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Q: Foreigners must carry their passport....yes but,
Foreigners are required by regulation to carry out with them their passports every where, any time, all the time! The one and only most precious piece of paper we have... and I mean everywhere... To work, to the bar, in the taxi, at the park, at your friends' place...lol
I've fortunately not yet lost my passport in China so far , and I know that being controlled by the police is unlikely so i usually dont take it outside, however I admit it is kind of useful to have it when unexpectedly needed.....but i've encountered many dudes who took a taxi after a bar party , probably drunk, reached their pocket to pay the driver, only to wake up the next morning, with them realizing they left their passport in the back seat...lol...and then watching them go into a lot of troublies and hassles to get a new one.
THERE HAS TO BE A BETTER WAY!!!
..
For example, is there any way to take a copy of your passport and get it stamped by the PSB or any other official organ that prove the copy is conform and use it an offical document? at least for some minor facts.
This process has a name outside china, and it is practiced in many countries : Legalization, copy-conform authorization...
any ideas?
The passport is required because Chinese are lazy and cheap. They signed an international agreement to inform a foreign government of your death with-in 72 hours. Since they don't want to spend the time and effort to track down your address, where you are working, etc. because you are dead worthless piece of carbon that can never be chinese, why bother with this crap.
Solution, all foreigners must carry passport so we can obey the international law when you get killed on a bike by a taxi driver or you die from drinking poison alcohol. Then we check your pockets and see who this dead loser is, and make a phone call to your embassy.
PROBLEM SOLVED CHEAPLY, TIC
The passport is required because Chinese are lazy and cheap. They signed an international agreement to inform a foreign government of your death with-in 72 hours. Since they don't want to spend the time and effort to track down your address, where you are working, etc. because you are dead worthless piece of carbon that can never be chinese, why bother with this crap.
Solution, all foreigners must carry passport so we can obey the international law when you get killed on a bike by a taxi driver or you die from drinking poison alcohol. Then we check your pockets and see who this dead loser is, and make a phone call to your embassy.
PROBLEM SOLVED CHEAPLY, TIC
I have a small bag that houses my passport that I keep attached to my body any time I leave the apartment.
I've never carried my passport, not worth the risk IMO. Also I've never been asked for it.
I got a color copy made of my front page and RP and carry those instead.
I have never ever carried my passport in over 10 years in China unless I go to take the train or plane where it's obviously needed. And I never will because it's way too precious to risk losing or soaking it.
Now I have never been checked by the cops either, mostly because I come from a prosperous Western country I suppose. But I always carry a copy of it just in case. And if they want to see the original, well sure, we can go to my home.
Never been asked for it in 5 years.
If I go to another city where i am not registered, then I put it in my backpack.
But out and about in my city....no.
There are some other things you can do though.
1) Take a photo of your PP info page and visa page and store it on your phone.
2) Carry my new next to useless FEC card in my wallet. (Wallet is on a chain)
If that doesn't please them.....
