At least 20 million Chinese mainland citizens held passports, the Ministry of Public Security announced on Friday.

The number of Chinese receiving passports shot up from an annual average of 100,000 in the early 1980s to 3.92 million in 2006.

An official with the ministry's Exit and Entry Administration said an increasing number of Chinese have gone abroad for study, business or travel.

In the late 1970s, the government used to strictly control foreign travel. After its reform and opening to the outside world, it simplified the procedures for the passport applications.

China's top legislature passed the country's first passport law in April to standardize applications for, and the issue and management of passports.

The law, which comes into effect on Jan. 1, 2007, will replace a regulation governing passport management that has been in place for nearly two decades.

Under the law, China's passports are divided into three categories:regular, diplomatic, and service passports.

Citizens generally can get a passport within 15 days of applying, and for those in remote areas the period is 30 days.

The law bans the fabrication, transfer, damage, or illegal holding of passports, while providing penalties for people who assist in passport frauds.

Source: Xinhua