Passports

Passport is a credential that a country's governing organs issue to their citizens for going abroad or residing abroad, which can testify their nationalities and their identification. Passport is usually subcategorized as the diplomatic passport, the service passport and the ordinary passport. Some countries grant the personnel going abroad in groups with group passport, such as traveling group, sports team and literary group. And China issues a kind of traveling passport valid only once to its citizen who leave China for traveling.

A. The diplomatic passport is issued to the advances officials, the congressmen, the diplomatic and consular officials, the personnel who has special diplomatic mission, the government delegates etc. Diplomatic passport holders enjoy diplomatic treatment in foreign countries (like immunity).

B. The service passport is issued to the ordinary government officials, the staff of the embassy resided abroad and of the staff of the consulate and other people who are sent abroad to implement the cultural and economical mission.

C. The ordinary passport is issued to the ordinary people going abroad and the emigrants of foreign countries.

In China, the diplomatic passport and the service passport are issued by the Department of Foreign Affairs and the ordinary passport is in the charge of Public Security Bureau.

The passports of PRC are generally valid for 5 years and can be deferred twice with each time of deferment not more than 5 years. Overseas Chinese can put forward deferring application to the Chinese embassy and consulate resided abroad or the foreign organs that are authorized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.