Decoding Chinese, HK, Macau, and Taiwan ID Formats for Banking KYC

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Personal Identification Documents

Banking services, whether for individuals or enterprises, must first verify the customer's identity. For high‑risk or complex operations such as corporate settlement account opening or credit services, due‑diligence is mandatory, extending verification to business conditions, cash flow, information flow, and even family members.

Identity Documents

Common personal documents include the Resident Identity Card, birth certificate, passport, etc. The most frequently used is the People's Republic of China Resident Identity Card . Its number follows GB 11643‑1999 and consists of 17 digits plus a checksum digit.

(1) Digits 1‑2: Province/municipality code.

(2) Digits 3‑4: Prefecture‑level city code.

(3) Digits 5‑6: County/district code.

(4) Digits 7‑14: Birthdate (YYYYMMDD).

(5) Digits 15‑16: Police station code.

(6) Digit 17: Gender (odd = male, even = female).

(7) Digit 18: Checksum (0‑9 or X). The checksum is calculated by a national algorithm; X represents the value 10.

Work‑related Documents

Examples: police officer badge, lawyer certificate, etc.

Marriage Documents

Marriage certificate.

Other Documents

Student ID, graduation certificate, one‑child certificate, driver’s license, and others for various scenarios.

For banks, the primary personal document is the Resident Identity Card, but support for Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan permits is also required.

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Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan Related Documents

These regions have complex permit systems that banks must accommodate.

Hong Kong Identity Card

Two types: Permanent Resident ID and regular Resident ID. Children receive a “children’s ID” at age 11; at 18 they must replace it with an adult card.

Permanent Resident ID grants permanent residence rights; the regular ID is for non‑permanent residents.

Macau Identity Card

Issued by the Macau Identification Bureau, with permanent and non‑permanent versions.

Taiwan Identity Card

Issued by Taiwan authorities; the 2010 version is pink‑purple, includes 21 anti‑counterfeit features, and uses a 10‑character alphanumeric number (1 letter + 9 digits).

Encoding rule: 1 letter + 9 digits.

Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan Residence Permits

Regulated by the State Council’s “Notice on the Implementation of the Residence Permit Application and Issuance Measures for Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan Residents” (Guoban [2018] 81). The residence permit numbers are 18 digits; Hong Kong uses the prefix 810000, Macau 820000, Taiwan 830000.

Mainland‑to‑Hong Kong Travel Permit

Issued to mainland residents for private travel to Hong Kong or Macau. The permit number changes when re‑issued or lost.

Visa types: T (family), S (business), L (group tour), G (individual tour), D (stay), Q (other).

Visas are printed on the back of the card and can be overwritten; usage is tracked by an electronic system.

Mainland‑to‑Taiwan Travel Permit

Issued to mainland residents for settlement, family visits, tourism, property handling, marriage, or participation in academic, cultural, sports, and other activities.

Since June 2019, the issuing authority is the Ministry of Public Security’s Exit‑Entry Administration.

Visa types: L (group), G (individual), T (family), D (settlement), Y (invitation), S (business), X (study), C (crew), Q (other).

Hong Kong/Macau Residents’ Mainland Travel Permit (Home Return Permit)

Commonly called the “Home Return Permit”. Since June 2019, issued by the Exit‑Entry Administration. Number format: “H”+8 digits for Hong Kong permanent non‑Chinese residents, “M”+8 digits for Macau permanent non‑Chinese residents.

Taiwan Residents’ Mainland Travel Permit (Taiwan Compatriot Permit)

Often called the “Taiwan Compatriot Permit”. It is a 9‑digit numeric identifier issued to Taiwanese residents who are Chinese citizens residing in Taiwan.

Since April 2019, the issuing authority is also the Exit‑Entry Administration.

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Business Licenses

China’s State Administration for Market Regulation promotes the “three‑in‑one” system, using the Unified Social Credit Code on the business license as the unique identifier for enterprises.

Reference: Order No. 746 and the “Regulations on the Administration of Market Entities”.

Individual Business License

Issued to natural persons or households operating a commercial enterprise. Cannot be transferred; household‑run businesses may transfer to family members.

Corporate Business License

1. Sole Proprietorship – a single natural person invests and owns all assets. 2. Limited Liability Company – 2‑50 shareholders, each liable up to their contributed capital; minimum registered capital 100,000 CNY. 3. Sino‑Foreign Joint Venture – foreign and Chinese investors jointly establish a limited‑liability company under Chinese law. 4. Foreign or HK/Macau/Taiwan Sole Proprietorship – wholly foreign‑capitalized enterprise established in China.

Branch Office License

Branches are parts of the parent enterprise, not independent legal entities but often independent accounting units.

Non‑Corporate Licenses

Includes publishing houses, research institutes, cooperatives, etc.

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Common Passports

Chinese passports are issued for international travel and proof of nationality.

Types: diplomatic, service, ordinary, and special‑region passports.

Diplomatic Passport

Issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to senior officials, diplomats, and their families.

Service Passport

Issued to government officials (county level and above) and their families for official travel.

Ordinary Passport

Issued by the Ministry of Public Security to Chinese citizens traveling abroad for private reasons.

Hong Kong SAR Passport

Issued by the Hong Kong Immigration Department to Chinese citizens with permanent residence in Hong Kong.

Macau SAR Passport

Issued by the Macau Identification Bureau to Chinese citizens with permanent residence in Macau.