Three things go wrong most often for Chinese people living and doing business in Africa: documents expire or get lost, money is lost to fraud or robbery, and sudden security incidents. This checklist covers documents, registration and contacts, money, and safety. Every item can be checked on the China Consular Service Network or your Chinese embassy’s website.
Articles in this section are being added over time. The ones already published are listed below this text.
Documents: passport, visa and residence
- Renew your passport when less than a year is left. Under international practice you normally need at least six months’ validity to cross borders, or an airline may refuse to board you or you may be refused entry [2].
- Abroad, you renew or replace a passport through the China Consular app with the mission in your country. You cannot send it home to be renewed [1].
- If your passport is lost or stolen, report it to the local police first, then apply to the embassy for a replacement [2].
- Renew local visas, work permits and residence permits on time. In Nigeria, for example, a new system for managing foreign nationals took effect in 2025, and from 1 August that year foreigners overstaying or working illegally faced fines, deportation and entry bans [3].
- Email yourself photos of your passport data page, visa pages, ID card and insurance policy, and keep a few paper passport photos [4].
Registration and contacts
- Register as an overseas Chinese citizen in the China Consular app. Registered people receive embassy safety alerts and emergency contact faster [4].
- Save the MFA’s 24-hour Global Emergency Call Center for Consular Protection and Services: +86-10-12308 or +86-10-65612308 [5].
- Save the local police number and your Chinese mission’s consular protection number; in South Africa, for example, the police number is 10111 [8].
- Give family in China your address, phone number and a local contact, and check in regularly [4].
For what embassies can and cannot do, and what to do after a robbery or kidnapping, see Consular protection and the 12308 hotline.
Money and transfers
- Never send large sums to people you do not know on the strength of a phone call or email, especially across borders [4].
- Ignore promises of high returns for low investment. Do not exchange currency with strangers through social media, and invest only through proper channels [4].
- The embassy will never ask you to pay by phone or video call [7], and overseas citizen registration never asks for bank details or transfers [6]. If you get such a call, check with the embassy or 12308 first.
- Do not carry large amounts of cash, and do not discuss payments, business or family assets in public [8].
Safety and insurance
- China’s MFA rates travel risk for each country and area as blue (low), yellow (medium), orange (high) or red (extremely high), and updates the ratings on each country’s page on the China Consular Service Network [9]. Our regional pages summarise the ratings for each country.
- Buy personal accident and medical insurance suited to your health and the risks where you live [4].
- Operating legally, employing workers legally and handling labour relations properly reduces the risk of cases arising from employment problems [8].
Health and getting around
- Malaria, cholera and typhoid are serious in some countries. In Nigeria, for example, the embassy advises personal protection and prompt treatment at a proper hospital if you feel unwell [10].
- If you have a chronic condition, take your medication on time. Be careful with raw or cold food and do not drink untreated water [4].
- Drive with a valid licence and plan your route. Do not wait for long in dark, isolated places, and do not ride with strangers [4].
- During marches, protests or rallies, go out as little as possible and do not watch or join in [4].
- When you leave the country, you can record your departure in the app [4].
Two articles in this section are already live: for the steps, documents and fees to renew or replace a passport abroad, see Renewing or replacing a passport abroad; for what embassies do and how to get help, see the consular protection article linked above.
References
- Applying for passports and travel documents (China Consular Service Network, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 2026)
- Chinese Embassy in Tanzania: keep your travel documents safe (Chinese Embassy in Tanzania, January 2026)
- Chinese Embassy in Nigeria: reminder to Chinese companies and citizens to hold compliant permits (Chinese Embassy in Nigeria, April 2025)
- Guide to China’s Consular Protection and Assistance (September 2023) (MFA Consular Protection Center, 2023)
- 12308 consular protection hotline (China Consular Service Network, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 2026)
- Chinese Embassy in Nigeria: register in the overseas citizen registration module (Chinese Embassy in Nigeria, April 2026)
- How to use the China Consular app (Chinese Embassy in South Africa, July 2026)
- Chinese Embassy in South Africa: warning on kidnappings of Chinese nationals (Chinese Embassy in South Africa, 6 September 2026)
- China Consular Service Network: Mali country profile and travel risk level (example) (Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China, accessed October 2026)
- Chinese Embassy in Nigeria: safety reminder for Chinese citizens (Chinese Embassy in Nigeria and Consulate-General in Lagos, 12 September 2025)
- Renewing or Replacing a Chinese Passport in Africa
- Consular Protection in Africa
- Notarization and Apostille for African Countries
- Sending Money from Africa to China
- Yellow Fever, Malaria and Travel Health
- Using WeChat Pay, Alipay and UnionPay in Africa
- Flights Between China and Africa
- Using a Chinese Driving Licence in Africa
- Tax Residency and CRS for Chinese in Africa
- Hukou and Social Security While in Africa
- Huaqiao (Overseas Chinese) Status
- Schooling for Chinese Children in Africa