Documents

[whatsthehaps]

Hello,

 

In order for my SO to get notarized documents (birth certificate etc) she has to bribe the notary. Anyone else run into things like this?

 

Thanks

[Yuanyang]

Hello,

 

In order for my SO  to get notarized documents (birth certificate etc) she has to bribe the notary.  Anyone else run into things like this?

 

Thanks

156277[/snapback]

Is this because her documents are not in good order (possibly missing?) or has she come across some jerk in the Notary office?

 

We had no such experience like that.

[sailorboy]

Hello,

 

In order for my SO  to get notarized documents (birth certificate etc) she has to bribe the notary.  Anyone else run into things like this?

 

Thanks

156277[/snapback]

You know...that's a interesting question...but I think if my wife did run into it, she (and perhaps all seeking immigration) look at it as a necessary evil and another reason why she wants to come to US. It wouldn't surprise me at all if there was a ton of corrupt governmental officials. We have them too!

 

Dave

[audelair]

My wife's sister had to take care of the notarial certificates for her (which turned into a further complication since my wife couldn't go in person).

 

But it took her 3 times to successfully get them. My point is that you can be surprised how much easier it can be if you go back at a later date and talk to a different person! Try that a couple of times, and if it looks like the bribe is necessary, then i'd say do what it takes. So sorry to hear you are running into this problem, but I would say most likely you'll successfully get it sooner or later.

 

The first 2 times my wife's sister tried to get them, i thought a bribe would be necessary, but the 3rd time was a charm, and no complication at all

[amerchin]

Give us some more detail(s) on the bribe.

 

We paid a little more for the notary for him to expedite it and to have it in our hands the following day. We didn't want to have to wait a week for it. This was similar to paying a extra 100RMB at the medical exam so that you won't have to wait 3 days for the results.

 

Are you saying that the notary won't do anything without a bribe?

[HanLi]

We went to regular notary service in Shanghai and had no such problems..... we went with regular service and picked everything up a few days later.....

[LeeFisher3]

In some places a "gift" is in order unless you happen to know someone who knows someone who knows someone who owes a favor to someone else.

 

In many other countries this is the norm.

[jim_julian]

Frankly, I think you were taken advantage of.

 

We have gotten many documents from several different notaries. We have always found them to be helpful, and at times innovative.

[ed and ying]

I am not sure how you can separate bribe and fee. Notarized copies of birth certificate, police record with English translations is not what the average Chineses citizen needs. In smaller towns, they probably do this once in a blue moon. Heck, Ying did not need birth certificate to get her passport, her notarized birth certificate was made from a handwritten, stamped note from her houkou.

 

At the notary office, there was no posted fee schedule, we told them what we needed, they stated the fee. We paid and got the documents. The fee was not excessive, did it contain a bribe - who knows.

 

Expedite fees seem to be common in China, when Ying lost her ID card, she could pay more to get replacement quickly, she picked the slow route as the airlines and hotels readily accepted her passport.

[Guest ShaQuaNew]

While one can surely find unscrupulous characters anywhere in the world, it's NEVER a good idea to follow that route. While forgery might work, what the heck are you gonna do if you get caught? That's a sure ticket to PERMANENT denial!

[tywy_99]

Hello,

 

In order for my SO  to get notarized documents (birth certificate etc) she has to bribe the notary.  Anyone else run into things like this?

 

Thanks

156277[/snapback]

Pay-offs and bribes is the norm in China. It's no big deal to "grease" a few palms in order to get quick and courteous service.

[Guest ShaQuaNew]

Pay-offs and bribes is the norm in China. It's no big deal to "grease" a few palms in order to get quick and courteous service.

156365[/snapback]

[whatsthehaps]

Thanks everyone!

 

My SO just calls it the Chinese way. Maybe some regions are worse than others.

 

I also ran into problems that arose from being seen with her. She is a teacher and had to quit her job because of it. Basically a result of other jealous and mean female colleagues. I remember reading a post from someone here to keep things quiet and tell no one anything. It probably would have been alright if we did not hold hands in public, when we didn't people asked her if she was my translator. It also drew attention to her from the wrong kind of people. Since Americans are considerred to be rich over there and the people nearbye know that I left, it puts her in a more harmful position. Just something to be aware of.

[HanLi]

Thanks everyone!

 

My SO just calls it the Chinese way.  Maybe some regions are worse than others.

 

I also ran into problems that arose from being seen with her.  She is a teacher and had to quit her job because of it.  Basically a result of other jealous and mean female colleagues.  I remember reading a post from someone here to keep things quiet and tell no one anything.  It probably would have been alright if we did not hold hands in public, when we didn't people asked her if she was my translator.  It also drew attention to her from the wrong kind of people.  Since Americans are considerred to be rich over there and the people nearbye know that I left, it puts her in a more harmful position.  Just something to be aware of.

156799[/snapback]

have you thought of posting a timeline on your progress?

 

hopefully things will not be so difficult for her in the future, the jealousy thing does bother me... my wife and I did not experience any negativity, but were the object of many stares.... She lives in a suburb of Shanghai, and not many caucsians go there, so it was curiousity mainly....

[jim_julian]

I also ran into problems that arose from being seen with her. 

 

I remember reading a post from someone here to keep things quiet and tell no one anything.

156799[/snapback]

Yes ... we've seen these problems too, perhaps because in Chongqing laowei are a rarity.

 

When Lao Po hears the comments she just ignores them and I say just consider the source.

 

Where it really counts -- inside the extended family -- everything is A-OK!