Zhou Zhou Posted May 21, 2009 Report Share Posted May 21, 2009 Next time y'all fly into PRC read the reverse side of the entrance document that you complete for immigration. It 'splains it there... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevin&Leilei Posted May 21, 2009 Report Share Posted May 21, 2009 I'm in China now with my lao po. I've always stayed in hotels before, so I never registered. This time I'm staying with her, so we went to the PSB to register. She said I didn't need to, but I insisted, because I didn't want any trouble with getting a visa in the future. The police acted like they didn't know how to do it, and it took probably an hour to find the right person to finally get it done. Then, we took a trip to Thailand, which reset my 30 day visa, and when we got back, we went to register again... they just shrugged us off and said we didn't need to do it again. Ok, whatever. Last year, before the Olympics, we went to Benxi for a couple days. The hotels there wouldn't let foreigners check in, and we had to search for a 4 star hotel to stay in (the worst 4 star hotel in the world). Later, a police officer saw me and started harrassing us. He looked over my passport for a long time, then started telling us that I needed to register, even though I was already registered by the hotel. Eventually he gave up and let us go on our way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bokiwen Posted May 21, 2009 Report Share Posted May 21, 2009 Last year, before the Olympics, we went to Benxi for a couple days. The hotels there wouldn't let foreigners check in, and we had to search for a 4 star hotel to stay in (the worst 4 star hotel in the world). Later, a police officer saw me and started harrassing us. He looked over my passport for a long time, then started telling us that I needed to register, even though I was already registered by the hotel. Eventually he gave up and let us go on our way. My colleague has worked in the steel mills in Benxi, and told a similar story about getting a hotel. We sort of leave it up to the customer to tell us whether or not we need to register (Anshan (yes), Taiyuan (no), Tianjin(no), Wuhan(no)). You do bring up a good point though, Kevin. Do you carry you passport with you when going out? This is something I typically lock in my room safe, and don't carry it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevin&Leilei Posted May 21, 2009 Report Share Posted May 21, 2009 My colleague has worked in the steel mills in Benxi, and told a similar story about getting a hotel. We sort of leave it up to the customer to tell us whether or not we need to register (Anshan (yes), Taiyuan (no), Tianjin(no), Wuhan(no)). You do bring up a good point though, Kevin. Do you carry you passport with you when going out? This is something I typically lock in my room safe, and don't carry it. Yes, I always carry my passport when I go out. I seem to remember reading somewhere that foreigners are supposed to always carry their passports when in China (or maybe it was that US citizens should always carry them when abroad). I have a nice leather case for it, so it doesn't get beat up in my pocket. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zhou Zhou Posted May 21, 2009 Report Share Posted May 21, 2009 >>Do you carry you passport with you when going out? This is something I typically lock in my room safe, and don't carry it.<< In some countries where I work out in the bush I don't carry my PP, but in most countries I will carry a copy in my wallet...In the PRC I carry my PP even if I'm going to the convenience store for a couple of bottles of our favorite pijiu. ZZ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rogerinca Posted May 22, 2009 Report Share Posted May 22, 2009 My colleague has worked in the steel mills in Benxi, and told a similar story about getting a hotel. We sort of leave it up to the customer to tell us whether or not we need to register (Anshan (yes), Taiyuan (no), Tianjin(no), Wuhan(no)). You do bring up a good point though, Kevin. Do you carry you passport with you when going out? This is something I typically lock in my room safe, and don't carry it. Yes, I always carry my passport when I go out. I seem to remember reading somewhere that foreigners are supposed to always carry their passports when in China (or maybe it was that US citizens should always carry them when abroad). I have a nice leather case for it, so it doesn't get beat up in my pocket. I have done the same on every trip to the PRC. I have a special holder for it under my outer shirt. I always worried about having something happen while out and about, or being delayed returning to the hotel, or the hotel burning down, etc; therefore, I never, ever, left it behind, in the room. Also have color copies of PP and Visa, stashed in my luggage. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
