Living in the same apartment but Visa has changed

[ChTTay]

The lease on my apartment ends early September but In a week or so I will need to change my visa. I am currently registered with a student residence permit. I will re-enter on an z visa. So i will have to go back to my local police station and get a new temporary residence permit, on the new visa, but for the same apartment.

Does anyone have any experience doing this? Will I have to re-register at the apartment or can they just update my information? Is there likely to be anything extra that I need to do? Extra hassles?

Thanks!

[Cat Jones]

Depends on your police station. I had to re-register every time I had a new visa. They wanted all the documents and for my landlord to go with me too every time (yeah...Wudaokou). Take all your documents in case, but they might just update your records and not look at them.

I'm about to register at a new address in Dongzhimen and I'm hoping it will be easier down there

[ChTTay]

Thanks! i will plan to get the rental agency to come with me ahead of time just in case. I imagine i will also need to re-register. Just wanted to make sure there wasn't anything else unexpected to look forward to!

[roddy]

They do need to know - your visa number is one of the pieces of info they hold on file. They'll also know you've been out and back again, so they might phone you up anyway. I'd give them a phone when you get back and ask them if you need to go in or not - they might just say there's no need, or take the details over the phone. Or demand you turn up with your landlord, rental agency, lease, birth certificate, health check, parents, and a large chocolate cake.

Let us know what happens, and which police station it is.

[ChTTay]

Haha if "fees" were paid in cake the world might be a better place.

I live two minutes away from the place I need to register so I can just head over there and ask them. Might even do that before I leave so i can prepare everything in advance.

[Cat Jones]

Does anyone actually re-register every time they come back from a trip out of China? I don't think many people actually know this is a requirement.

[Matty]

In theory...

You need to register every time you get a new visa or move.

Be hasty, some will fine you if you go to register late, others will forget it, others have no idea who is meant to issue fines and warn you that "someone" might fine you later... ^^

[JustinJJ]

Make sure the apartment is one that can legally be rented out and as much as you can avoid people who rent a place and sublet to make a profit （so called 二房东）. I had a disaster a few months ago. 我爱我家 found me an apartment in Wudaokou which was a sublet and when I moved there I went to the police station to re-register my address. My landlord (the middle-woman) was not able to organise for the owner to provide his ID and proof of ownership documents (which the police require). The reason is that the whole area was built maybe a year ago for subsidised housing. This means the owners will refuse to provide their documents as it would prove that he/she has more than one apartment (i.e. lives elsewhere) and thus should not be entitled to subsidised housing in the first place.

To summarise a long story: I wasted a week of afternoons having discussions at the police station and moved shortly after to another place.

[ChTTay]

Wow, thats something people need to look out for!

For me, its okay, as ive already registered in this apartment once without a problem when I moved in 10 months ago. My visa will change soon though, so will have to re-register. Probably have to bring the lamdlord again etc