"UK child citizen with Chinese nationality - travel problems!"
My own son who is 6 years old and was born in Beijing, has Chinese citizenship (Beijing Hukou), and a British passport (UK citizenship), will need to renounce his Chinese citizenship when we visit Beijing for a holiday in two weeks from now.
From FCO China website:
The trouble is that he must travel on a Chinese Single Entry/Exit Permit to leave the UK since he must travel on a Chinese passport. The Chinese Embassy in London refused to issue him a Travel (L) visa in his British passport! They recognize him only as a Chinese citizen.If you decide to retain British nationality for your child, you will have to apply to the Public Security Bureau to renounce your child's Chinese citizenship.
The FCO in London told me on the phone yesterday that if he travels to China using his Chinese identity, then the FCO cannot offer him Consulate protection when he is in China (though he is still certainly a British citizen!!!)
When he arrives in Beijing, it seems most probable that we should do as follows (from FCO China website):
But/So my main question is:If you need to travel out of China before your child's nationality issue is resolved, you can apply to the Public Security Bureau for an Entry and Exit Permit (出入境通行证 - Chu Ru Jing Tong Xing Zheng). We understand that this document is provided by the PSB as an interim option while nationality differences are resolved. Your child may currently exit China once only with this document.
Since he is using a Single Entry/Exit permit to return to China from the UK, can he get another one from the PSB (Public Security Bureau) in Beijing, immediately after we renounce his Chinese citizenship) in order to return to the UK? (Or will be need to stay in China for the up to 10 months I've heard it takes for the Chinese authorities to complete the renouncement of his citizenship?
(he has to come back to the UK since he must go back to school (according to UK law) after the half term holiday!)Secondly, when we arrive at UK Border Control at Heathrow, my assumption is that he will be allowed Entry into the UK. Would I be right in thinking this? He is a British citizen after all. But since he traveled on his Chinese passport, will the UK offer him Consulate protection? I'm also mindful of the fact that his name in his Chinese passport/Hukou is different to the English name he has in his British passport).
Any thoughts/clarification or help on this would be hugely appreciated!
Thanks in advance
