Uyghur Woman Exposes China’s Passport Restrictions on Uyghurs with Detained Family Members

By Tayor Uyghur

Jan 7, 2026

A Uyghur woman has publicly described what she says are systemic and discriminatory restrictions preventing Uyghurs from obtaining passports and travel permits, highlighting how political background checks tied to family members effectively bar many from leaving the country.

In a video speech shared online, the woman recounts her personal experience attempting to apply for a Chinese passport and Hong Kong/Macau travel permits over a two-year period, from 2024 to 2025. According to her account, her applications were repeatedly rejected due to the political status of a relative, a factor that automatically disqualified her under China’s internal security and political vetting system.

Her testimony sheds light on how Xinjiang hukou (household registration) holders—particularly Uyghurs—face collective punishment through extended family background checks, limiting not only international travel but also access to public-sector employment. She further warns Uyghurs against relying on travel agencies, saying that current policies make even short regional trips impossible and leave applicants vulnerable to financial loss.

The speaker emphasizes that the restrictions are not temporary bureaucratic delays but part of a broader, institutionalized system that treats Uyghurs as security risks by default, regardless of individual conduct.

The Speaker’s Full Statement (Verbatim)

“Xinjiang hukou holders, from now on, don’t waste your time, energy, and money trying to apply for Hong Kong/Macau permits or passports anymore. There’s really no point. I’ve been trying to get a passport for two years, throughout 2024 and 2025, so I have some experience. Why can’t I pass the audit for a passport or a Hong Kong/Macau permit? It’s mainly because I have a relative who is not in society due to political reasons. Because of their influence, I can’t even apply for jobs in public institutions or become a civil servant. I failed the political background check.

For a long time, I had a glimmer of hope that I could get it done. A few days ago, I contacted a travel agency consultant. Previously, I didn’t want to go on group tours because I wasn’t interested in visiting nearby countries. He sent me their chat records, which listed the conditions for applying. The first condition was: the applicant and their immediate and extended family members (up to three generations, including aunts, uncles, cousins, etc.) must have no criminal records, including ‘study records.’ If you have any such relatives, you won’t pass the political check. So don’t even bother applying.

The consultant was quite unpleasant too. He asked for a 200 yuan consultation fee for the ‘self-test’ and said it could be deducted from the tour fee later. It was really annoying. Don’t be fooled. Currently, there are restrictions on Uyghurs; you can’t even go on a one-day trip to Kazakhstan. The travel agency only provides a service and won’t get involved in anything else. If you have an issue and the border control doesn’t let you through, your tour fee will not be refunded.

If you’re thinking about applying for a passport, wait and see what new, more favorable policies might come out in 2026. Don’t blindly sign up for group tours. Be cautious and don’t let travel agencies scam you.”

Broader Context

Human rights organizations have long documented how Chinese authorities restrict the freedom of movement of Uyghurs and other Turkic peoples from Uyghur homeland, often using opaque “political reliability” criteria. Passport confiscations, blanket travel bans, and family-based political screening have been widely reported since the mass detention campaign began in 2017.

In February 2025, Human Rights Watch stated, “The Chinese government is maintaining severe restrictions, conditions, and controls on Uyghurs who seek to travel abroad in violation of their internationally protected right to leave the country.”

The woman’s account adds a rare first-person, contemporary perspective, illustrating that despite Beijing’s claims of policy normalization, strict controls on Uyghur mobility remain firmly in place.

“Tayor” is a shortened name adopted by a Uyghur Times staff member for the publication of this article.