Registering with PSB

[cdn_in_bj]

I came in on a Z-visa and currently have a 1-year Foreigner Residence Permit which is set to expire in a few months. Aside from submitting documentation that was required to get the residence permit, I personally have not visited the PSB to register, and having heard stories about "them" being more strict with foreigners regarding visas and such, and also having seen a post from Roddy stating something to the effect that "all foreigners, regardless of visa type, should register with the PSB...", I want to make sure that I am doing things correctly by the book.

My Z-visa and residency permit application were taken care of by an agency that my employer had hired. I remember having to provide the agency with some sort of form for temporary residence which I obtained from the management of the place where I was living at the time. Thing is, I don't remember if this was done in order to get the Z-visa, or for the residency permit after I had "arrived". In any case, would it be safe to assume that I am registered with the PSB since I was asked to provide that form?

I guess what I'm getting at is does the fact that I have a Foreigner Residence Permit mean that I've already been registered with the PSB? I understand that if I move I am supposed to notify the PSB, but right now I just want to make sure that I am properly registered to begin with.

[outcast]

Registering with the PSB isn't the same as getting your residence permit. You just go to the nearest substation (not the main one, so it shouldn't be the same place where you got your permit) and tell them you live nearby and want to register. You do need to bring your passport , but beyond that I don't think they require anything else.

As for how "strict" they are, they only look at your permit to see if it is valid. In the district I used to live in they used to ask things like where I work, but here they don't even talk to me, just give me the form to fill out. I guess it depends on where you live.

[gougou]

You do need to bring your passport , but beyond that I don't think they require anything else.

Where I live, I need to give them a form from my property management that I have rented a flat there. That's most likely the paper cdn was asked for as well, so it's possible that they registered for you (if that is possible to do for somebody else?). But to be on the safe side, you'd better ask them about it.

[cdn_in_bj]

Yes, the form I was referring to is like the the one you have to fill out when checking into hotels here. So that's why I'm guessing they registered me (I can't think of any other uses for that form). But that was nearly a year ago, and I've since moved twice. Like I said my permit is up for renewal soon, so if registration is part of the process then I don't have to worry about it.

As for being more "strict", what I meant was with the Olympics approaching they may start cracking down on foreigners who haven't followed procedure (intentionally as well as unintentionally).

[roddy]

Hotels can register people, so maybe the PSB is also unloading some of the work onto foreigner-infested apartment complexes Makes a certain amount of sense, the workload involved for the PSB in coming round to luxury apartments and sitting about in the lobby for a day once a year was probably a bit much. Some of them are even non-smoking, y'know.

Anyway, if you've moved twice then you are now deregistered, no questions asked. The registration is registration of where you live, not just your existence.

[cdn_in_bj]

Argh, I guess a trip to my local PSB is in order then (once I find it). Thanks guys.

[mr.stinky]

you've moved twice already? you should go to the psb in your new area each time to

register, following which they are supposed to contact the old precinct to deregister you.

isn't there a daily fine for not registering, or is that for overstaying a visa? anyone?

this is supposed to be within 24 hours of moving. kinda fuzzy on that, i registered the

day i signed a new lease, a week prior to moving, since the landlord was at the agent's

office with me.

rules are different everywhere - some places your landlord must accompany you to the

psb, other places a copy of your lease is sufficient. regardless, have copies of your

lease, your passport, your visa, as well as several passport photos.

[roddy]

The daily fines are for not having a valid visa, not registering within 24 hours is a 500Y maximum, last I heard.

[liuzhou]

they are supposed to contact the old precinct to deregister you

I don't know about the deregistering part. I am currently registered in two different places (two homes) without any problems.

[imron]

Before I moved into my current place, the previous PSB let me know that I needed to return my registration slip to them once I had registered at the new place.

[heifeng]

Actually my current psb told me to call the old one to say i had moved...which I never did, but the old registration was just a week or two away from expiring anyway. It makes sense that you or the new psb should let the previous psb know that you aren't even living in their jurisdiction. However it says on the registration that you are suppose to return that form to the psb when you move....at least mine did..and unless i was hallucinating, it was written in both English and Chinese.

[mr.stinky]

ahhh, is different for y'all up north.

new psb tells me i don't need to de-register at the old place, they handle that part.

expiration? i assume you mean your registration expires along with the expiration of your

visa, not that registration has an independent expiration date.

[heifeng]

expiration? i assume you mean your registration expires along with the expiration of your

visa, not that registration has an independent expiration date.

yep...

unless of course you only registered somewhere for a period of time instead of until the end of your visa...then you would have a separate date.

[cdn_in_bj]

So yeah the time has come and I went to the PSB with passport, lease, and 2" photos (just in case) in hand. The officer asked for my passport, and then looked at the lease and told me she didn't need that, she needed the property deed and landlord's ID card (photocopies are ok). Which of course I do not have, and will be a bit of a pain to obtain. Of course there are ways around this but it all just seems a bit silly.

I'm just wondering if they've changed the requirements lately, or if it's up to the officer?

[gougou]

Depends a lot on the officer and/or the station you're going to.

The one I'm registered at currently also needed the landlord's ID (at least the number) as well as an official statement from property management, whereas the one just before that was OK with my flat mate telling them that I lived in their place. Never needed a property deed though.

[muyongshi]

I'm just wondering if they've changed the requirements lately, or if it's up to the officer?

According to my understanding it has changed. We just started being required to have it this semester, and the school said it was a new regulation.

[imron]

We just started being required to have it this semester, and the school said it was a new regulation.

Or rather an old regulation being newly enforced

[cdn_in_bj]

According to my understanding it has changed. We just started being required to have it this semester, and the school said it was a new regulation.

So just to follow up on this, yes I did get registered, but the registration was only good until the date printed on my residence permit which was close to renewal time. The lady at the PSB told me I needed to come back to extend the registration once I had renewed my residence permit.

Sure enough, I just got a call from the same lady asking if the renewal of my residence permit had been completed and if so why I hadn't gone in to extend my registration. Well, I had paid a visit to the PSB the other day but it was during lunch and everyone was "on break". Actually she was very nice about the whole thing. She told me she'd go ahead with the extension and told me to stop by tomorrow to pick up the registration slip.

Anyways, I don't recall seeing anyone here mention anything about receiving "reminder" calls from the PSB. It does look like they are getting serious about whatever it is they need to get serious about.

[imron]

I've received reminder calls the last 2 times my previous visa expired.

[lilongyue]

A friend of mine has been living in Hangzhou for a few months on a tourist visa, never registered. Now he needs to get an extension on his visa, but the PSB said he needed proof that he had registered first before be could be granted the extension. So, he went and registered and paid a 500 RMB fine. I have to show proof of having registered just to get a student visa through my school. Some say Hangzhou, being a popular tourist destination and a popular city with foreigners, is more strict about these things.