Registering with local authorities

[TheMace]

I have made 3 trips to China, and never knew or was told I should register with the local authorities. I just found out after I returned from my last visit you are supposed to do this. My wife's nephew is a police officer, perhaps or not he did what ever registering needed to be done. I've never had any one (official) stop me and ask to see any kind of papers.

Perhaps I have just been lucky.

[Zhou Zhou]

I have made 3 trips to China, and never knew or was told I should register with the local authorities. I just found out after I returned from my last visit you are supposed to do this. My wife's nephew is a police officer, perhaps or not he did what ever registering needed to be done. I've never had any one (official) stop me and ask to see any kind of papers.

Perhaps I have just been lucky.

 

I have heard of some very bad consequences if caught not registering within 24 HOURS...deportation, refusal of future visas and 500¥ a day fines. So on my 8th visit I registered...first we went to the Public Safety Office and the person wasn't there...next day we called and were told to come in the next day...the next day we went and were successful..."OIC"!

 

[Bert]

If you stay in a hotel, the hotel will handle it, when you use your American passport. I've never registered when not staying in a hotel. I had a little scare the last time and thought I might get reported. Security paid a visit. I had to given them my passport and my fiancee had to show her ID. They took down the information. Apparently, I wasn't reported to the police.

[warpedbored]

Never registered on any of my visits nor was my wife ever concerned about it. If you stay in a hotel they will usually but not always ask for your passport. Our last visit we sublet an apartment. I was there 2 1/2 weeks and never registered. I haven't heard of anyone having any ill consequences on CFL.

[Zhou Zhou]

True...when staying in a hotel they report your stay...but I stay in our home and thought I'd better start obeying the law. But, do what you feel you should do. ZZ

[johnxiaoying]

I've been over six times and always register when staying in a private home. It only takes 10-15 minutes.

 

If you're staying in a private residence in an area that sees few foreigners you are well advised to register.

[Bert]

Never registered on any of my visits nor was my wife ever concerned about it. If you stay in a hotel they will usually but not always ask for your passport. Our last visit we sublet an apartment. I was there 2 1/2 weeks and never registered. I haven't heard of anyone having any ill consequences on CFL.

 

Hotels can get into big trouble for not registering you. In my limited experience, they always ask for passport or Chinese ID. They are usually satisfied with my fiancee's ID. However, when I went to Suzhou, I didn't take my passport. No hotel would let me stay there. My fiancee got the room with her ID (with me waiting outside) and I had to sneak in. The hotel knew; they just turned a blind eye.

 

I always give them the address at immigration. If they want me, they know where to find me.

[lostinblue]

I registered when I went to see yan as it showed on an offical paper that I stayed at yan's home. Thus proof we met. I had been cautioned that if a neighbor had "bad" blood with your intended they could turn you in with hopes of causing trouble. Yan and I went to the local station in ChengDu and it took about 10 minutes . A woman was reporting her moterized bike stolen while we waited. The officer showed NO interest in her problem. Boy she was hot and getting hotter. I think the officer wanted to get back to watch his TV show. This I found a bit interesting.

[Guest ShaQuaNew]

Never registered on any of my visits nor was my wife ever concerned about it. If you stay in a hotel they will usually but not always ask for your passport. Our last visit we sublet an apartment. I was there 2 1/2 weeks and never registered. I haven't heard of anyone having any ill consequences on CFL.

 

 

And really, you won't. All hotels in China are required to register foreigners. That means, they get a copy of your passport, and complete registration information. Most newer hotels are connected to the police registration database. Smaller ones of course won't be. However, they are still required to register you. If they don't, and are discovered, then they must go to the guest to get their information, and get a copy of the passport to complete a hard-copy form.

 

Some friends from the US visited us a few months ago, and stayed in a hotel across the street from our home. The hotel did not complete the registration. Two days later, they approached my friends and requested copies of their passports. My wife spoke with the hotel manager, who told her that the person working the counter that night, was unfamiliar with the process as they had never had a foreigner stay before. The local police checked the hotel registry, and saw they didn't have copies of their passports. No one got in trouble, though the hotel was told they needed the information within 24-hours.

