Foreigners holding a valid passport and Chinese visa or other documents can exit China through a port open to foreigners. However, those who are required to exit China by a port designated by the visa office and their means of transport must act accordingly.

They must produce their valid passport or other documents, and Chinese visa or residence document. They must leave China within the validity period of their stay or residence shown in the visa or residence document.

When foreigners holding a residence document leave China within the validity period of residence, and if they plan to come back to China, they must apply, prior to their exit, to the local public security bureau, for a re-entry visa. If they do not intend to come back to China, they must return their residence document to the border check post.