Exit Bans and Visa Status: When You Cannot Leave China

Two of the most common panics in a foreign-related case never reach a courtroom. The first is being told at immigration that you cannot leave China — an exit control decision, which is not a penalty and not a charge. The second is an expired visa, which is an administrative violation rather than a crime, however long the overstay has run. These guides take them in the order the questions actually arise: the three legal bases for an exit ban and how long each one lasts, the two routes to having a ban lifted, and the four acts that turn an overstay into a criminal charge instead of a fine.