registration of foreigners

If you are staying in a hotel no need to as the hotel will do it for u.

What about renting an apartment for months? Do you know the procedure?

Technically that is true, but as this is China, there is the law and then there is what everybody does. I've known people who've lived here for months and never registered. Sometimes the cops will come to your place, most often not. Sometimes the garden administration will ask you to do it, most often not. If you're working here, the registration form is part of the required documents for the work visa so who ever is sponsoring your work visa will most likely handle it. My advice is just don't worry about it. If you are paranoid about it go ahead and do it, its a simple procedure.

Yes
Just go to the nearest Police post that is near where you are staying.
If you are staying in Gongbei area there is more checks but if stay in Jida or Qianshan area unlikely to have any police checks..

Thank you all very much.

It is wise to register if you are staying for a longer period of time. That will avoid unnecessary hassle, the City of Zhuhai has issued an order last month that anyone who is not originally from Zhuhai must registered with the local police authority while staying in a private residence. Honestly, this is more for the chinese nationals. However, failure to do so is subject to a fine and in rare cases, deportation (I have known of Philipinos being deported in Shenzhen).

Yes, better to register as about 1month after we registered the Police did checks at our place in the evening & we live in Jida.

I also had to present my registration form to buy a car & also I think to open a bank account.

Hi there !

Process is pretty easy .. on the other hand its a good thing for us too .. if we loose our pasport or bag is found by anyone he can go to the police station and they will know where we are at ..

what you have to do is ..
take 1) passport 2) House contract if you have rented the apartment 3) one passport size photo etc.

just go to the police station and ask them to register you .. they should not take more than 1/2 hour..

-Anu.

-Anu.

I had already been registered here in Gongbei, but this year the police called up and said it must be renewed, including a new photo, every year.

Yes the registration is on yearly basis base on your visa, work permit etc etc
I registered every year. If I am not wrong the police department upgraded their computer software last year( I was there at Jiuzhou port police station to register) and they are now able to track better base on the expiry date.

I live here already for over a year ( about 60km beyond civilisation :p ) and its not really necessary for me to register. The local gossip circuit is fully aware about everything. So no need to bother the police as they already know... Won't even bother since in a few months i will go on holiday back home with the wife and son.

i have been here 3 years and have been checked twice. Sometimes the local security will put you in ...so best to do it. Simple procedure !

I went to the Jiuzhou port to register and they looked at me like I had two heads. Even had my Chinese gf with me. Told us I had to go to Xin Xiangzhou to register.

I live in Jida near the Duty Free. Can anyone tell me where is the nearest Police Station? I have never actually seen one...

Thanks.

It depends on where you stay. you have to register at the police station nearest the place you stay.

The registration is mandatory for locals and expats, the reason is when needed, the police knows where to find you. The risk is not police check while you're in town, the problem is when you try to leave, remember that you have to present your passport at exit, that's when they'll catch you. I heard one case an expat didn't register, and when he tried to leave the country, at the passport inspection, they caught him and asked him to pay a fine (I don't remember how much but was expensive, maybe ~800RMB), if you don't pay, they won't release your passport, so you have no choice but pay the fine. So I would recommend any new comer to register with the police within one week after arrival (this time frame is set by police, but is not always enforced).

Regards,
Michael
______________________________________________________
Einstein: "The world is a dangerous place to live; not because of the people who are evil, but because of the people who don't do anything about it."

I am trying to register!!! Michael, can you tell me where there is a police station in Jida (not the one at the port)? Thanks.

Oh come on! That sounds like a bunch of mallarky. If a foreigner was stopped at the border and refused exit it was because his visa was expired. Don't get too paranoid about it. If you really want to do it just ask the guards at your apartment complex or someone in the garden.

WARNING: If you are renting an apartment, make sure your landlord has a permit to rent their property BEFORE registering. If they don't, you will get them in a lot of trouble and they will most likely raise your rent because of the tax they will have to start paying on their rental income.

By the way, I registered at the JiuZhou police station (across the street from ZhouZhou port) and didn't have any problems.

Ah, I tried at what I thought was the Police Station inside the port. Maybe that's why I got no where. Thanks.

I'm not sure where is the police station for registration in Jida, not all police station does that, you need to go to a police station of your area where they also take care of "huko", if you have a partner/spouse and is local, s/he should know where to go. Please note that if you move to a different location (even a block away), you still need to go to the SAME police station and change your registration!!

Regards,
Michael
______________________________________________________
Einstein: "The world is a dangerous place to live; not because of the people who are evil, but because of the people who don't do anything about it."

The rule is: you must register with your LOCAL PaiChuSuo if you are going to stay in China longer than 30 days. The process is rather simple. Ask your landlord, your neighbor, they should know which PaiChuSuo has jurisdiction over your area. Or, you can always call 114 if you or someone who can speak Chinese.

Try this from the "Public Security Department of Guangdong Province Entry and Exit Control Service Net":

"1. Upon entry, foreign nationals shall go through lodging registration procedures pursuant to the relevant provisions:
1) Those who stay at hotels shall go through lodging registration procedures pursuant to the provisions regarding the management of public security of hotels;
2) In the event a foreign national stays at a place other than a hotel, the host or the foreign national himself shall, within 24 hours of the lodger's arrival (within 72 hours if the host's house is located in the countryside), go through lodging registration procedures with the local police station."

(source: http://www.gdcrj.com/en/foreign/t20030314_2127.htm)

For the whole thing about 'entry and exit of aliens' check out:

Law: http://www.gdcrj.com/en/laws/t20030314_2135.htm
Rules: http://www.gdcrj.com/en/laws/t20030319_2228.htm

regards,

T. Tempest. DCA
____________________
"I'd love a thousand words in a foreign language." Tang Yuchuan

from the land of roo's

whoops, sorry for that last post. The JiuZhou police station is across the road from the port, after being here 6 months the apartment admistrators asked us to sign up, it took me 3 hours - and that was with the help of someone who could speak the lingo. Perhaps my mistake was to go a lunch time, which must be the best time to commit a crime in Zhuhai, as half the police were asleep at their desk. They said they would follow up - they never have.

Turns out, even though I live closer to Jiuzhou Port in Jida, that wasn't the right place for me. They sent me to another station off of Jiuzhou DaDao just before it drops underground. I can't remember the name of the bus stop now. Once we were in the right place it took less than 30 minutes. I had a local with me. If I had gone by myself I would still be there.

I've never had any problem with the Nanjing Office. The first time I went there, it was a bit of a pantomime show to work out what I wanted to do, but once directed to the right desk and persons, it was pretty straight forward and smooth.

Since then, each time I'm out of the country, for a reasonable length of time, I go back to re-register. I show the last registration paper and my passport, they update their computer system and 30 min. more or less, I'm out of there. Each time I take a photo with me, but the last couple of times it's not been needed as they have an e-copy in their system.

The best thing about all this is that everything comes back fully typewritten, easy to check for errors and easy to read.

regards,

T. Tempest. DCA
____________________
"I'd love a thousand words in a foreign language." Tang Yuchuan