一、中国因公出国管理体制的基本情况
长期以来，中国政府根据本国的国情和社会制度建立了一套比较完善的因公出国管理体制，保证了因公出国渠道的畅通，为增进与世界各国的相互了解、加深友谊、促进交流、互利合作做出了积极贡献。中国因公出国管理体制主要包括以下内容：
（一）出国任务审批制度。赴国（境）外执行公务的因公出国人员须由派遣部门向拥有外事审批权的上级部门申请因公出国任务批件，审批部门主要审查出国任务是否有明确的公务目的和实质内容，人员组成是否合理。
（二）出国人员审查制度。因公出国人员的审查一律由授权的部门归口负责，主要审查该出国人员有无犯罪记录、工作表现和个人品质。
（三）因公护照颁发制度。派遣部门持因公出国任务批件、出国人员审查批件以及其他相关材料，向发照机关申领护照。发照机关根据规定对派遣部门提交的上述材料审核无误后，颁发相应的护照。如发现不符合中央、国务院有关规定精神或有弄虚作假、骗取护照的情况，发照机关有权拒绝发照。
（四）因公护照的集中保管制度。中国政府本着统一管理、分级保管、层层负责的原则对因公护照进行集中保管。因公出国人员须在回国后尽快交回其所持护照，由本单位或上级主管部门登记、保管，保证因公护照只能用于出国执行公务目的。
二、因公护照
因公护照分为外交护照、公务护照。公务护照又分为公务护照和公务普通护照。中国因公护照主要签发给出国执行公务人员。
（一）各类因公护照的颁发机关和颁发对象分别为：
外交护照由外交部签发，签发对象为中国共产党、中央人民政府、中国人民解放军高级官员，全国人民代表大会、中国人民政治协商会议全国委员会和各民主党派的主要领导人，外交官员、领事官员及其随行配偶和未成年子女，外交信使，省、自治区、直辖市及副省级城市主要领导等。
公务护照由外交部、中国驻外使(领)馆以及外交部委托的地方人民政府外事部门签发，签发对象为副县（处）级（含）以上公务员；在中国驻外使(领)馆或联合国及其专门机构以及其他政府间国际组织工作的中国政府派出的职员及其随行配偶和未成年子女；国有大型企业领导成员以及部分高校校级负责人等。
公务普通护照由外交部、中国驻外使(领)馆以及外交部委托的地方人民政府外事部门签发，签发对象为副县（处）级以下公务员和事业单位工作人员；国有、国有控股企业人员；国有控股和国有参股金融机构工作人员等。
护照颁发机关对已经发出的护照有权收缴、宣布作废或吊销。
（二）因公护照有效期
根据规定，外交护照、公务护照和公务普通护照有效期最长不超过五年。各类护照不再办理延期、加页。
China's Management System on Official Overseas Trips and
Official Passports
(2014)
I. Management System on Official Overseas Trips
Over the years, the Chinese Government has put in place a sound management system on international trips for official business based on its national conditions and social system, which has ensured smooth official trips abroad and contributed to enhanced mutual understanding, friendship, communication and mutually beneficial cooperation between China and the rest of the world. The management system consists of the following:
(I) Review and approval system on the mission of official trips overseas. People traveling abroad on official business must obtain approval from agencies at a higher level who are mandated to approve foreign-related activities. The competent agencies would examine the necessity and purpose of the trip as well as the composition of delegation.
(II) Personnel review and approval system. It is undertaken by designated agencies who would examine the criminal record, work performance and personal qualities of the people who will take the trip.
(III) Issuance of official passport. The dispatching agency applies for official passport with competent authorities by submitting the approval of the mission, approved list of travelers and other documents. The competent agencies then issue passports according to relevant regulations after reviewing the documents. In case of violations of regulations, fraud or deception, the competent agencies are entitled to turn down the application.
(IV) System of centralized safekeeping of official passports. Official passports are centrally safekept by the Chinese Government according to the principle of unified management, safekeeping at different levels, and clarified responsibilities. Upon completing the overseas trip, the persons must quickly return their passports to their work unit or competent authorities at a higher level for record-keeping and safekeeping. This is to ensure that official passports are used solely for official business overseas.
II. Official Passports
The Chinese Official Passports are categorized into two types: Diplomatic Passport and Service Passport. Service Passports are categorized into two types: Service Passport and Passport for Public Affairs. The official passports are issued to people traveling outside of China on official business.
(I) Passport Issuing Agencies and Eligibility
Diplomatic Passports are issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) to senior officials of the Chinese Communist Party, the Central Government and the People's Liberation Army; leading officials of the National People's Congress (NPC), the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) and Non-Communist Parties; diplomats, consular officials and their accompanying spouses and minor children; diplomatic couriers; leading officials of provinces, autonomous regions, municipalities directly under the Central Government and sub-provincial cities, etc.
Service Passports are issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA), Chinese diplomatic (consular) missions and MFA-authorized local foreign affairs offices, to officials at or above the level of deputy division-director; staff (and their accompanying spouses and minor children) posted by the Chinese Government to Chinese diplomatic (consular) missions, the United Nations and its specialized agencies and other inter-governmental international organizations; executives of large state-owned enterprises and leaders of some universities, etc.
Passport for Public Affairs are issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA), Chinese diplomatic (consular) missions, and MFA-authorized local foreign affairs offices, to officials below the level of deputy division-director, personnel of public institutions, state-owned enterprises or enterprises with the state having the controlling interest, and financial institutions where the state has controlling interest or is a shareholder, etc.
The passport issuing authorities are entitled to take over, nullify or revoke passports that have been issued.
(II) Period of Validity
According to relevant regulation, the period of validity of Diplomatic Passport, Service Passport and Passport for Public Affairs is 5 years maximum.
