By Li Muzi, Vision Times
Reports circulating on Chinese social media suggest a sudden surge in overseas departures across China’s wealthiest coastal regions, with residents in Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Shanghai, and Guangdong scrambling to apply for passports and visas amid growing political and economic anxiety.
The phenomenon, widely referred to online as an “exit wave,” has intensified following reports that senior military figures Zhang Youxia and Liu Zhenli were detained and placed under investigation on Jan. 24, an event that has fueled fears of deeper instability within the Chinese system.
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Videos and first-hand accounts describe overcrowded passport offices, long visa queues, and mounting concerns that outbound travel may soon face tighter restrictions. One widely shared remark captures the prevailing mood: “The whole country is applying for passports. This country has no future.”
Cities leading the charge
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On Jan. 28, an X account known as “Financial Database” posted a video claiming that residents along China’s eastern seaboard are preparing to flee. “People along the Jiangsu and Zhejiang coast are all getting ready to leave. Three hundred thousand people in Zhejiang are ready to run at any time. Many can’t even get passport appointments anymore. U.S. visa wait times are over 300 days,” the account noted.
The post warned that capital controls are tightening rapidly, alleging that even transferring 1,000 yuan overseas now triggers scrutiny, and claiming authorities are moving toward a “lock-the-door” strategy.
In one video clip, a mainland blogger said: “Jiangsu, Zhejiang, and Shanghai have suddenly seen an overseas exodus. No one expected this. According to immigration data, 370,000 people completed exit procedures in just 30 days.”
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Another woman urged viewers to act quickly: “If you don’t have a passport yet, hurry up and get one. In many provinces now, it’s no longer easy to apply, and it will only get harder. Don’t complain about visas anymore. Many people can’t even get the passport booklet at all.”
A man filming inside a local immigration office said it was packed wall-to-wall: “It’s all people applying for passports and visas. When Chinese people emigrate, the top destinations are still the U.S. and Japan.”
‘The whole country is applying for passports’
Videos posted on Jan. 26 showed long lines outside the U.S. Embassy in Beijing, described as “three layers deep inside and out.” Similar crowds were reported at the U.S. Consulate in Guangzhou. Footage from passport offices across the country shows packed halls and frustrated applicants. One man filming the scene said: “It’s a sea of people applying for passports. I don’t know where all these people came from. The whole country is applying for passports; this country has no future.”
Another blogger contrasted China’s passport with those of developed nations: “Some passports are like travel passes — you book a ticket and go. The Chinese passport is just an application. First you prove who you are, then that you have money, then that you’ll come back.”
Similar claims are emerging from southern China. Multiple Douyin creators have posted videos stating that Guangdong is now experiencing a major outbound surge.
On Jan. 29, a blogger known as “Brother Jun Talks Overseas” said: “Guangdong is seeing an exit wave. Even the government didn’t expect this many people to leave. In just the first weeks of the year, over 100,000 Guangdong residents processed exit paperwork.”
Comments under these videos reflect deep pessimism. One user wrote: “Since COVID, the economy has collapsed faster and faster. At least 300 million are unemployed, and 100 million are heavily in debt. What’s coming will be worse than 1958–1960. If you can leave, leave now.” Another added, “This country has no hope left. Young people should go if they can.”
Travel restrictions
Alongside the rush to leave are growing reports that authorities are restricting citizens’ ability to travel abroad. According to a tip shared with overseas Chinese media, a resident of Zunyi, Guizhou, said: “People who frequently traveled to the U.S., Europe, or Japan were recently told to hand in their passports. After they returned, local police summoned them for questioning, asking why they went abroad.”
The source added, “Once you hand in your passport, if you want to go abroad again, you have to apply through the neighborhood office. Street-level officials turned in their passports as early as 2025.”
Similar reports have surfaced in Gansu, Guizhou, and Yunnan, with passport collection affecting not just officials but broad segments of the population. In many areas, civil servants, state-owned enterprise managers, teachers, and even school staff are reportedly required to surrender passports and Hong Kong–Macau travel permits for “centralized management.” A Guangzhou resident said: “My classmate teaches at an elementary school, her passport was taken too. Now even going to Hong Kong requires special approval.”
Following reports of Zhang Youxia’s detention, rumors of elite defections have added to public unease. On Jan. 28, U.S.-based former Shanghai entrepreneur Hu Liren claimed on his program that: “A former deputy head of the Central Organization Department has just successfully defected.”
Hu said the current period is “extremely special,” predicting that a wave of internal secrets and evidence of wrongdoing may soon surface. “People escaping from within the system hold hard proof of the CCP’s crimes,” he said. “The end is approaching.”
Editorial note: This article is based on publicly circulating reports and commentary from independent analysts. The claims described have not been independently verified by Vision Times, and relevant authorities have not publicly confirmed the allegations.
