Flying inside China while passport is with the PSB?

[zhouhaochen]

Until not very long ago one could take domestic flights inside China while your passport was with the PSB for visa extensions by simply showing the yellow piece of paper the PSB gave you as a receipt when you handed in your passport. This seems to not be the case anymore. We asked the PSB, called the airport and checked online, however so far we got conflicting stories, with some people saying that 1) it is possibble 2) it is not possible 3) it is possible when your picture is attached to the yellow receipt (never heard about this or how this can be done) 4) it might be possible.

Same goes for trains - though there we heard from everyone this is not possible, but of course the people who pick up the phones in these places not always know what actually goes on at the counters.

 

So, my question, has anyone tried to take a plane or train inside China without their passport, but only the yellow receipt from the PSB? Does this still work?

 

Urgent replies appreciated, we have a student who wants to fly to Shanghai next weekend and I would like to be able to help her with some useful information. My experience from last year is clearly outdated.

[tysond]

My wife took a train from Beijing to Shanghai and used the yellow receipt last month.  No problem.  They didn't look at any other ID.

[ChTTay]

http://www.chinese-forums.com/index.php?/topic/41396-travelling-in-china-while-renewing-the-residence-permit/

In terms of flying, the conclusion of this similar thread was.... It depends. As you say, you've had conflicting stories about if it's possible, suggesting that "it depends" is still your best answer. Still, there are so many factors here and if one of them doesn't work out then that "maybe" can quickly become "no chance". I definitely wouldn't recommend or tell someone they could do it.

As for trains, from the post above it looks like you can do it! Try buying a ticket without the passport and see if they will let you/the student buy it.

[Demonic_Duck]

I've heard that you can take a train with only a photocopy of the passport. Not sure how accurate that is.

[muyongshi]

Regarding train, as others have noted, it is "possible" however I would not bet your money on it. The size of the train station, both starting and ending cities, and even the guards all play a part in its feasibility. I have been completely disallowed from traveling Mianyang to Chengdu without a passport before but they have also allows me into the station and purchase without ID at other times.

I honestly wouldn't risk it, especially because you may be able to leave your place of origin okay, but what if the return trip is the time they decide you need ID and more than just a yellow piece of paper.

[michaelS]

I took a flight two weeks ago (Dalian to Beijing, and back) without my passport - I took a photocopy of my passport and visa page, and the receipt, and that was all fine

[zhouhaochen]

thanks for all the replies. There seem to be two different kinds of receipts, one with picture attached and one without. Did you guys have your picture attached to your receipt? In the past that was never the case, but it has been mentioned on another thread.

[knickherboots]

I think that a key element is having a photocopy of your passport with you, not just the reciept.

[michaelS]

#7 - Yes, I'm pretty sure mine had a photo involved

[dnevets]

I'm interested to know who has been asked for their passport when buying train tickets... I used to use the train all the time (2007-2010), and I never needed any kind of ID. I was based in Xi'an, but used trains to get to and from at least 10 different places around China.

[roddy]

it's more recent than that - see here

[Ruben von Zwack]

re. #10, and some of the people in the other topic who say that you don't always have to show your passport, or that you can use your sister's, because they won't actually look at it and just type in some random numbers -

 

I'm certain that in the past weeks I had to show my passport between (as in: days after) buying a train ticket and setting foot into the actual train.

At queuing to be allowed into the train station for example.

Maybe more times, but I wouldn't bet my life on it. It felt like I was constantly asked for my ID, so it just got a habit to have it at hand.

And I took some pretty slow trains. I don't have the ticket at hand to check the type, but getting to Xi'An took me 15 hours (plus a bonus 3 hours being late) so I guess you wouldn't exactly call it a bullet. I know for certain that when I bought that ticket I gave my ID.

I was also asked for my passport when buying a bus ticket at the bus station, and it was a pretty beaten vehicle that must have been in service since World War 1, it wasn't fast, and it didn't even go to any remotely spectacular destination.

 

For the "random numbers" - I don't have all of my train tickets at hand right now, but the ones I'm looking at all have my correct passport number printed on. Even the 18 Yuan ticket on a K train.

[zhouhaochen]

she will try the plane and we will let everyone know next week how it went.

Two things:

1) When you get the visa receipt for an extenstion from the PSB in Beijing, they do not automatically attache a picture to it and it is not possible to add it later. So if you might want to travel, remember to ask for it when applying.

