Source: JobTube, Arianna J., Josh B., Majdi, nia.gov.cn
Living in China with a passport, or even a Chinese green card, has been increasingly challenging as various public and private services cannot recognize foreign ID documents.While it's still possible to use the passport to buy air/train tickets; opening a bank account and registering your residence; however, China's public and private services are required to improve their operation safety by conducting identity authentication for their users. However, passports, or even Green Cards, might fail the ID verification process at various online and offline platforms, apps and organizations; this is due to the national ID system being designed to recognize Chinese ID cards with a specified formatting criteria.
This is led to many expats facing an increased deal of hassle during different situations like: Opening Alipay and WeChat Pay accounts; registering in certain Apps; opening a bank account or applying for a credit card; using public transportation ticketing machines and automatic doors; residence registration; enrolling foreign Children in schools;...etc.
The Solution is Coming:
On September 11th, the National Immigration Administration issued a trial implementation for optimizing a national database (platform) of all foreign personnel in China including: Students, tourists, working and living . The database will be shared for FREE with public and private organizations for the purpose of identity authentication; the goal is to let the foreign personnel living in China access public and private services and facilities equally with Chinese ID card holders.
It's understood that the database will include both passports and Permanent Residence Permits (Green Card) and other identification documents used by foreigners in China.
Through this reform, foreigners in China should be able to handle 35 public services such as transportation, banking, education, communication, medical treatment and accommodation with entry-exit certificates starting from October, and have the full system implemented before the end of the year.
It's still not very clear whether the "entry-exit certificates" will be include new ID cards or just the existing ID documents like passports and permanent residence cards.
The National Immigration Administration will ensure the privacy of ID information and set proper measures to the inspection and supervision of the using organizations.
It's worth noting that after the new database is made available, it will take some time for public and private organizations to connect their systems with the database.
This step comes as country's strategy of opening wider to the outside world and promote the "Internet + government service" reform.
The measures were published yesterday on the official websites of the: Central Government; Ministry of Public Security and the National Immigration Administration.
Central Government:
http://www.gov.cn/xinwen/2019-09/12/content_5429373.htm
Ministry of Public Security:
http://www.mps.gov.cn/n2254098/n4904352/c6685375/content.html
The announcement on the central government website
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