Chinese Visa Agent Rules 2026: All Agencies Must Register Under New State Council Order
- Editorial Team
- 3 days ago
- 5 min read
Updated: 2 days ago
BEIJING, August 9, 2026 — China's State Council has ordered every agency selling emigration, visa, and other exit-entry services to file with immigration authorities, ending a deregulated stretch that began in 2018.
Premier Li Qiang signed Order No. 841 on July 22, and the regulation takes effect on September 15, 2026 . The 19-article regulation covers overseas safety warnings, entry bans on foreign nationals, and — crucially — the conduct of intermediaries serving one of the world's largest source markets for investment migration .
Published: August 9, 2026 | By VisasUpdate.com Editorial Team
Why the Regulation Was Introduced
In a joint Q&A session with officials from the Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of Public Security, and the National Immigration Administration (NIA), it was revealed that the regulations were created as an "urgent priority" to tackle three emerging challenges:
Challenge | Details |
Citizen Safety Abroad | Growing numbers of Chinese travelers face risks from armed conflicts, natural disasters, and crime in destination countries |
Foreigner Entry Management | Rising cases of fraudulent visa applications and false documentation |
Intermediary Services | Rapid growth of unregulated agencies following the 2018 deregulation, leading to fraud and rights violations |
After the 2018 cancellation of the private exit-entry intermediary service qualification approval, the number of intermediary service institutions grew rapidly. While they provided convenience for travelers, problems emerged including unclear registration numbers, illegal and non-compliant business practices, and damage to the legitimate rights and interests of travelers .
Who Must File, and By When
Under Article 7, filing management applies to agencies and individual staff retained by travelers and emigrants for exit and entry policy consultation, document handling, procedural work, and other intermediary services .
Requirement | Deadline |
New agencies | Within 15 days of establishment |
Existing agencies | Within 90 days of September 15 — putting the deadline in mid-December |
Personnel | File through their employer |
Free consultation falls outside the scope. Policy advice and inquiry services offered without the intent of making a profit are not considered intermediary services under the regulation.
What Filed Agencies Must Have
Article 8 sets out the conditions a filed agency must meet :
Requirement | Details |
Lawful establishment | Must be legally registered |
Clean record | Legal representative or person in charge must carry no criminal penalty for an intentional crime |
Staff qualifications | Employees dealing directly with clients must carry no conviction for intentional crimes against national security, public safety, or border administration |
Knowledge | Staff need working knowledge of exit and entry law and policy |
Premises | Funds and premises proportionate to the services offered |
Internal systems | Personnel management, training, record retention, data security, and compliance systems |
Overseas partner (for outbound work) | Already have a cooperation relationship with a relevant overseas service institution, or a signed and valid letter of intent |
Overseas Partner Requirement: A Return to 2001 Rules
The overseas partner condition restores a 2001 requirement rather than inventing one. The Measures on the Administration of Exit-Entry Intermediary Activities for Private Purposes, in force from 2001 to 2018, demanded the same relationship and the same signed letter of intent.
However, Order No. 841 does not require:
Certification of the foreign partner's legal standing by a Chinese embassy or consulate
A minimum headcount (the 2001 rules required at least five staff)
Prohibition on Overseas Firms
Article 8 closes by barring overseas enterprises and institutions from providing exit and entry intermediary services within China . However, foreign-invested companies lawfully established in China may still do the work, as may Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan-invested ones.
What Filed Agencies Cannot Do
Article 10 establishes conduct rules :
Prohibited Conduct | Details |
False information | Publishing false information or using exaggerated or misleading promotion |
False materials | Providing or assisting with false materials |
Illegal assistance | Helping anyone obtain visas, residence permits, or passports in breach of rules |
Data misuse | Leaking, selling, or unlawfully passing on commercial secrets, private matters, or personal information |
Scope violations | Working outside the scope an agency has filed |
Criminal activity | Organizing or assisting cross-border criminal activity |
National security | Any other conduct that damages national security or interests, or disrupts exit and entry administration |
Special Duty for Public Officials
Where a public official, military personnel, or similar client asks an agency to obtain foreign nationality, overseas permanent residence, or an overseas residence permit in breach of rules binding them, the agency must refuse. It must also report the request promptly to supervisory organs .
Penalties for Non-Compliance
Violation | Penalty |
Failing to file or meet Article 8 conditions | Order to correct; refusal brings RMB 5,000–10,000 fine (~US$740–1,480) and possible business suspension; serious cases: RMB 10,000–50,000 (~US$1,480–7,400) with permits or license revoked |
Conduct breaches | Confiscation of illegal gains; if gains reach RMB 20,000, fines of 1–5 times; if below, RMB 20,000–50,000 |
Responsible managers | RMB 10,000–50,000 personally |
Individuals providing intermediary services illegally | Order to stop and confiscation of gains; serious cases: additional fine up to RMB 5,000 |
Exit Bans Expanded Alongside
Article 4 adds grounds on which a Chinese citizen may be stopped at the border :
Ground | Duration |
Document fraud | Administrative detention for fraudulently obtaining travel documents or illegal border crossing: 6 months to 3 years |
Overseas crimes | Criminal activity abroad that damages national security and interests: 6 months to 3 years |
Technology security | Breaches of export control and technology import/export rules that may endanger industrial or technological security: no time limit set |
Article 5 imposes entry bans on foreign nationals :
Ground | Duration |
False documentation | Submitting false materials or making false statements: 1 to 5 years |
Criminal convictions | Criminal punishment for obstructing border administration: 1 to 5 years |
Administrative penalties | Penalties for fraudulently obtaining documents or illegally entering or leaving China: 1 to 5 years |
The Scale of the Industry
According to Qi Lixin, chairman of the Beijing Migration and Exit-Entry Service Industry Association, more than 160,000 entities carried private-purpose exit and entry intermediary services in their registered business scope as of June 2026. He described the count as incomplete, and noted that many were set up after the 2018 liberalization.
His account of how some operate is unusually blunt for an association official:
Single-person studios
Shared desks
Domestic shell companies established by overseas institutions
Overseas firms courting Chinese clients through livestreams and remote selling
A minority, he added, have no premises, no qualified staff, no capital, no overseas partner, and no internal systems at all.
Key Dates
Date | Event |
June 29, 2026 | State Council's 90th executive meeting approves the regulation |
July 22, 2026 | Premier Li Qiang signs Order No. 841 |
September 15, 2026 | Regulation takes effect |
Mid-December 2026 | 90-day filing deadline for existing agencies |
Quick Reference Summary
Aspect | Details |
Order Number | State Council Order No. 841 |
Effective Date | September 15, 2026 |
Filing Deadline (New) | Within 15 days of establishment |
Filing Deadline (Existing) | 90 days from September 15 (mid-December) |
Affected Entities | 160,000+ agencies |
Overseas Partner | Required for outbound work services |
Staff Requirements | Clean criminal record, working knowledge of exit-entry law |
Penalties | Up to RMB 50,000 (~US$7,400) for agencies |
Exit Bans | 6 months to 3 years for Chinese citizens |
Entry Bans | 1 to 5 years for foreign nationals |
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