China Refutes Rumours of Passport Suspension

In the aftermath (for some, though not for all) of a global health crisis like COVID, it is inevitable that the media engages in some ‘who did what and when’ style of journalism. The exact sequence of what actually happened, and for what reason, to the issuing of travel and other government-issued documents during the various easing and tightening of travel restrictions may never be known – as this story from China highlights.

As reported by several media outlets at the time ^1,2,3 in July 2021 Chinese authorities announced ‘a series of strict and tight policy measures’ limiting the issuance of new passports.

According to the state-run People’s Daily, the People’s Republic of China (PRC) National Immigration Administration temporarily stopped granting ‘entry and exit documents such as ordinary passports… for non-essential and non-emergency exit reasons.’