 

--edit--

 

Technically, yes, you're supposed to register with the local police if you stay in a private residence. However, I've never heard of anyone having a problem if they didn't. When you complete your Chinese visa application, you're required to put your contact information and places you will be traveling and staying. If you want to take the time to go to the local police station and register, even they may be unfamiliar with the process; especially if it's a small town.

Edited May 10, 2009 by ShaQuaNew (see edit history)

[Guest Pommey]

I agree, stayed in lots of private apts.. etc, never registered with the police, never a problem.

 

As for hotels some asked to see my passport some didnt.

 

But I guess if you want to register then do so, seems easy enough.

[Randy W]

I agree, stayed in lots of private apts.. etc, never registered with the police, never a problem.

 

As for hotels some asked to see my passport some didnt.

 

But I guess if you want to register then do so, seems easy enough.

 

 

Yes - I think just go with the flow there, your SO should be able to steer you correctly, per local requirements, on that.

[Bert]

I agree, stayed in lots of private apts.. etc, never registered with the police, never a problem.

 

As for hotels some asked to see my passport some didnt.

 

But I guess if you want to register then do so, seems easy enough.

 

 

Yes - I think just go with the flow there, your SO should be able to steer you correctly, per local requirements, on that.

 

Most likely, the SO doesn't have a clue, unless she has run into a problem before. There may be additional local requirements, but I believe this is a national requirement.

[Randy W]

I agree, stayed in lots of private apts.. etc, never registered with the police, never a problem.

 

As for hotels some asked to see my passport some didnt.

 

But I guess if you want to register then do so, seems easy enough.

 

 

Yes - I think just go with the flow there, your SO should be able to steer you correctly, per local requirements, on that.

 

Most likely, the SO doesn't have a clue, unless she has run into a problem before. There may be additional local requirements, but I believe this is a national requirement.

 

 

Sorry, guy, but I let my wife handle these things.

 

 

There is no problem at all with registering - go for it.

[Batmaniac]

I agree, stayed in lots of private apts.. etc, never registered with the police, never a problem.

 

As for hotels some asked to see my passport some didnt.

 

But I guess if you want to register then do so, seems easy enough.

 

Didn't ask for mine at the $10 a night hotel in YangShuo. Westerners everywhere. Don't think anyone was too concerned about it. I've been under the impression that the process is pretty hit or miss when staying at anything lower than a 3 star hotel. Hence the reason why it's recommended foreigners don't stay there.

 

Second visit to China, Ying's slumlord uh landlord interrogated us on my last couple of days staying with her outside of Shenzhen. He thought all foreigners should be staying in the city and not the suburbs for their safety. When she told him we were leaving in a couple of days he dropped the matter. By that time I'd already been there 10 days.

 

Third visit I registered to stay at the new apartment Ying rented for us in Shenzhen about 2 weeks after moving in after staying 2 nights at a hotel. No problems there. We travelled for the next six weeks. Stayed at her parents a month and never registered, but was in and out of a local 4 star hotel a couple of times for our wedding and 2-3 other days just because I needed internet time! Probably should have registered at her parents and brought it up a few times, but nobody seemed to care.

 

The only time I had to register during this trip was to enter a small village police station in the area where Ying was getting her police forms. This was during the olympics that were going on about a 150 miles away. The residents of this village had the whole place protected with twine across the dirt roads and a red cloth attached in the middle to stop vehicles from entering. Ying had a little reunion with her grade school teacher who was in charge of the whole operation!

 

During a trip to the beach, we stayed a week at a no-star hotel owned by a policeman and his wife. Never asked for my passport and they were more than happy to let us stay there as soon as the Olympic torch left the area. During that night we had to stay a 600 RMB a night "luxury" resort and their registration process was well in-hand. So was the game of 50 questions.

Edited May 11, 2009 by Batmaniac (see edit history)

[b.c]

11 trips now and have stayed at least a portion of all trips in a private residence and have never registered. Never had any problem whatsoever.

 

FWIW, there are a couple officials in my wife's family and they have said it is not necessary in my situation because we are married and this is now my family and my home. but take that for what its worth....'their' interpretation of the law in 'their' city.