隨著經濟全球化的發展，國際人口流動更加頻繁，國籍問題日漸成為大家關注的焦點。目前，不同國家擁有自己的國籍管理法律法規，那麼對於來華的外籍人士，在中國生下的孩子應該屬於哪國國籍呢？
With the continuous development of globalization, the international flow of people is accelerating, and the nationality issue has become the focus of attention. Currently, different countries have their own nationality management laws and regulations, so for foreigners in China, what are nationalities of their children born in China?
在這篇文章裡，我們將討論新生兒雙方父母均為外籍人士，或父母其中一方擁有中國國籍的兩種情況下，在中國生下孩子的國籍歸屬問題。
In this article, we will address two situations – one in which a baby is born to two foreign parents and the other where one parent is Chinese.
父母雙方均為外籍人士的孩子
Babies born to two foreign parents
如果在中國出生的孩子的父母均為外籍人士，該孩子將不被視為中國公民，因為中國不承認根據出生地取得的國籍。孩子必須採用父親或母親的國籍。以下是為孩子獲得國籍需採取的步驟：
If a baby is born in China to two foreign parents, it will not be considered a Chinese national as China does not recognize citizenship by birth. The baby must take one parent's nationality. Below are the steps to be followed to do so:
1. 到孩子出生的醫院領取孩子的出生證明。
1. Obtain your baby’s birth certificate from the hospital where he or she was born.
2. 在籤發出生證明後的24小時內，憑出生證明到當地派出所辦理臨時登記表。
2. Register your baby at the local police station to get a temporary registration form based on the birth certificate within 24 hours from the birth certificate issuance.
3. 在你（或你的伴侶）所屬的大使館或領事館為你的孩子辦理登記，並為孩子申請護照。大多數大使館會為你提供兩種選擇：要麼把孩子添加到你的護照中，要麼為孩子提供單獨的護照。
3. Register your baby at your (or your partner’s) embassy or consulate and apply for a passport for the baby. Most embassies will give you two choices: either add the baby to your passport or have the baby have his/her own passport.
4. 一旦將孩子添加到你的護照中或者為孩子提供了單獨的護照，則需到當地派出所辦理新的臨時證件。
4. Once the baby is added to your passport or has his or her passport, he or she will need a new temporary certificate from the local police station.
5. 由於孩子為外國國籍，因此需要辦理籤證或居留證才可在中國居住和進入/離開中國。籤證或居留證需要在孩子出生後30天內申請，否則可能會面臨罰款。
5. As the baby is a foreign national, they will also be required to have a visa or residence permit to live in and enter/exit China. This needs to be applied within 30 days of the baby's birth, or you risk facing a fine.
30天的期限是通用規則，目前全國各地都按照這一期限來執行，當然，也有一些地區（如天津）會將期限延長至60天。
The 30-day deadline is an excellent general rule because it applies throughout the country, although some places such as Tianjin extend this to 60 days.
在辦理孩子的籤證或居留證時，有可能出現兩種情況：
To obtain the baby’s visa or residence permit, there are two possible scenarios:
a）如果已將孩子添加到了你的護照中或孩子擁有了自己的護照，則應持孩子的出生證明、孩子的護照（如適用）、你的護照、當地派出所籤發的你的臨時居留證到當地公安局出入境管理辦公室申請籤證或居留證。
a) If the baby is already registered on your passport or the baby has his/her passport, take the baby’s birth certificate, the baby’s passport (if applicable), your passport, and both of your Certificates for Temporary Residence from the local police station to the local Exit-Entry Administration Office of the Public Security Bureau to apply for the visa or residence permit.
b）如果大使館的手續還在辦理中（部分申請需要約一個月的時間才能辦理完成），可向你所屬的大使館詢問能否提供「關於你的登記手續正在辦理中」的證明。持上述證明文件以及第a)項所列的其他材料即可申請籤證或居留證。同樣，申請期限不能超過30天。
b) If the procedure is still underway at the embassy (some applications take over a month or so to process), then ask your embassy if they can provide you proof that registration is ongoing. Take the evidence with the other documents mentioned in part (a) to apply for the visa or residence permit. Again, it is imperative not to miss the 30-day deadline to apply.
