# Question about China's one child policy

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-chinas-one-child-policy/512164>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [September 30, 2009, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-chinas-one-child-policy/512164 "2009-09-30T21:44:27Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Bamboo\_Boy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/839c29/32.png) [@Bamboo\_Boy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bamboo_Boy)\
**Post date:** [September 30, 2009, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-chinas-one-child-policy/512164/1 "2009-09-30T21:44:27Z")

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This should have a factual answer. I was wondering about the details of China’s one child policy in working practice. Ok, here’s the scenario we are talking about:

A Chinese family moves abroad and has more than one child. What happens if they decide to return to China to take up residence again? Is the one child ‘violation’ not a violation since it occured on foreign soil? Is it something they may face a sentence of some sort for?

Enlighten me!

Thank you,

BB

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**Author:** ![psychonaut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/psychonaut/32/4655_2.png) [@psychonaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/psychonaut)\
**Post date:** [September 30, 2009, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-chinas-one-child-policy/512164/2 "2009-09-30T22:08:16Z")

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[Wikipedia’s article on the one-child policy](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/One_Child_Policy) has the following sourced claim:

> [@](#):
>
> Children born in overseas countries are not counted under the policy if they do not obtain Chinese citizenship. Chinese citizens returning from abroad can have a second child.[[11]](http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/china/2006-12/28/content_770107.htm)

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**Author:** ![Bamboo\_Boy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/839c29/32.png) [@Bamboo\_Boy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bamboo_Boy)\
**Post date:** [September 30, 2009, 11:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-chinas-one-child-policy/512164/3 "2009-09-30T23:06:19Z")

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Wow, thanks!!!

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**Author:** ![Cliffy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/59ef9b/32.png) [@Cliffy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cliffy)\
**Post date:** [October 2, 2009, 1:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-chinas-one-child-policy/512164/4 "2009-10-02T01:12:06Z")

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Note also that the punishment for a violation is you have to pay a fine. It’s substantial, I understand, but you don’t go to jail for it.

–Cliffy

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**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\
**Post date:** [October 2, 2009, 1:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-chinas-one-child-policy/512164/5 "2009-10-02T01:29:10Z")

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> [@Cliffy](#):
>
> Note also that the punishment for a violation is you have to pay a fine. It’s substantial, I understand, but you don’t go to jail for it.
> 
> –Cliffy

When I lived there, I believe it was 10,000 Yuan, which was about $1200 at the time(quite a bit for most Chinese people). I believe it has doubled since.

I worked with wealthy Chinese people who had multiple kids and paid the fine. They were fine.