in China. Some people are concerned about how to "prove one's identity" after canceling their household registration when they return to China. What will happen to WeChat and Alipay? Will they face a series of difficulties?
Some might think that because they were required to cancel their household registration while applying for a visa, now that there are visa exemptions for short-term visits, they no longer need to worry about canceling their household registration. In reality, if you do not cancel your household registration, you may not be able to enter the country under the visa-free policy!
Recently, an Australian Chinese citizen tried to return to China using the 144-hour transit visa, only to find that the entry process was not as simple as expected.
After disembarking, she learned that without canceling her household registration, she could not apply for the 144-hour transit visa!
In the end, customs issued her a one-time entry permit, with the instruction that she must return to her place of household registration to cancel it. The staff warned that if she did not cancel her household registration, she would not be allowed to leave the country in a few days!
Source: ExpatLink
