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Q: Does visa status become an issue when traveling WITHIN China?
Hello, so the circumstances are implicitly implied in my question... one of my friends wants to travel within China without letting visa status become an issue. but from what I've heard, all trains these days check passports for foreigners.. but does that mean that they also check the visa page? or is the 'passport check' purely for checking that the ID number on the ticket corresponds to the passport number? If they do check the visa page, in which case traveling by train would be ruled out as an option, is there any form of transport that doesn't require passport checks? I guess any form of getting from one city to another without leaving paper trails would be best. Would appreciate any intel you have into this as foreigners helping other foreigners.. in a foreign country.
Please note that the question not about visa status itself, but rather the transport getting around China. So please refrain from irrelevant unhelpful comments.. Thanks!
7 years 43 weeks ago in Transport & Travel - China
I've had my passport randomly, and thorougly, checked by a policeman at a train station. It happened on two occassions . Once in Shanghai and once in Kunming. I guess I just have one of those faces.
I do have to ask why your friend thinks it's a good idea to go wandering around China as an illegal alien. Sure Chinese people are jolly and fun-loving but all this disappears when they catch you flouting their laws.
icnif77:
Good warning! It happened to me a month ago in Guiyang Train/Bus Station.
Cop asked me for the passport, while I was walking around and waiting for the bus. He looked at my valid RP.
No RP/visa check at the ticket purchase, just ID.
crlyn92:
I see. Thanks for the heads up. Curious as to what kinda "face" you have now that attracted that attention, but yeah. Well it's not so much she wants to travel all over China for luxury kinda thing. She entertained the idea cuz she got a good offer for a job in another city and therefore was considering if it even is an option.
icnif77:
I guess, not many foreign faces in Guiyang, or maybe cops had some exercise that day.
Cops here are all up-tied, I'd say. All have written 'SWAT' on the back of the uniform. I also saw first time in China police tow truck circling around my city, many times with civilian car on it. That must be unlawful parking thingy.
By "Visa status" it seems clear that your "friends" visa is either out of date or they've stayed longer than their allowed length of visit. was that an irrelevent/unhelpful comment?
When I've taken trains and flights in China they've always looked at the passport information page but NOT the visa page.
Buses don't check passports so that's the only way I can think of that doesn't leave a paper trail as real names/ID numbers need to be used for plane and train tickets.
You've not mentioned this but the visa page and last entry stamp WILL get checked when checking into a hotel.
crlyn92:
Thanks for your reply. And no, that's fine. I just didn't want to write that explicitly in case... it gets taken down for content? I don't really know this website too well haha. I just wanted to avoid trolls saying things like, 'she should turn herself in' etc. cuz that's not an option. your info helps a lot.
Oh yes, I didn't mention that. but accommodation wouldn't be an issue as she would have accommodation provided.. so it was just a matter of transportation. so you're saying buses wouldn't require any sort of ID checks, right?
Hotwater:
I've never had to show ID when buying a bus ticket in China so no need to worry there.
I wouldn't worry about being clear on the fact your friend has overstayed. You've not given any personal information and I've never seena question harmonised here for that sort of information.
The trolls will be out later to savage your friend for overstaying :-)
No, check-out on trains is only for ID purpose, not visa status.
When you purchase train ticket, counter person will enter passport no. and train ticket has no. written on.
At the entering of the Train Station, check-out is again (if it is?) 'ticket no. must match passport no.'. ID-ing. I guess, they check the ticket's departure date, too. Can't enter today with tomorrow's train departure ticket.
crlyn92:
okay, so actually trains shouldn't be a problem either then. that's surprising. good to know. thanks!
Tell the officer that your visa is expired and to only look at the first page, that will help.
I've had my passport randomly, and thorougly, checked by a policeman at a train station. It happened on two occassions . Once in Shanghai and once in Kunming. I guess I just have one of those faces.
I do have to ask why your friend thinks it's a good idea to go wandering around China as an illegal alien. Sure Chinese people are jolly and fun-loving but all this disappears when they catch you flouting their laws.
icnif77:
Good warning! It happened to me a month ago in Guiyang Train/Bus Station.
Cop asked me for the passport, while I was walking around and waiting for the bus. He looked at my valid RP.
No RP/visa check at the ticket purchase, just ID.
crlyn92:
I see. Thanks for the heads up. Curious as to what kinda "face" you have now that attracted that attention, but yeah. Well it's not so much she wants to travel all over China for luxury kinda thing. She entertained the idea cuz she got a good offer for a job in another city and therefore was considering if it even is an option.
icnif77:
I guess, not many foreign faces in Guiyang, or maybe cops had some exercise that day.
Cops here are all up-tied, I'd say. All have written 'SWAT' on the back of the uniform. I also saw first time in China police tow truck circling around my city, many times with civilian car on it. That must be unlawful parking thingy.
"Please give some advice to help my illegal alien friend continue to break the law".
No chance that that's going to lower the reputation of foreigners here at all. Nope. Not one bit!
Hey, we're all foreigners here... we all love doing this sort of thing to help out our fellow foreigners... cos, you know, all foreigners MUST stick together...
i suppose people work in the train station just want to look at id number, date of birth,etc, it's not their obligation to check visa status.
Stiggs:
The train station checks will likely just be to make sure the ticket is in the same name as the passport, but as someone above said... checking into a hotel is a different story.
Also have to be careful with police checks at going from one province to another via a toll road. For example the border between Anhui and Jiangsu are checked by police because of people trafficking. Usually involves everyone off the bus and ID check . Most of the time foreigners stay on the bus and are not checked, however there could always the one time they do...
LastTargarean:
I noticed that when I went from Guangdong to Guangxi. Nothing on the back though...
Never been checked for anything in 3 years. Although I'm legal and have a five year visa. Sucks to be 'that guy'.
