Want to Buy Chinese .cn Domain Names: Show ID Proof!

Its no longer easy to register chinese .cn domain names, as registrants are required to provide ID proof. Recent reports indicate that domain buyers are required to meet in person and confirm personal information.

As per the latest PCWorld report -

The new regulations, dated Feb. 8 but only posted on the Web sites of certain provincial telecom regulators starting Monday, require Internet service providers that help people register a Web site with authorities to meet the applicant in person and collect a personal photo. Applicants must also submit other information and a description of their site’s content, including anything that needs “advance or special approval.”

All Web sites are affected because China’s IT ministry has said sites without government records will have their domain name resolution terminated by the end of September, essentially making them inaccessible. China’s state-owned network operators have closed over 130,000 sites without records in recent weeks, according to the official Xinhua news agency.

Though this policy is not yet live on the CNNIC, an earlier notification on the China Internet Network Information Center, the state network information center of China (Dec 2009) states

In order to further enhance the authenticity, accuracy, and integrality of the domain name registration information, now notify as following:

1. Domain name applicants need to submit the formal paper based application material when making the online application to the registrar. The application material includes the original application form with business seal, company business license (photocopy), and registrant ID (photocopy).

2. Registrar should carefully review the application material. When application is deemed qualified, registrar need to submit the application material via fax or E-mail to CNNIC, and withhold the original application material.

3. From the day of the submission of online application, if CNNIC does not receive the formal paper based application material within 5 days or the application material auditing is not qualified, the domain name to be applied will be deleted.

If you read the .cn domain name faq, you find that Chinese Domain Name are not available for individuals. So that leaves many of us out anyway. This is all part of the China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology effort to create records for all Web sites in the country.

On the other hand, anyone can register the top level domains like .com, .net, .org etc. on any top domain name registrar like GoDaddy without showing any proof of identity or residence. You can also protect your identity by using private domain name registration services.