National Immigration Administration

The National Immigration Administration (NIA), alternatively known as the Exit and Entry Administration of the People's Republic of China (for mainland China's regional border controls with Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan), is a sub-ministry-level executive agency administrated by the Ministry of Public Security. The administration is responsible for coordinating and formulating immigration policies and their implementation, border control (and border patrol along with drug interdiction), administering foreigners' stay, management on refugees and nationality, taking the lead in coordinating the administering of foreigners who illegally enter, stay or are employed in China, and the repatriation of illegal immigrants. The NIA is also responsible for manning border checkpoints.

In 2025, the NIA had an annual budget of 62,567,100,300 Renminbi.

History

In July 1998, nine cities including Beijing, Tianjin, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Zhuhai, Xiamen, Haikou, and Shantou established the entry-exit border checkpoints, which were vertically led by the Ministry of Public Security Exit and Entry Bureau[zh]. In 2011, according to the Central Office document on the "approval on the adjustment of Beijing in seven vocational institutions specifications preparing Frontier Guard Inspection Station" (Central Office Document No. 54), Shenzhen FGIS and seven other professional Frontier Inspection Station Specifications adjusted from the deputy department level to the main department level with the institutional affiliation and staffing remaining unchanged.

Prior to the 2018 People's Armed Police reform, the People's Armed Police Border Defense Corps[zh] (Chinese: 武警边防部队; pinyin: Wǔjǐng Biānfáng Bùdùi), more commonly known as the Ministry of Public Security Border Defense Corps (Chinese: 公安边防部队) due to it being a Ministry of Public Security Active Service Force, was formerly China's primary border patrol force overseen by the Ministry of Public Security Border Control Department[zh].

After the 2018 people's armed police reforms, the Ministry of Public Security Exit and Entry Bureau[zh] and Ministry of Public Security Border Control Department[zh] (with the People's Armed Police Border Defense Corps[zh]) merged to form the national immigration administration on April 2, 2018, with the latter's personnel becoming part of the People's Police.

On April 1, 2021, with the approval of the Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party, the National Immigration Management Agency will use its own flag and logo from April 2, 2021, onward.

Organizational structure

The National Immigration Administration has an institution that Deputy Bureau level (副司局级), and each border inspection station and standing force are at Office level (正厅级). The National Immigration Service has the following subordinate bodies:

Internal organs

Affiliated units

• Immigration Management Information Technology Research Institute (出入境管理信息技术研究所)
• Immigration Services Center (移民事务服务中心)
• Policing Security Center (警务保障中心)

Directly subordinate units

Immigration Inspection General Stations

The Inner Mongolia, Liaoning, Jilin, Heilongjiang, Guangxi, Yunnan, Tibet, Gansu and Xinjiang General Station of exit and entry frontier inspection also have the name of the Provincial Public Security Department's Border Management Unit under One institution with two names.

Police tactical units

The Hulunbuir Border Management Detachment of the Inner Mongolia General Station of Exit and Entry Frontier Inspection operates the Barga Commando Unit (Chinese: 巴尔虎突击队; pinyin: Bā'ěr hǔ tújí duì), a police tactical unit used for border patrol, CQB anti-terrorism, anti-hijacking, apprehending dangerous suspects, search and rescue, bomb disposal and security at large events. It operates K9s, infantry mobility vehicles along with submachine guns and sniper rifles.

Equipment

As of July 2024, the NIA operated 11782 vehicles. Police dogs are also used for drug interception and border patrol.

In 2023, 15 police dogs became the first batch of police dogs with the award of "Meritorious Police Dogs". Horses and drones are also used for border patrol operation.

Firearms

Reforms

From 1 April 2019 onwards, all mainland citizens can apply and receive passports and exit and entry permits from the NIA offices anywhere in the country, instead of requiring citizens to go to their Hukou city/province to apply. Also, exit and entry permits to Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan can be applied to, received, and delivered within a few minutes on automatic machines.

Line of duty casualties

Due to the NIA being responsible for border patrol, there are occasionally gunfights between NIA officers and drug traffickers on the China–Myanmar border, most famously on December 4, 2021, when ethnic Hani officer Cai Xiaodong (蔡晓东) of the Xishuangbanna border management detachment was shot and killed by a drug trafficker on the China Myanmar border. He was posthumously awarded martyr status.

In 2021, 7 NIA officers(both sworn and auxiliary) were killed in the line of duty, with a further 49 being injured

In 2022, 6 NIA officers(both sworn and auxiliary) were killed in the line of duty, with a further 40 being injured

In 2023, 12 NIA officers(both sworn and auxiliary) were killed in the line of duty, with a further 77 being injured.

In 2024, 15 NIA officers (both sworn and auxiliary) were killed in the line of duty, with a further 66 being injured.

See also

• Ministry of Public Security (China)
• People's Police (China)
• Immigration to China

External links