Many foreign owners are unaware that passport renewals can derail property sales.
Chinese property records are tied to the passport number used at the time of purchase.
If a passport has been renewed multiple times, authorities may question whether the seller is the same person listed in the ownership registration system.
This issue commonly appears when :
- The property was purchased over 10 years ago
- Multiple passport renewals occurred
- Name formats differ across documents
The solution is a Same-Person Certification, legally linking old and new passports
Without this step :
- Contracts may be rejected
- Existing bank accounts with old passport record cannot be used
- Transactions may fail at settlement
Addressing identity continuity early prevents costly delays and failed deals
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