如果辦理手續的時間超過30天，你將會得到一張紙質的臨時居留證（有效期約1~2個月）。但是，一旦籤發了孩子的護照，必須申請正式的居留證。
If the procedure takes a bit longer than the thirty days, you might be issued a temporary residence permit (valid for around 1~2 months) on a piece of paper. Still, you will have to apply for the actual residence permit as soon as the baby's passport is issued.
6. 一旦你的孩子有了護照（或登記在你的護照上）以及籤證或居留證，孩子將可以合法地在中國生活，你也可以帶其離開中國。
6. Once your baby has a passport (or is registered on yours) along with a visa or residence permit, then the baby will be able to live in China legally, and you will be able to take him or her outside China.
7. 請謹記，在這個過程中有任何變化或孩子的身份有新的更改（例如需要對其居留證進行續期），你都需要到當地派出所為其重新申請新證件。
7. Do not forget you will need to register your baby again at the local police station for a new certificate whenever there are changes in the process or his or her status (e.g., he or she obtains a residence permit is renewed, etc.).
父母中一方為中國公民另一方為外籍人士的孩子
Babies born to one Chinese and one foreign parent
根據《中華人民共和國國籍法》第四條的相關規定，父母雙方或一方為中國公民，孩子出生在中國，具有中國國籍，並獲得中國父母的戶口（戶籍）。但孩子無法同時具有中國國籍和外國國籍（從中國國籍的角度來看），因為中國不承認中國公民具有雙重國籍，無論是成人還是兒童。
Based on Article 4 of China Nationality Law, if one parent is Chinese and the child is born in China, the child automatically assumes Chinese nationality and takes the Chinese parent's Hukou (household registration). The baby cannot be considered both Chinese and a foreigner (from China’s nationality point of view) as China does not recognize dual nationality, whether for adults or children.
如果孩子的父母中至少有一方是中國公民，那麼可將該孩子視為中國公民，除非出現以下情況之一：
If the baby is born outside of China to at least one Chinese parent, then he/she may be considered Chinese unless they meet either one of the following conditions:
- 孩子在出生時成為外國公民（例如美國根據出生地確定國籍）；
- He/she became foreign citizens at birth (As in the case of citizenship by birth in the U.S.);
- 中國家長在國外獲得永久居留權或成為外國公民。
- The Chinese parent acquired permanent residency status abroad or became a foreign citizen.
父母雙方具有一次決定孩子國籍的權利。
The parents have a one-time right to decide the nationality of the child.
中華人民共和國國籍法
Nationality Law of the People’s Republic of China
（節選）
(Excerpt)
第三條 中華人民共和國不承認中國公民具有雙重國籍。
Article 3 The People’s Republic of China does not recognize dual nationality for any Chinese national.
第四條 父母雙方或一方為中國公民，本人出生在中國，具有中國國籍。
Article 4 Any person born in China whose parents are both Chinese nationals or one of whose parents is a Chinese national shall have Chinese nationality.
第五條 父母雙方或一方為中國公民，本人出生在外國，具有中國國籍；但父母雙方或一方為中國公民並定居在外國，本人出生時即具有外國國籍的，不具有中國國籍。
Article 5 Any person born abroad whose parents are both Chinese nationals or 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.
第六條 父母無國籍或國籍不明，定居在中國，本人出生在中國，具有中國國籍。
Article 6 Any person born in China whose parents are stateless or of uncertain nationality and have settled in China shall have Chinese nationality.
第七條 外國人或無國籍人，願意遵守中國憲法和法律，並具有下列條件之一的，可以經申請批准加入中國國籍：
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:
一、中國人的近親屬；
(1) They are near relatives of Chinese nationals;
二、定居在中國的；
(2) They have settled in China; or
三、有其它正當理由。
(3) They have other legitimate reasons.
如果想為孩子申請中國國籍，具體辦理流程如下：
If Chinese nationality is desired, then you should apply for these documents in the following order:
- 持孩子的出生證明和中國家長的身份證辦理戶口更新
- Hukou update using the baby's birth certificate and I.D. card of the Chinese parent
- 持更新後的戶口本以及身份證和兩寸護照照片（如需要）辦理中國國際旅行護照
- Chinese passport for international travel using the updated Hukou, ID card of the Chinese parent, and a 2-inch passport photo (if desired)
如果你想讓孩子獲得外國國籍，則不需要辦理中國護照。
A Chinese passport is not required if you plan that to give your child foreign nationality.
