@riiupw

It's not the front desk clerks making things up. They have the authentication requirements because the local PSBs can't be trusted to recognize the authenticity of documents from a hundred countries with different bureaucratic systems around the world. The goal is to get a stamp on it that they themselves can check.

The last time I had to go through all this, I had documents authenticated by my home state, with the Secretary of State's signature and seal verified by the Chinese consulate covering that region (they have these on file for the states in their consular district), and the local PSB clerks could easily identify the consulate's seal.

All of this would be much easier if China just signed up for the apostille system, but the clerks at the Kunming PSB have no say in the matter.

It's PSB, not FSB.

Also, they have addressed the issue, first by giving 60 day automatic extensions, and then by allowing people to apply for consecutive 30 day extensions.

Again, I recommend you go talk to them. Your situation won't get any better by ignoring it.

@duke is me:

"I am too illegal to even speak with them. Just want to pay their 10,000 penalty, grab my shit & git.. (to Vientiane)..."

I'm guessing you have a long-expired visa. If that's the case, you're going to have to talk to the PSB sooner or later, either by walking into their office of your own volition now, or when customs stops you trying to leave the country.

If you just try to fly out of here or cross at the border, there's a chance they will allow you out with just a fine, but there's also a pretty good chance they'll throw you in detention for a month.

Your best chance for lenience is to come to them first.

@Sowad: As the Gokunming post linked above describes, everyone returning to Kunming with international travel history from the past 14 days will be sent to hotel quarantine for 14 days before being allowed to return to their homes.

Everyone I have spoken to who has flown into Kunming recently has described waiting for many hours to be assessed, processed and finally sent to their destination hotel.

As for people coming from other provinces with no recent travel history, processing should be quicker, but home quarantine is still a distinct possibility. Apparently foreigners are being subjected to extra scrutiny.

Just dropping in to say that I received a five year residence permit yesterday.

I've been on one year residence permits as owner/manager of my own small firm for many years now.

The entire application was done in-province. The only difference from a normal one year permit was that I had to do a new health check, and I had to get a local criminal record check covering my time in China.

That's another route worth considering. Simpler and quicker than the permanent residence permit, and most who qualify for that should be able to qualify for this one.