Shanghai orders citizens to give up their local residence rights if they have a foreign green card
City tells residents they must give up their hukou – which confers a number of rights – if they also have the right to live abroad permanently
Shanghai has become the first mainland city to enforce a ban on its registered citizens from holding permanent residency in other countries – for example the US green card.
The new rule was announced on the municipal public security authority’s website earlier this month and said Chinese citizens “settling down abroad or obtaining other nationalities” should report to the police to revoke their permanent residency, which is known as hukou.
Holding a hukou conveys a number of rights on householders, for instance access to social welfare services and local schools.
Once lost or surrendered, it is very difficult to regain.
The Shanghai Permanent Residency Management Rule which will be effective from May 1, states that those who have not already revoked the hukou should tell the relevant authorities.
It adds that people who refuse to revoke their hukou or do not go to the police station to revoke it within one month of being given police notice will have their registration forcibly terminated by the police.