david_dawei Posted May 22, 2009 Report Share Posted May 22, 2009 despite all the fear and fetish advice of carrying your PP every step in china... maybe someone can relate being stopped and being asked for it???? Yes, best practice is to carry it... but I went for two months around china without it, particuarly to the gym and never had it. In 8 months in china all together, I've never needed to furnish it except when I purposely went somewhere it was needed. Bottom line; keep it on you but don't spread fear about it's ocassional absence. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whome? Posted May 22, 2009 Report Share Posted May 22, 2009 despite all the fear and fetish advice of carrying your PP every step in china... maybe someone can relate being stopped and being asked for it???? Yes, best practice is to carry it... but I went for two months around china without it, particuarly to the gym and never had it. In 8 months in china all together, I've never needed to furnish it except when I purposely went somewhere it was needed. Bottom line; keep it on you but don't spread fear about it's ocassional absence. I have been living in China for 2.5 years and never carry it on me except when travelling or know that I will use my USA credit card. I have been stopped once by police who were checking IDs. I was in taxi with a co-worker coming home late at night from work. They asked for his ID and the taxi driver. Then I told my co-worker I did not have my passport and he said don't worry. We left. But I have always registered at police station that is over the area my apartment is located in. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest ShaQuaNew Posted May 22, 2009 Report Share Posted May 22, 2009 despite all the fear and fetish advice of carrying your PP every step in china... maybe someone can relate being stopped and being asked for it???? Yes, best practice is to carry it... but I went for two months around china without it, particuarly to the gym and never had it. In 8 months in china all together, I've never needed to furnish it except when I purposely went somewhere it was needed. Bottom line; keep it on you but don't spread fear about it's ocassional absence. I have been living in China for 2.5 years and never carry it on me except when travelling or know that I will use my USA credit card. I have been stopped once by police who were checking IDs. I was in taxi with a co-worker coming home late at night from work. They asked for his ID and the taxi driver. Then I told my co-worker I did not have my passport and he said don't worry. We left. But I have always registered at police station that is over the area my apartment is located in. I have a work permit and visa, so I've been registered since I've been working and living in China. I don't carry it with me, unless I'm going out of town or staying in a hotel. All hotels require your passport or should. My passport contains my work visa / residency permit. Still, no-one has ever asked me for my work permit, passport, or otherwise; unless checking into a hotel. I keep it with me when I travel though, but it's never been needed when I left and returned to China, or any other place I've been in China, which includes at least about 20 different cities and various provinces. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bokiwen Posted May 22, 2009 Report Share Posted May 22, 2009 I have been living in China for 2.5 years and never carry it on me except when travelling or know that I will use my USA credit card. I have been stopped once by police who were checking IDs. I was in taxi with a co-worker coming home late at night from work. They asked for his ID and the taxi driver. Then I told my co-worker I did not have my passport and he said don't worry. We left. But I have always registered at police station that is over the area my apartment is located in. That reminds me that one time I was not allowed to make a purchase at the shopping mall with my credit card because I did not have my passport. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zhou Zhou Posted May 22, 2009 Report Share Posted May 22, 2009 >>That reminds me that one time I was not allowed to make a purchase at the shopping mall with my credit card because I did not have my passport.<< That happened to me also....and once at the Bank of China changing U$D to ¥...they wouldn't accept my xerox copy of my PP. We learn our lessons the hard way sometimes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
timb Posted May 22, 2009 Report Share Posted May 22, 2009 I registered when I stayed in Shenzhen. They were actually surprised that someone did it, and it took some time because so few people do it. I remember they saying I was a "good man" for doing it. Perhaps some day I will be glad I did it, If I ever need to prove the authorities I stayed with the woman who committed fraud. there is one very simple reason to register.. and it will come in an epiphany the day you need to go to the police station for any reason at all They will be all too glad to process the fine before issuing your visa extension request B) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reddragon75 Posted May 28, 2009 Report Share Posted May 28, 2009 Hmmmm....I think just to be on the safe side....I am going to go ahead and register when I get there in Nanning on June 3rd. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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