I understand that any foreigner entering China and not staying in a hotel has to inform/register with the local constabulary.. Is this a strict and enforcable ruling ? if so where do I present myself in Kunming.
I understand that any foreigner entering China and not staying in a hotel has to inform/register with the local constabulary.. Is this a strict and enforcable ruling ? if so where do I present myself in Kunming.
You are supposed to register at your nearest police station. The authorities seemed to be very strict about this when I came over in August, probably due to the Olympics and they had my 4 year old son and I reporting back to them every month, but since renewing our visas last October, not a peep. You'll need to take along your passport, address and a telephone number, either take the hotels business card or get someone to write down your address on a piece of paper and they'll call you back when your "REGISTRATION VOUCHER OF RESIDENCE FOR VISITORS FROM OVERSEAS" is ready. If your here for less than a week I wouldn't bother, if your here as a student or employee of a Chinese business, then the school or business may take care of this.
if you are renting an apartment, take along your contract and a photocopy of your landlord's ID (shen fen zheng). if you are planning on staying in China for any length of time, keeping up-to-date on registration will save you headaches.
Anytime you change residence, your passport, or visa, you need to notify the police station in charge of your neighborhood. You'll need your apartment lease/contract, your passport, a copy of your passport, your visa, a copy of your visa, and possibly a passport photo. Remember to get copies before you go just in case the police station doesn't have a convenient photocopier or the person's out to lunch. I haven't needed my landlord's ID in the past as the apartment contract was enough proof. After all is said and done, you'll receive a "Registration Voucher of Residence for Visitors from Overseas" which you will need to apply for a different visa (e.g., change from a tourist visa to a student visa) or for official matters in the future (haven't had to use it for anything except applying for visas or re-registering, but who knows). You may wish to go with a Chinese speaker to smooth out communication.