Police station reregistering when coming back from out-of-China vacation

[Brian US]

Do the police still come around to check on you after you move into a new apartment? I've had this happen to friends, but never to me. A few days before school started I had a plain clothed older guy ask me to sign in at the door to my building and made sure I had registered. This might have to do with all the foreigners in my building.

I've also never had a safety lecture, but I assume this depends on the school. I've attended BLCU and Renmin University. I did hear BLCU use to give a lecture that included telling the foreign guys to keep away from local girls.

[roddy]

You know what Brian . . . and I know this is going to surprise you, but . . . it . . . depends.

Seriously, something like that could depend on whether or not you're on the guy's way home. Police stations often employ civilians to do some of the foreigner registration / 户口 admin work, I've had them turn up at the door before, doesn't necessarily have to be uniformed police. Also your building management / 居委会 may have been told or taken it upon themselves to make sure they know who is where and that we're all registered.