Dubai: Are you a Chinese national living in the UAE? Did you know that now you can renew your passport online without visiting the Chinese consulate, or the Chinese Embassy in the UAE? In case you want to know the process and cost of this online service, you can refer to our detailed guide below.
Starting August 29, 2021, the Chinese embassy and its consulate in Dubai announced that Chinese expatriates in the UAE will be able to use the ‘Chinese Consulate’ mobile application to receive consular services. You can renew your passport through this application by following the steps given below:
What to know before starting the application process
Applicants need to keep in mind the following information, when applying for the passport renewal process:
• On registering for application of a new passport, your previous passport will be canceled and become void.
• The new passport should be collected within one year of its issuance. The passport will be canceled after one year, if it is not collected by the applicant.
• The new passport, which will be issued through the online application, will not have your fingerprint data as the option for scanning fingerprints is unavailable in this online process. This would mean that your passport cannot be used at the smart gate when entering the country at airports in China and you will need to go through the manual control channel.
1. Get your documents in order
Before you start the application, these are the documents you will need:
– Your passport’s front page and UAE visa page.
– A copy of your photograph, meeting the requirements listed below.
– If you are under 16 years of age, you will need to offer your legal guardian’s (such as one of your parents) identification document, like their passport front page copy or Chinese national ID copy, documents that can prove their legal guardianship to you such as your birth certificate, as well as the ‘applicant’s statement and legal guardian’s feedback’ form signed by your legal guardian. You can find the form in this link: http://kz.china-embassy.gov.cn/lsfw/hz/202205/P020220518592949227657.pdf.
– The website also states that the Chinese embassy or the Chinese consulate in the UAE may ask you to provide other additional, supporting documents, as required by them.
Photo requirements
– The picture needs to be recent, taken within the last six months, with a white background.
– It also needs to show your entire face and head, without shadows in the background and without any modifications.
– Acceptable picture format is .JPEG, .JPG and .PNG.
– The size of the photo should be 33mm in width and 48mm in height.
– The width of the head on the photo should be within 15mm to 22mm, the height of the head (from the chin to the top of the head) should be within 28mm to 33mm and the distance between the top of the head and the upper frame of the photo should be within 3mm to 5mm.
2. Download the ‘Chinese Consulate’ app
You can download this app from the Apple AppStore, Tencent App Store (which can be used on Android phones), Xiaomi App Store and Huawei AppGallery, by typing ‘Chinese Consulate’ in the search bar.
3. Register on the app
You will then need to register, if you have not already done so, by following these steps:
– Enter the app and tap ‘my profile’ at the bottom right corner of the screen.
– On the next page, tap ‘log in now’.
– Then tap ‘register a new account’ at the bottom of the next page.
– Afterwards, you will be asked to choose to register an account using your Chinese phone number or your email address. Choose the method that is suitable for you.
– You will then need to fill in your phone number or email address, depending on which method you chose previously, create a password and confirm it.
– Tap the ‘send verification code’ button next and after you receive the code, fill it in the field of ‘verification code’.
– Check the box ‘I have read and I agree to the terms and conditions’, then click ‘Register’.
4. Complete the identity verification
Identity verification is needed for passport renewal through the app. You can do so by following the steps below:
– Log in the app, tap ‘my profile’ on the bottom right of the screen and tap the ‘identity verification’ button on the next page.
– Next, you will be asked to scan your Chinese National ID card or passport front page. Alternatively, you can manually fill in the information below:
• Given name
• Given name in pinyin
• Surname
• Surname in pinyin
• Afterwards, you will need to select from the options provided, the type of ID document you are using and select your gender, as well as fill in your date of birth and ethnic group.
– Tap ‘Complete’ at the bottom of the page.
You need to make sure that the name that you filled in this section matches the name on your identification card, otherwise you will not be able to complete the verification process and proceed.
5. Fill out the ‘passport renewal’ form
• After identity verification, go back to the front page of the app and select ‘passport and travel document’.