2) When you buy a train ticket online, you need to show your passport when picking it up. The lady at the counter in Shanghai last month actually did check if the name matched the one that the ticket was bought for. However as it was me who bought it, I could have written anything. I do not think they ever look at the pictures, but I never tried. Would be fun to try out to travel with a woman's passport and see how far you get

[zhouhaochen]

She went and was turned back at the airport. No pleading and asking for help was of any use. She then took the train to Shanghai and that was no problem (bought the ticket at the station). So for the record:

 

If you want to fly inside China while your passport is with the PSB, you need the yellow receipt with your stamped (!) picture attached to it. It seems they do not put or stamp it there unless you ask, so make sure you do.

 

Train seems to be ok though.

[gato]

And you need to submit an extra photo (4 Instead of the usual 3) if you want a photo attached to your receipt.

[tysond]

Living in China is like one of those adventure/RPG games.  

 

"I'm stuck.  I've finished most of the quests in Beijing, found the map to the visa office by talking to the old guy in the park, installed the VPN by using a computer at the office to download the software, and then contacted the friend in Shanghai on a banned social network.  But since I submitted my documents for the visa, and now I need to go to Shanghai, I'm stuck -- I can't travel.  I used the shouji to take a photo of my passport but it's not accepted.  Is it something to do with getting a driver's license?  Has anybody ever done that? I can't figure out how to pass the test...  Really need some help!"

-> "When you submit the documents, ask for a receipt and you can travel on that.  "

-> -> "Only works for trains. Submit 4 pictures instead of 3 - then you get a special receipt that allows air travel.  Of course you could use the train... but only if you have cash"

-> -> -> "I already submitted the documents!  I don't have cash I'm playing as American and I start with a Gold Amex card but not allowed to use cash, so I guess I need to buy a flight.   Now what do I do?"

-> -> -> -> "You need to reload a saved game or you'll fail the mission.  You did save, right?"

 

"I'm still stuck in the Tea Shop in Wangfujing. Everytime I follow them for tea, and all is going so well, but if they don't accept my credit card and I don't have 2000 RMB how do i pay for this pot of tea? Any help? I try to use the bluff option but it says they don't believe me"

-> "Credit card.. you must be playing as an American -- you can't use bluff to pretend to be poor.  They nerfed US players because you get the american express card in your starting inventory.  You need to use the intimidate option, but lots of guys will show up so be ready for a fight scene!"

 

"Started a new game and now I am stuck in Hong Kong.  All the FAQs say I can renew my visa here but it doesn't seem to work.  What am I doing wrong?  I am playing as Australian is this the problem?"

-> "You might have a British passport too, try sending it by courier from London?"

-> "No, they patched the Hong Kong visa thing in the July update after the 100 days crackdown expansion set was released.  You need to apply in Sydney now.  But try visiting the rugby while in Hong Kong there's a great cut scene that only works for Aussies".

 

"Help I just started playing but I think there's something wrong with my installation, I skipped the tutorial, selected HSK5 difficulty and went straight into the local study adventure.  Now the text is all in funny characters and I can't understand the voice acting, is there a driver issue?"

-> Haha! Wait to you get to the classical poem stage!

-> -> No no... the hard bit is when you have to access the computer system.. using Canjie.  Took me a week figure that one out.

-> No driver issue, this is normal at that difficulty.   Maybe better to start again on an easier stage?

-> -> Select the "I don't want to learn characters" option, and start in Sanlitun.  It's like sandbox mode.  After you've maxed out your guanxi, baijiu, zhongnanhai and queue cutting skills, you can work on the language skill tree.  But it's kind of optional to the game.

-> -> -> I did that.  Just kept doing missions in Sanlitun until I got bored of the game.  

-> You should only start on HSK5 if you are transferring an experienced character from Live in Taiwan.  Otherwise you'll be way underpowered.

 

(No offense intended to my US friends they just keep showing up here trying to pay for everything with an Amex card and stiffing me with the bill :-) ).

[roddy]

This has too much potential not to take it further. Excellent post. 

[Lu]

 

Living in China is like one of those adventure/RPG games....

Read this, read this again, wanted to upvote this, and then realised I already had. I love this.

[Ruben von Zwack]

Me too, so I upvoted yours 

[roddy]

"is there a driver issue?"

- yes, try and switch from "taxi" to "company-provided car and"