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anonymous
Q: If I stay at a friend's house, do I have to inform the visa office?
Hey,
Just extended my L visa today and was told that I must remain in the hotel in which I am currently staying until I can pick up my passport again.
Just wondering if there strict on this?. I have been invited to stay with my friend in his house for the next few days, if I take him up on his offer will I face repercussions?, must I inform the visa office that I will be staying with a friend?.
Thanks for your help
11 years 35 weeks ago in Visa & Legalities - China
ive never herd anything about this, if you do get stopped on the street for a visa check, worst case would be going to the police station until they find out, you could simply keep a copy of the receipt from the visa office, i mean what would stop them from checking you while you are on your way to your hotel after going to the visa office
Be relax..live your normal life..Nothing to do..since you must have receipt for the money that you have paid as a fee for visa..that document is enough to show any authority until you will get your passport...
Do not think anything else..
Who said that?
As long as you have the receipt and preferably a photocopy ofyour passport, you should be okay....
They probably meant stay booked into your hotel, don't change it. Go where you want ,as long as you have the room. I was never asked for my ID. One look, they know I'm foreign and probably a tourist.
Rebstyler:
Any idea of the consequences if you decide to check out of the hotel and stay with a friend instead?
Every one in China, nationals and foreigners too, must inform local Police Station of any changes of address within 24 hours of arrival in city limits, or 72 hours of arrival at countryside. Since you are staying at a hotel, they will do it for you and you have no worries. But if you move out to your friends home, you will have to go and report your new address, and since your passport is not with you (getting the visa extension), you will not be able to do it (you will need it among other documentation), you will be technically breaking the Law.
Since you should get back your passport within 5 days, once you have it with you you can move out of hotel. But remember to get the Registration of Temporary Residence Form from the local Police Station closest to where your friend resides. You will need th passport, ID photos, and your friend with you with his ID and either apartment rental contract of certificate of ownership.
Not a scam, I just got back from Guangdong where I stayed with a friend for one day instead of a Hotel. Guess what, the police came a knocking. No problems, they took a photo of my passport and registered for me.
After going through all the answer, Now it is clear to me that why they said you to stay in the hotel: Because
Whenever you go for any visa extension..you have to first register yourself in the local police station in which you give your all the details like where you are staying and I think you might have given the address of Hotel while registering yourself at the police station.
It is the reason they asked you to stay at the same address until you do not get the passport....
i think what they mean is, dont check out untill you get your passport back since you cant check in to another hotel without a passport .
ive come across a lot of police stations that have closing hours, so what would you do if you checked out of a hotel and went to another hotel to be refused because you dont have a passport and opps you cant go to the police station cos its got bloody closing hours
Legally speaking, yes,. if you spend the night at your GF's home you have to report it..
Makes no difference where you reside. Friends, girlfriends, boyfriends , hotel, or your own home, every time you leave the so-called mainland, and enter into [HK] Hong Kong Vietnam or other country even for just one day, you must by law re-register your new entry.
This also applies to every new province to reside at within China. Also hotels are oblige to give you the temporary certificate of residency, so there should be no refusal checking into another establishment.
moving without visa and passport in china ,it,s 100% illegal.and some time can creat a big trouble.for me as i am student and the same happened with me.i moved to beijing from tanghshan and that is hardly a two hrs distance by train.though i satyed there just for one night,and when i came back,the teachers and a panda police officer were waiting near dormitry with my NOC and leaving the city within 3 days,that,s my story and they told me you have broked university rules and regualtion as well chinese law,so we can deport you,and we have that right,but you already studues here for three years so we dont want to ruin your future,get ur NOC and run towards another university
