Many babies are born abroad, such as in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, France, Australia, etc. After the baby is born, parents choose to take the baby back to China to live. So, does the baby need a travel certificate or a Chinese passport to return to China? What is the difference?

很多宝宝是在国外出生的，如在美国、加拿大、英国、法国、澳大利亚等出生的，宝宝出生后，父母选择带宝宝回国生活的，那么宝宝回国持旅行证还是中国护照呢？有什么区别呢？

一、什么是中国护照？

The Chinese passport passport is a certificate for citizens of the China to enter or leave the country and to prove their nationality and identity abroad. The passports of the Chinese passport are divided into diplomatic passports, official passports, ordinary passports and special zone passports.

Official passports are further divided into official passports and ordinary official passports. Special Administrative Region passports are divided into Hong Kong Special Administrative Region passports and Macau Special Administrative Region passports. Diplomatic passports, official passports, and official ordinary passports are collectively referred to as "business passports", while ordinary passports are commonly referred to as "private passports".

公务护照又分为公务护照和公务普通护照。特区护照分为香港特别行政区护照和澳门特别行政区护照。外交护照、公务护照和公务普通护照统称为“因公护照”，普通护照俗称“因私护照”。

II. What is a Chinese travel certificate?

二、什么是中国旅行证？

The Chinese Travel Document, referred to as the China Travel Certificate or the China Travel Certificate, is a substitute for the Chinese passport and is valid for travel to all countries in the world; The holder of a Chinese travel permit is a citizen of the China. A Chinese travel certificate is an international travel certificate that can be used in place of a passport and has the same legal effect as a passport. A travel certificate is a temporary document issued to Chinese citizens who are inconvenient or do not need to hold a passport. It is a substitute for a passport and is valid for two years. Chinese passports and travel certificates are only issued to those with Chinese nationality. Those who are not Chinese nationality shall apply for a visa to visit China.

中华人民共和国旅行证，简称中旅证或中国旅行证，是中华人民共和国护照的替代证件，前往世界各国有效；中国旅行证持有人为中华人民共和国公民。中国旅行证是可代替护照使用的国际旅行证，与护照具有同等效力。旅行证是发给不便或不必持用护照中国公民的临时证件，是护照的替代证件，为两年有效。中国护照和旅行证只颁发给具有中国国籍者。非中国国籍者赴华，应申请签证。

Travel permits can be applied for at Chinese embassies and consulates abroad. There is an item on the application form that says' Do you hold a foreign passport? 'You can fill it out truthfully. If there is another item 'whether to join foreign nationality', you need to fill in 'no'. From the perspective of the Chinese government, even if children have United States passport, China does not recognize their American nationality, which is based on the provision that dual nationality is not recognized in the nationality law.

旅行证可在中国驻外使领馆申领。在申请表格上有一项“是否持有外国护照”，可照实填写。还有一项“是否加入外国籍”，则要填否。因为从中国政府的角度来说，孩子即使有美国护照，中国也不承认他们的美国国籍，这是根据国籍法上不承认双重国籍的条文来的。

III. What is the difference between a Chinese passport and a Chinese travel certificate?

三、中国护照和中国旅行证的区别？

(1) The validity period varies.

(1) 有效期不同。

Passports are generally valid for ten years (five years for underage children);

护照一般为十年有效（未成年儿童五年有效）；

Travel permits are generally valid for 2 years (in special circumstances, they are valid once a year for entry).

旅行证一般为2年有效（特殊情况下1年1次入境有效）。

(2) The processing time limit varies.

(2) 办理时限不同。

Passports usually take 15 working days and cannot be expedited;

护照一般需要15个工作日，且不可加急；

The travel certificate usually takes 4 working days, and in special circumstances, it can be processed urgently. After verifying the identity, the certificate can be collected within 1-2 working days.

旅行证一般需要4个工作日，特殊情况下可以加急办理，核实身份后1-2个工作日取证。

(3) The issuing and management units are different.

(3) 签发、管理单位不同。

The issuance, replacement, and reissuance of passports are handled by the Exit and Entry Management Department of the Public Security Bureau.

护照的签发、换发、补发由公安局出入境管理处进行办理。

The issuance, renewal, and reissuance of travel permits are handled by Chinese embassies and consulates stationed abroad.

旅行证的签发、换发、补发由中国的驻国外的使领馆进行办理。

Note:

注意：

The issuance of travel permits applies to the following individuals:

旅行证颁发则适用于以下人员：

1. Chinese citizens who have lost, stolen, damaged, or expired their temporary overseas passports and are eager to return home;

1.临时出国护照遗失、被盗抢、损毁、过期，而急于回国的中国公民；

2. Chinese citizens who are unable to apply for passports in emergency situations;

2.紧急情况下来不及申办护照的中国公民；

3. Chinese Hong Kong and Macao residents who do not hold the "Chinese Mainland Travel Permit for Hong Kong and Macao Residents to the mainland" but need to go to the Chinese mainland;

3.未持有“港澳居民来往内地通行证”，而需赴内地的中国籍港澳居民；

4. Chinese Taiwan residents who do not hold the "Chinese Mainland Travel Permit for Chinese Taiwan Residents to the Chinese mainland" but need to go to the Chinese mainland;

4.未持有“台湾居民来往大陆通行证”，而需赴大陆的中国籍台湾居民；

5. Some Chinese minors with special circumstances.

5.部分情况特殊的中国籍未成年人。

Here, we will focus on some special cases of Chinese minors, which are usually caused by the child being born in the country of their jurisdiction or being born to Chinese and foreign citizens without foreign permanent residency status. China does not recognize that Chinese citizens have dual nationality or Multiple citizenship. The situation where children acquire both Chinese nationality nationality and foreign nationality at birth is called a nationality conflict, and they need to apply for travel permits.

这里为大家着重讲一下部分情况特殊的中国籍未成年人，此类情况通常是因为孩子出生于属地国家或者是由无外国永久居留身份的中国公民和外国公民生子所致。中国不承认中国公民具有双重国籍或多重国籍，儿童在出生时同时获得中国国籍和外国国籍的情形被称为国籍冲突，需要申请旅行证。