如果需要申請外國國籍，大城市會更容易受理，因為大城市受理過很多這類申請。而一些小城市可能會因為當地相關政府機構缺乏這類經驗而面臨更多的問題；但是，這些文件需要在中國家長戶口所在地進行辦理。
If a foreign nationality is desired, larger cities will be easier to handle such requests because of having dealt with many more cases. Smaller places may give more problems because of the lack of such experience by local authorities; however, the documents need to be processed where the Chinese parent's Hukou is located.
另外，如果你希望孩子具有外國國籍，那麼，在辦理孩子的出生證明時，你最好向醫院提供孩子的一個非中文的字母名字和一個中文名字，並且這兩個名字不必相互關聯。
Before we discuss the steps for obtaining a foreign nationality for your child, if this is desired, it is essential to mention that you should offer the hospital both a non-Chinese name in alphabetic characters and a name in Chinese characters for your child for the birth certificate and these names do not have to relate to each other.
即使你打算讓孩子獲得中國國籍，也建議你在出生證明上為孩子提供一個中文名字和一個外文名字，以防出現未來規章制度發生變化或孩子將來想改變自己的國籍的情況。
It is suggested that you give your child both a Chinese and a foreign name on the birth certificate, even if you choose for him or her to have Chinese nationality, in case of regulations change in the future, or he or she decides to change his or her nationality in the future.
只有當父母中一方是中國公民而另一方是外國公民的情況下，才可選擇兩個名字。如果父母雙方都是中國公民，那麼只允許選擇一個中文名字；如果父母雙方都是外國公民，那麼只允許選擇一個外文名字。之所以提供兩個名字很重要是因為：
This option of both names is only offered to situations where one parent is Chinese and the other parent is foreign. If both are Chinese, then only a Chinese name is allowed, and if both are foreign, then only a foreign name is permitted. The reasons why providing both names are important is as follows:
- 孩子必須要有中文名字才能在中國上戶口
- A Chinese name in Chinese characters is required for the child to be added to the Hukou
- 如果你的孩子想要獲得外國護照，必須具有非中文的字母名字
- A non-Chinese name in alphabetic characters will be necessary for your child to obtain a foreign passport
如果孩子的出生證明上既沒有中文名字也沒有外文名字，那麼面對以上兩種情況，想證明孩子具有兩個名字將會更加複雜。
In both situations, proving two names for your child when both are not on the birth certificate makes the situation more complicated.
如果出生證明上只提供了一個外文名字，則需要辦理額外的手續，因為非中文名字不能添加到中國戶口中。
If just a foreign name is provided on the birth certificate, there will be additional work because a non-Chinese name cannot be added to a Chinese Hukou.
如果出生證明上只提供一個中文名字，那麼在你的孩子辦理外國護照時需要額外的手續，因為辦理外國護照需要出生證明。
If just a Chinese name is provided, there will be additional work for obtaining a foreign passport for your child since the birth certificate is required.
如果你打算為孩子選擇外國國籍，具體步驟如下：
If a foreign nationality is to be selected for the child, then you need to follow these steps:
1. 申請退出中國國籍；
1. Apply to renounce the Chinese nationality;
2. 獲得中國出入境通行證（如適用）；
2. Obtain a Chinese exit-entry permit (出入境通行證), if applicable;
3. 為孩子申請外國護照，或將孩子添加到外國家長的護照中（如果還未辦理）；
3. Apply for the baby to have a foreign passport or have the baby listed on the foreign parent’s passport, if not done already;
