Urgent heads up to people living in Harbin

[abcdefg]

...but you will be arrested and taken to the station and have to call your school from there.

 

I have to wonder about this. I suspect that actually what's happening is the foreign teachers are being *detained for questioning* or *taken into custody for investigation" instead of actually being placed under formal arrest. It can look like being arrested, and feel like being arrested, but technically it's not the same.

 

Being arrested not only involves being escorted to the police station until things can be sorted out, but includes a mug shot, fingerprinting, and special paperwork which officially enters you into the criminal justice system.

 

I have a friend here who is a police officer and he reminded me of this distinction. He also said a warrant is required in most cases before an actual arrest can be made. The warrant is issued after cause for it is verified by some sort of preliminary investigation. The process can lead to charges being filed, but a magistrate must be involved in that last part.

[Silent]

 

The problem with carrying a passport on you all the time, assuming you never lose it, is it becomes sweaty and tatty very quickly.

Never had suchs problems despite heavy tropical showers and heavy excercise in hot humid weather. You just put it in plastic in an inside pocket. You virtually can't loose it unless they rob your pants off (which is very rare) or you choose to get it out and if the situation is dodgy you just refuse to show it and/or move to a more secure place.

 

I once lost my passport, and that was only because of my own fault. I nonchalantly put it in my breast pocket as I needed it in half an hour. A pickpocket made use of the opportunity.

[MoTzu]

abcdefg you are 100% correct, you will be detained by the police for questioning not arrested.That's my mistake I used the word arrested because that's what my boss used without stopping to draw the distinction between arrested and detained in my head and without accounting for his so so english skills.

 

Also for what it's worth 2 more teachers were detained yesterday for not having passports on them when walking home from work, and one of our schools has had a surprise visit/spot check so far with more to come we're told so the sweep is definitely going ahead

[Remigio_De_Abaragine]

Hi, I have move to Harbin to study at HIT one week ago. I am looking for Sanda classes too but I only found Shaolin temple far from the center and it seems like you habe to study and live there (it is not a real shaolin temple, just the name). I have found Muay Thai classes and I will start this week, and check if in the same gym they have Sanda too, if you want I can give a direction to you or we can meet to go together.

[ChTTay]

In the original post it mentioned having your "expert certificate" on you. I have never had this and don't know anyone else who has.

Here in Beijing our school was given a warning in advance that officials may come to check on schools this weekend so we should all carry photocopies of our documents. Photocopies, not the real thing. They advised us to have copies of passport photo page, residence permit and also housing registration form.

In the end, they didn't come to our school this weekend afterall.

[studychinese]

This sounds like the kind of thing that could be solved by a mobile phone 'visa app' to verify legal residence/work.

[Lanchong]

I'm really surprised you guys don't carry your passports on you. I've spent a bit of time in a number of asian countries and my passport very rarely ever leaves my person. The police can stop you in most asian countries for an on the spot passport check and results for not having it ranges from they can't be bothered doing anything about it, they give you a stern talking to about carrying it, or if the cop feels like scaring a westerner they can arrest you.

While in the current Harbin case it sounds worth carrying it, consider the normal situation. If you are stopped without my passport, you might have to spend an hour in a police station while you wait for a friend or family member to bring your passport from home. If you lose your passport, you're likely going to spend tens of hours and thousands of yuan - significantly damaging your work and relationships.

If they issued ID cards to residence permit holders - something replaceable locally - then I imagine many Chinese expats would be perfectly willing to carry one around.

[Remigio_De_Abaragine]

I am sorry, I wanted to post in another topic, ando now I dont know how to delete it. Sorry it is my first day!

[imron]

Post a link to the correct topic, and I'll move it.

[eliaso]

"Most foreign teacher in Heilongjiang have no proper qualification" http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/china/2014-08/29/content_18511609.htm

 

Personally I haven't had any problems. Nobody has asked to see my passport and I pass police on the streets several times a day. Not gonna carry it with me. If authorities want to see it they are welcome to give me a ride home where we can go pick it up together. It's not like they are going to expell me from the country because of breaking this law. Oh, I don't teach. Not legally or illegally.

[Demonic_Duck]

I was stopped yesterday in Beijing. Didn't have my passport on me (I'm currently in the process of renewing my visa, anyway). I told the cop my passport number and he checked it. He told me after I get my passport back I should carry it on me at all times. I told him I'm not going to do that, due to the aforementioned difficulty in replacing it, but that I would carry a photocopy around. He said "it's better to carry the original", though stopped short of saying carrying a photocopy wouldn't suffice.

[Johnny20270]

as a matter of interest, do they speak to you in English or Chinese?

[Demonic_Duck]

Chinese. I'm not sure how they'd deal with non-Chinese-speaking foreigners in that situation - probably with broken English and hand gestures. Although pretending not to speak any Chinese might conceivably work in a pinch with lazy/hurried police officers, I wouldn't want to have to rely on it.

[liuzhou]

Down here in Guangxi, I have been told over and over again by the police who specifically deal with such things NOT to carry my passport unless travelling.

Having it stolen gives them a bigger headache.

[Johnny20270]

thats what happened to me in China last time

 

Lost passport. My agency was totally useless, wouldn't answer phone, left at 4pm and when I left numerous messages informing them of the urgency, they never phoned back. Went to police station to informed police, had to fill out numerous forms. Eventually rail company found my passport so had to do a 4 hour round trip to collect it. By the time I got it I missed my return flight. So now I was an overstayer. Had to go back to police station, got a police caution, signed some form in chinese and had fingerprints taken and a 550 fine. New flight cost me 3000 yuan and then got held up at airport because I overstayed my visa. Almost missed my 2nd flight because Airport secuirty were phoning Beijing Police station. 

 

Total headache. Passport stays at home unless travelling 

[Silent]

 

Chinese. I'm not sure how they'd deal with non-Chinese-speaking foreigners in that situation - probably with broken English and hand gestures.

Initially probably hand gestures, but general practice is that they call some-one who speaks English and you get instructions by phone. It happened to me in China once and a couple of times in other countries. At some places this is a standard tourist service also used by/for hotels, restaurants, shops, medics, etc. Basicly wherever you end up as a tourist/foreigner.