Sharing apartment with my girlfriend?

[smh254]

We are two Americans coming to Beijing in September to study Mandarin.

Will we have any problems renting a 1 bedroom apartment or registering with the police if we live together?

I believe I read that there are some restrictions towards unmarried couples living together. Is this true? What are the issues? Will there be less hassles if we are renting a 2 bedroom apartment?

Also, we expect to have some friends and family (Americans) come to Beijing to visit and stay with us. Is it required that they go register at the police office if they are staying with us for a few days?

Thank you.

[imcgraw]

I believe I read that there are some restrictions towards unmarried couples living together.

Really? First I've heard of it. I've violated that a few times then... but maybe it wasn't a problem because I never registered. I guess this "registration" thing is something you're technically supposed to do... but I've never done it. Haven't had problems yet. I doubt short-term visitors need to do it.

[imron]

I doubt short-term visitors need to do it.

Technically they do. Anyone staying at your place needs to register with the local PSB within 24 hours of arrival. During the lead-up to the Olympics this is becoming more and more tightly enforced. Things might slack off again after August, or they might not. In any case, a lot depends where you live. Apartment complexes that have many foreign residents have apparently been getting regular inspections. Where I live, I haven't seen one.

I doubt anyone will care if you are living with your girlfriend.

[cdn_in_bj]

I believe I read that there are some restrictions towards unmarried couples living together. Is this true? What are the issues? Will there be less hassles if we are renting a 2 bedroom apartment?

This used to be the case for Chinese Nationals, but not anymore. For two unmarried foreigners living together, they wouldn't have cared anyways.

Also, we expect to have some friends and family (Americans) come to Beijing to visit and stay with us. Is it required that they go register at the police office if they are staying with us for a few days?

Yes, it is required. Whether or not it's enforced depends on where you live, but things have gotten a lot more strict now - why take the risk?

[roddy]

If they're staying this side of the Olymipcs, chances are it's going to be less hassle to do it than not. After the Olympics - well, ask again. Who knows.

On married / unmarried couples - nobody will care.

[Asiasy]

trust me ....no one would care

have fun in Beijing:)

[doki doki]

Thanks, guys. I'm the girlfriend. I guess there goes my plan to force a proposal! (Kidding, kidding, of course!)

We're not coming until after the Olympics and any visitors wouldn't be around until Winter, so we'll just scope it out when we are there. And I agree, there's no point in taking any risks and no harm in registering.

[barashkov]

Hi all,

 

Although this thread is quite old, it seems the closest topic to the query I have so I thought I would post here lol

 

I’m currently looking for an apartment in Beijing for 6 months’ rent and my girlfriend who is currently in the south of China is likely thought not 100% certain to come to live with me for at least a few months if not the whole 6 months.  So I was wondering whether I should tell real estate agents about this before signing any contract? (thought I'll probably find an apartment before she arrives)

 

On the one hand, I guess I am concerned that if I mention this, they will raise the price. (I assume this is what they would do cause I imagine they want to screw as much money out of tenants as possible)

 

On the other hand, I am concerned that if I don’t mention it there will likely be a clause in the contract that says such things as its for my sole use, etc.  In which case, if they were to find out she was living with me, the real estate agent and landlord might try to raise the price post-contract?  Obviously, this would be problematic cause I would be in a weak bargaining position having already paid deposit, three months’ rent etc. Having said that I guess my other option would be to just ignore them though not sure if my girlfriend would need the landlord’s agreement to register her residence in Beijing for some reason.

 

Any thoughts?

[roddy]

I wouldn't worry either way about mentioning it - if you do mention it and they try and increase the price, say no. You're renting a flat, not deckchairs at the beach. They'll already have put the price up as high as they think they can get away with, if anything you should be saying 'my girlfriend's coming too, but she says its too expensive so I'll need a reduction in rent'. If there's a problematic clause in the lease, ask for it to be changed, but don't let them use it as a way of getting more money out of you. 

 

For registration purposes - not sure. If it's only for a few months, your girlfriend might not want to bother.