4. 為孩子申請中國籤證，以便孩子能出入中國。
4. Apply for the baby's Chinese visa to be able to travel in and out of China.
請謹記，如果孩子失去了中國國籍，則需要考慮以下情況：
Keep in mind that if the child loses the Chinese nationality, then the following circumstances need to be taken into account:
- 孩子作為外國公民不能進入當地公立學校就讀
- He or she would not be able to attend local public schools as a foreigner
- 孩子將失去在中國的居留權，因此需持有相應的籤證才能留在中國
- Lose the right of abode in China and hence would be required to have the appropriate visas to stay in China
- 如果孩子想就讀國際學校，建議申請工作籤證。如果外國家長沒有工作籤證，所需費用要高得多
- A work visa is suggested for children to attend an international school. Rates are significantly more expensive if a foreign parent does not hold a work visa
以下是為孩子申請退出中國國籍所需的規定程序：
Now that being said, here is the documented procedure to apply for renunciation of Chinese nationality for the baby:
1. 填寫「退出中華人民共和國國籍申請表」
1. Fill in the 「Application to Renounce PRC Citizenship」 form (退出中華人民共和國國籍申請表)
2. 提交一份書面聲明，表明你們自願讓孩子放棄中國國籍（需要父母雙方代表孩子籤字）
2. Submit a written statement that you are voluntarily renouncing the PRC citizenship for the baby (both parents need to sign off on behalf of the baby)
3. 向中國家長戶口所在地公安局出入境管理處提交以下材料。
3. Provide the following documents to support the application at the Public Security Bureau Entry and Exit Division of the Chinese parent’s Hukou location.
- 戶口本原件和複印件
- Original and a copy of the Hukou
- 身份證原件和複印件（如已籤發）
- Original and a copy of the I.D. card (if issued)
- 中國護照原件和複印件（如已籤發）
- Original and copy of the PRC passport (if issued)
辦理此類申請並沒有一個確定的完成時間，從媒體報導來看，在上海等一些城市，整個過程大約需要6個月時間。
There is no pre-determined period for the application to be completed though it has been reported in some cities like Shanghai to take about six months.
一旦完成退出中國國籍的手續，你就可申請孩子的外國護照以及籤證/居留證，或將孩子添加到外國家長的護照中。前一節中已經提到相應的辦理步驟。
Once the Chinese nationality renunciation is completed, you can apply for the baby's foreign passport and subsequent visa/residence permit or have the baby registered on the foreign parent's passport. The steps for this process are mentioned in the previous section.
如果退出中國國籍的手續還在進行中，但是你需要帶著孩子旅行，那麼你也可向戶口所在地的公安局申請出入境通行證。
If the process of renouncing Chinese citizenship is ongoing, and you need to travel with the child; meanwhile, you may request an exit-entry permit from the Public Security Bureau of the Hukou location.
出入境通行證的有效期一般為三個月，包括一次出境和一次再入境。受理時間通常為7至10天，具體因地點而異。或者，你可以等到退出中國國籍的手續完成後再帶孩子出境。
Usually, this permit will be valid for three months, one exit, and one re-admission to China. The processing time usually takes between seven and ten days but varies by location. Alternatively, you can wait until the renunciation process is over and then take the child overseas.
以下是申請出入境通行證所需的文件，由於文件的具體要求因地而異，以下文件僅作為一般性參考。
Here are the documents required to obtain the exit-entry permit, but this should be considered a general checklist as the exact documents vary by location.
1. 孩子的出生證明原件和複印件；
1. Copy and original of baby’s birth certificate;
2. 孩子的外國護照原件和複印件；
2. Copy and original of baby’s foreign passport;
3. 外國家長的護照以及中國家長的身份證和戶口本；
3. Passport of the foreign parent, I.D. card, and Hukou of the Chinese parent;
4. 父母的結婚證；
4. Parents』 marriage certificate;
5. 附有3張孩子兩寸照片的「籤證申請表」；
5. 「Visa application form」 completed with three two-inch photos of the baby;
6. 如果已經籤發孩子的外國護照，還需提供當地派出所籤發的臨時證明。
6. if the foreign passport has been issued, you will also need to provide a temporary certificate from the local police.
如果父母不打算馬上離開中國並且計劃在中國待上一段時間，可選擇保留孩子的中國國籍。
Another possibility preferred by parents who are not planning to leave China soon and will be settling in for a while is to keep the baby's Chinese nationality.
無論父母如何決定，在孩子成年（18歲）後，他/她有權根據自己的意願進行一次變更。當然，孩子進行國籍變更並非一定要在年滿18歲時，他/她也可以選擇在成年後的任何時候行使變更國籍的權利。
No matter the parents' decision, after the child is an adult (at 18 years of age), he or she can decide to change it once if he or she wishes. The child does not have to decide at 18 - he or she could leave it the same for many years before changing it if desired.