• An information page will appear with the service details.
• Read the information page carefully, check the box of ‘I have read and I agree with the notice above’ and click ‘next’.
• You will then be asked to choose the embassy or consulate where you can apply for your passport renewal. If you are in Abu Dhabi, choose the Embassy of People’s Republic of China in the UAE. If you are in Dubai and other emirates, choose Consulate General of People’s Republic of China in Dubai.
• Then, choose passport as the document type for the service, then select ‘yes’ or ‘no’ under ‘is your current passport lost, stolen or destroyed’ and tap ‘next’.
• On the next page, you will be given three service options – issuance of new passport, adding remarks on passport remark page and issuance of travel document. Choose ‘issuance of new passport’ and tap ‘yes’.
• Afterwards, you will need to fill the application form following the steps below:
– Fill in your basic information, including your given name, given name in pinyin, your surname, surname in pinyin, your Chinese national ID card number, your gender, ethic group and place of birth.
– Then fill in the information of your current passport, including passport number, place of issuance, date of issuance and validity period.
– Next, fill your exit information from China including the date and port of your last exit from China. Then tap ‘next’.
– On the next page, you will be asked to fill your residential address in China, name of a contact person in China, the contact person’s phone number, as well as your UAE residential address, phone number, email address and the name of the company that you work in, or own. Fill in the information accordingly.
– Next, select if you have a valid UAE visa or resident permit. Then select the visa or resident permit type, such as permanent residence.
– Afterwards, the app will ask you if you currently have a foreign nationality. Select ‘no’. If you do currently have a foreign nationality, you will not be able to apply for this service.
– The following page will ask you to fill in the information of your immediate family members, including your father, mother, brother and sister’s name, address and phone number, where applicable. You will also be asked to fill in the emergency contact section, with your emergency contact person’s name, address and phone number, as well as your relationship with this person. Then, tap ‘next’.
– The next page requires you to read selected sections of the Nationality Law of China and the Passport Law of China. After reading the information, fill in your full name and passport number in respective areas and sign your name electronically, using the touchscreen of your smartphone. Then tap ‘next’.
Your electronic signature here will be used as your signature on the front page of your passport.
– You will then be required to upload your picture.
– If your photo is accepted by the system, tap ‘next’. If your photo is not accepted due to system error, you can still tap ‘next’ and carry on with the next steps. Meanwhile, you can submit your photo to zhengjiandb@gmail.com (if you apply in Dubai and other emirates except for Abu Dhabi), or chinaemb.ae@gmail.com (if you apply in Abu Dhabi), with the subject – ‘your name + application number’ and follow up from there.
– You will then be asked to review all the information you have filled in. If the information needs amendments, you can tap on the amendment sign on the upper right corner and amend accordingly.
– If the information is correct, you may proceed to the next steps.
– In the section of uploading documents, upload all the remaining documents.
– Fill the field for ‘delivery information’.
In this area, you need to put your contact information and detailed address – your new passport will be delivered to the address you provide here.
However, it is important for you to know that you are not required to send any documents by mail at this stage. You only need to send all required documents after your application passes the review by the Chinese embassy or the Chinese consulate later in the process.
– Again, make sure all information filled in is correct, then tap ‘confirm’.
6. Complete the face recognition verification process
The app also requires you to conduct face recognition to confirm that you, as the applicant, are the same person as the passport holder. You can skip this step in case of a system error. However, you will then need to participate in a video call hosted by the Chinese Embassy or the Chinese Consulate in the later part of process after your application is submitted, which can result in a longer processing time, due to the waiting queue for scheduled video calls.
You can then track your application process in ‘my order’ or ‘message centre’ in the app. The Chinese Consulate or Chinese Embassy staff will send you messages there to update you on the process, or if further submission of documents is needed. During this time, if you didn’t conduct face recognition within the app, they will message you to schedule a video call.
