Laws of the People's Republic of China

    Article 1   These Measures are formulated in accordance with the on Exit and Entry Control of Citizens of the People's Republic of China>
and the Rules for its implementation and the Administration of Travel Agencies> and the Rules for its implementation
for the purpose of strengthening the administration of Chinese citizens
going abroad on tours at own expenses, standardizing tourist activities
abroad and ensuring the legitimate rights and interests of persons joining
the tours.

    Article 2   Chinese citizens going abroad on tours at own expenses shall
mainly be in the form of groups and teams. Groups and teams shall mean tour
groups(hereinafter referred to as groups) going abroad which are organized by
travel agencies with right of business operations and are composed of more
than three persons. The destinations of countries and regions of tourism
abroad shall be put forth by the State Tourism Administration in conjunction
with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Public Security and
submitted to the State Council for examination and approval.

    Article 3   Development of tourism abroad by Chinese citizens at
own expenses must proceed in an organized, planned and controled way.
The State Tourism Administration shall, in accordance with the on the Administration of Travel Agencies> and achievements of travel agencies
in managing entry tourism, examine and approve travel agencies with special
permission to engage in business operations of tourism abroad by Chinese
citizens at own expenses(hereinafter referred to as travel agencies
authorized to organize tour groups), report the same to the Ministry of
Public Security for the record and make a public announcement. Any unit and
individual without approval shall not engage in such business operations.

    Article 4   The State Tourism Administration shall, in accordance with
the principle of aggregate control, practise quota control of organizing
groups for tours abroad by travel agencies authorized to organize tour
groups, verify and determine the number of persons for tours abroad in groups
to be organized by travel agencies authorized to organize tour groups in
accordance with a certain percentage of the number of persons these travel
agencies receive entry tourists, and unifiedly print and distribute with
serial numbers by Chinese Citizens at own Expenses>(hereinafter referred to as and Verification Certificate>). The Certificate> in triplicate shall be issued to each tourist.

    Article 5   Travel agencies authorized to organize tour groups shall,
in accordance with the quota verified and determined by the State Tourism
Administration, handle such formalities as registrations by tourists and
collection of payment etc., and fill in the Certificates>. Contents of the
include basic information of tourists, name of the tour group, tourist
route, rate and the amount actually paid etc..

    Article 6   When qualified upon examination by the State Tourism
Administration or the department of tourism administration at the provincial
level where the travel agency is located, the examination and verification
seal shall be affixed thereon. One copy of which shall be kept by the
department of tourism administration responsible for the examination and
verification, another copy of which shall be handed over to the public
security organ by the tourist for examination and inspection, the third copy
of which shall be kept by the travel agency authorized to organize the tour.
For anyone without qualified , the
public security organ shall not process the procedures of going abroad on
tour.

    Article 7   The tourists, after registration of names and making full
payment at the travel agency authorized to organize the tour, must bring
personal identity cards, household registration book or other household
identification information and apply to the public security organ where
the household has been registered, fill in the application, examination and
approval form of Chinese citizens going abroad(exit), present the remarks
of the work unit where the tourist is employed and in the meantime present
the issued by the department of
tourism administration for inspection as well as the invoice for the total
amount required for the tour issued by the travel agency authorized to
organize the tour.

    Article 8   The public security organ should inspect and examine the
and the invoice of expenses
handed in by the tourist and upon confirmation of the lawful qualifications
of the travel agency authorized to organize the tour and the tourist, shall
process the formalities for going abroad on tour in accordance with relevant
laws and regulations, make the decision of approval or non-approval within
the prescribed time period and inform the tourist of the same. The tourist
approved for exit shall be issued a passport by the department of exit and
entry control of a public security organ along with the exit registration
card.

    Article 9   on tours at own expenses>(hereinafter referred to as the )
unifiedly printed by the State Tourism Administration shall be serially
numbered and issued to travel agencies authorized to organize tours abroad.
The travel agencies authorized to organize tours abroad should fill in the
namelist factual information and the seal of examination and inspection
shall be affixed thereon upon qualification of examination and inspection by
the State Tourism Administration or the department of tourism administration
at the provincial level. The shall be in triplicate. Upon exit,
the first and second copies shall be handed over to the border control post
for verification and inspection, clearance shall not be granted to those not
on the or those actually leaving the country do not accord with
the state of registration on the . The border control post
shall write down the actual number of tourists on the , affix the
"inspected" stamp and keep the first copy; the second copy shall be
temporarily kept by the leader of the tour group and handed over to the
border control post on entry for verification, inspection and collection
for the file. The third copy shall be handed over to the department of
tourism administration responsible for examination and verification on the
return of the tour group to the country for the record.

    Article 10   Tourist activities of the tour group shall be conducted
under the leadership of the group leader. Tour groups must depart from and
enter China from open ports of the country. In case of special provisions
of public security and border control organs, the matters shall be handled
according to the provisions of public security and border control organs.
Tour groups must depart from and enter the country in ensemble, those groups
which have to be divided into subgroups while abroad, the travel agencies
authorized to organize tour groups shall submit reports to the public
security and border control organs at the provincial level in advance for
approval. Those groups divided into subgroups while abroad without approval,
the border control post shall mete out penalties to the travel agency
authorized to organize the tour group and the responsible persons concerned
upon entry in accordance with the relevant provisions of the the People's Republic of China on Exit and Entry Border Control Inspection>.

    Article 11   The travel agencies authorized to organize tour groups
bear the responsibility to ask travel agencies abroad responsible for
reception to arrange tourist activities in accordance with the plan of
activities of the tour groups and not to arrange the tour groups to take
part in pornographic, gambling, drug-related and dangerous activities.
When encountering extraordinary difficulties and security problems abroad,
leaders of tour groups should report timely to Chinese embassies, consulates
and tourist offices in foreign countries, and the travel agencies authorized
to organize tour groups should report timely to the departments of tourism
administration and public security organs in the country.

    Article 12   Tourists are strictly forbidden to remain abroad and not to
return to the country. For those who remain abroad and do not return to the
country, the travel agencies authorized to organize the tour groups should
report timely to public security organs and the departments of tourism
administration. The travel agencies authorized to organize tour groups
should provide assistance and be responsible for the advanced payment of
expenses for matters relating to inquiry and repatriation and expenses
incurred shall be paid back by those repatriated later.

    Article 13   Luggage and articles carried by tourists must accord with
the relevant provisions of the State. The travel agencies authorized to
organize tour groups bear the responsibility to assist the departments
concerned in carrying out successfully such administrative work as the
inspection and clearance of luggage of tour groups.

    Article 14   To those who practise fraud and acquire exit certificate
by deception, covertly leave the country or cross the border or use the same
for the organization and transportation of others in covertly leaving the
country or crossing the border in the name of going abroad on tour at own
expenses, penalties shall be meted out in accordance with the and Entry Control of Citizens of the People's Republic of China> and Rules
for its implementation, and the relevant provisions of the Provisions of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress
Concerning Severe Penalties against Crimes of Organizing and Transporting
Other People in Covertly Leaving the Country or Crossing the Border>.

    Article 15   The State Tourism Administration and the Ministry of
Public Security shall be responsible for the interpretation of these  
Measures.

    Article 16   These Measures shall come into force as of the date of
promulgation.