China tightens control over Catholic clergy, mandating passport surrender and reinforcing oversight under its religious Sinicization campaign.
Newsroom (12/02/2026 Gaudium Press ) The Chinese government has taken another step in tightening its grip on organized religion by ordering all Catholic clergy and religious personnel to surrender their passports. The measure, recently implemented by state-recognized church bodies, underscores Beijing’s deepening control over faith communities and places fresh strain on the sensitive relationship between China and the Holy See.
According to Per Mariam, the new directive was issued in December by the Chinese Catholic Patriotic Association (CCPA) and the Bishops’ Conference of the Catholic Church in China (BCCCC)—two organizations operating under the supervision of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). Neither entity acknowledges the authority of the Holy See, aligning instead with the state’s campaign to “Sinicize” religion by aligning spiritual life with socialist values.
Passports Held in State Custody
The regulations compel priests and nuns to hand over their passports and all travel-related documents, including those valid for Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan. These documents are to be held by local authorities for “safekeeping.” Though the procedure varies according to clerical rank, the outcome is the same: the state retains ultimate custody of their identification.
Any cleric seeking to travel abroad must submit an application supported by official documents. Only after approval can they temporarily retrieve their passport to apply for visas and arrange travel. Once the trip concludes, the passport must be returned to state custody within seven days, often accompanied by additional reports and paperwork.
Private travel faces even greater scrutiny. Applications must be filed at least 30 days in advance, including precise details of itineraries, destinations, participants, and purpose. Approved applicants must sign written agreements pledging to adhere to authorized plans; any deviation can result in the suspension of both individual and institutional travel rights.
The combination of bureaucratic complexity and potential sanctions constructs an environment of near-total surveillance and control over religious mobility.
Increasing Restrictions on Religious Practice
This passport policy builds upon a decade-long strategy to enforce strict state oversight of religious life across China. Official communications accompanying the announcement reaffirm that all religious activity must comply with state law. Services are allowed only in authorized venues and must be led by clergy registered with government-approved bodies.
Since the CCP launched its “Sinicization” program, all religions in China have been compelled to align more closely with Party doctrine. Regulations adopted in 2025 explicitly required religious institutions to promote communist ideology and limited the influence of foreign clergy to an unprecedented degree.
Observers view the new passport rule as both a continuation and an escalation—extending ideological control into the very movement and identity of clergy across the mainland.
Tensions With the Holy See
The Vatican now faces renewed pressure over its delicate arrangement with Beijing. The provisional 2018 Sino-Vatican agreement—recently renewed until 2028—was intended to bridge the divide between the underground Catholic Church loyal to Rome and the state-sanctioned church loyal to Beijing. While the full details remain secret, analysts believe the pact allows China to nominate episcopal candidates, with final approval reserved for the Pope.
But the passport measure suggests Beijing’s increasing assertion of power over the faithful, casting further doubt on the pact’s ability to preserve freedom of religion.
Pope Leo XIV, who recently confirmed several episcopal appointments originating from Chinese authorities, has so far refrained from publicly addressing these new restrictions. Nevertheless, in an early address of his pontificate, he urged Chinese Catholics to remain in communion with the universal Church—a message widely interpreted as a quiet expression of concern over the trajectory of the “Sinicization” campaign.
- Raju Hasmukh with files from INfovaticana
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