7. Make the payment and arrange for the documents to be couriered
Once your application passes the review, you will receive a message stating ‘document ready to be made’ in the app, indicating that your new passport is ready to be made. You then need to proceed to make the payment.
The cost for a new passport is Dh64. You need to transfer the exact amount to the bank account listed below. If you transfer more or less than the exact amount, your application will be returned, leading to delays.
Once you have made the payment, you then need to book a courier service. When making the payment for the courier service, make sure you pay them for both the pick-up and drop-off service together, so that the embassy or the consulate can deliver the new passport to you, when it is ready.
The documents need to be delivered by licensed courier companies. The Chinese consulate has mentioned two courier companies on their website, which are Yunda and DHL.
Bank account, address details if you apply through the Chinese Embassy
If you apply in Abu Dhabi, you need to transfer the money to the Chinese embassy’s bank account, the details for which are below:
Account number: 1411003378516018
Account name: CONSULAR DEPARTMENT OF CHINESE EMBA
IBAN: AE860351411003378516018
Bank name: FAB
Branch name: FAB UAE-MAIN
You need to add your full name and date of birth in the remark area when you transfer the money to the given bank account, so the Chinese embassy staff can confirm your payment arrival status in their account. It is important for you to choose a transaction method that enables you to add remarks, like opting for online bank transfer, instead of depositing it through an ATM machine.
After the payment is done, you are required to contact a courier company to send all documents listed below by mail to the Chinese embassy:
• Your name and application number, either printed out or hand-written on a piece of paper
• Copy of payment proof
• Current passport
• Any additional, supporting documents that are required by the Chinese embassy.
Here is their address:
Chinese Embassy in the UAE
P.O. Box 2741
Abu Dhabi, UAE
Bank account, address details if you apply through the Chinese Consulate
If you apply in Dubai and other northern emirates, you need to transfer the money to the Chinese Consulate’s bank account, the details for which are below:
Account number: 1014316680002
Account name: Consulate General of The People’s Republic of China (Dubai)
IBAN: AE720260001014316680002
Bank name: Emirates NBD
Branch name: Umm Suqeim Branch, P.O. Box No.777, Dubai, UAE
If you apply in Dubai and other Emirates, you are also required to contact a courier company to send all documents listed below by mail to the Chinese consulate:
• Two copies of ‘pick up form’ with your name and barcode – this form will be generated automatically in the app after you receive the message of ‘document ready to be made’. You can find this form in ‘my order’, then ‘order information’ in the app. One copy should be pasted on the envelope and the other copy should be placed inside the envelope.
• Copy of payment proof. It should provide information such as the name of the sender, time of the transaction, name and date of birth of the applicant in the remark area, sender’s bank account number and bank name. If the payment proof doesn’t reflect the applicant’s name and date of birth in remarks, you must write this information down on the physical copy of payment proof.
• Current passport.
• Two white background photograph, meeting the requirements mentioned above.
• Any additional, supporting documents that are required by the Chinese consulate.
You can refer to their address below:
Consulate General of the People’s Republic of China in Dubai
Villa 14, Street 7a, Community 357
Umm Al Sheif Road, Safa 2 Area
P.O. Box 9348
Dubai, UAE
After payment is made and physical documents are received by the embassy or consulate, your passport will be made and the Embassy or Consulate will contact the same courier company to arrange for it to be delivered to you.
How long does the process take?
The processing time depends on the volume of passport renewal requests at the time of your application and can vary on a case-to-case basis. However, it usually takes 15 working days, according to the Chinese embassy. You can track your application through the ‘message centre’ and ‘My order’ sections in the Chinese consulate app.
Contacts
Contact information is listed below if you have further questions:
1. The Chinese Embassy (if you apply in Abu Dhabi): 02 4434276. Working hours 9am to 1pm. You can also email chinaemb.ae@gmail.com.
2. The Chinese Consulate (if you apply in Dubai or other Emirates): 04 3952208. Working hours 9am to 1pm. You can also email zhengjiandb@gmail.com.
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