Reports from overseas Chinese communities allege that Chinese diplomatic missions are increasingly refusing to renew passports for certain Chinese nationals abroad and requiring them to return to China to obtain new documents. A California-based Chinese national known online as Billy claimed on X that the Chinese Consulate General in San Francisco had recently rejected some passport-renewal applications without warning, including cases involving people from Xinjiang. A visa-services intermediary reportedly said that people who entered the United States irregularly or applied for asylum were particularly likely to have their renewal applications rejected.
The reports also allege that Chinese consular officials have subjected some asylum beneficiaries to additional questioning and document requests. One intermediary claimed that officials questioned applicants about their religious beliefs and the basis of their asylum claims and, in some cases, asked them to sign statements suggesting that they had sought asylum primarily to obtain employment in the United States rather than because of persecution. Such statements could potentially be used by Chinese authorities as “evidence” that applicants had fabricated or misrepresented their asylum claims. Immigration lawyers reportedly warned asylum beneficiaries against returning to Chinese consulates to renew their passports, citing potential risks if their asylum claims became known to Chinese authorities.
The reports further raise concerns that returning to China could expose overseas Chinese to exit bans or other restrictions preventing them from leaving the country again. China recently adopted new exit-control rules, and there have been reports that Chinese authorities have already begun blocking some individuals from leaving the country.
Critics argue that restricting passport services could leave overseas Chinese who do not want to return to China in a vulnerable position, particularly if their passports expire and they cannot obtain valid travel documents. If the allegations are widespread, they would suggest that China is using passport and consular services not simply for administrative purposes but as a tool to pressure overseas nationals to return to China—with those who refuse potentially left without a valid Chinese passport.
Source: Vision Times, August 21, 2026
https://www.secretchina.com/news/gb/2026/08/21/1103709.html