Adopted at the Third Session of the Fifth National People's
Congress, promulgated by Order No.8 of the Chairman of the Standing
Committee of the National People's Congress on and effective as of
September 10, 1980.
Article 1? This Law is applicable to the acquisition, loss
and restoration of nationality of the People's Republic of
China.
Article 2? The People's Republic of China is a unitary
multinational state; Persons belonging to any of the nationalities
in China shall have Chinese nationality.
Article 3? The People's Republic of China does not
recognize dual nationality for Any Chinese national.
Article 4? Any person born in China whose parents are both
Chinese nationals and one of whose parents is a Chinese national
shall have Chinese nationality.
Article 5? Any person born abroad whose parents are both
Chinese nationals and one of whose parents is a Chinese national
shall have Chinese nationality. But a person whose parents are both
Chinese nationals and have both settled abroad, or one of whose
parents is a Chinese national and has settled abroad, and who has
acquired foreign nationality at birth shall not have Chinese
nationality.
Article 6? Any person born in China whose parents are
stateless or of Uncertain nationality and have settled in China
shall have Chinese nationality.
Article 7? Foreign nationals or stateless persons who are
willing to abide by China's Constitution and laws and who meet one
of the following conditions may be naturalized upon approval of
their applications:
(1) they are near relatives of Chinese nationals;
(2) they have settled in China; or
(3) they have other legitimate reasons.
Article 8? Any person who applies for naturalization as a
Chinese national shall acquire Chinese nationality upon approval of
his application; a person whose application for naturalization as
a? Chinese national has been approved shall not retain foreign
nationality.
Article 9? Any Chinese national who has settled abroad and
who has? been naturalized as a foreign national or has
acquired foreign nationality of his own free will shall
automatically lose Chinese nationality.
Article 10? Chinese nationals who meet one of the following
conditions may renounce Chinese nationality upon approval of their
applications:
(1) they are near relatives of foreign nationals;
(2) they have settled abroad; or
(3) they have other legitimate reasons.
Article 11? Any person who applies for renunciation of
Chinese nationality shall lose Chinese nationality upon approval of
his application.
Article 12? State functionaries and military personnel
on? active? service? shall not renounce Chinese
nationality.
Article 13? Foreign? nationals? who?
once? held? Chinese? nationality? may?
apply for restoration of Chinese nationality if they have
legitimate reasons; those whose applications? for?
restoration? of? Chinese? nationality? have
been approved shall not retain foreign nationality.
Article 14? Persons who wish to acquire, renounce or
restore Chinese nationality, with the exception of the cases
provided for in Article 9, shall go through the formalities of
application.? Applications of persons under the age? of
18 may? be? filed? on? their? behalf?
by? their? parents?? or?? other legal
representatives.
Article 15? Nationality applications at home shall be
handled by the? Public Security Bureaus of the municipalities
or counties where the applicants reside; nationality applications
abroad shall be? handled? by? Chinese diplomatic
representative agencies and consular offices.
Article 16? Applications for naturalization as Chinese
nationals and for renunciation or restoration of Chinese?
nationality? is? subject? to? examination and
approval by the Ministry of Public Security of the?
People's? Republic of? China. The Ministry of Public
Security shall issue a? certificate? to any person whose
application has been approved.
Article 17? The nationality status of persons who?
have? acquired? or? lost Chinese nationality before
the promulgation of this Law shall remain valid.
Article 18? This Law shall come into force on the day of
its promulgation.
Source: Ministry of Foreign Affairs