Some of you may be aware that on Friday morning there was a knock on my door and when I opened it the corridor was full of Police men checking on all occupants in the apartment block where we live.
They checked all papers,passport, Lease agreement and anything else they could find including my water rates receipt!!!
The upshot of it was that today I was ordered to attend the Public Security Bureau for interview.
Well expecting the worse I set of this afternoon with all my paperwork fully expecting a deportation order or even worse the confiscation of my Viagra pack.
I arrived at this big fortified police building and as I passed through the big iron gates I wondered when I would see freedom again.
I was walked with escort right through the building with locked doors opening on our approach. The suddenly I wasa outside the back of the building with traffice streaming by and I was lead to a smalll offiice where one civilian girl and one police woman sat waiting for a victim, oops sorry customer.
My besta worked overtime and they were more interested in how that worked than dealing with the felony i had obviously committed.
The civilian wanted me to go back tomorrow with a photograph. The police woman and I got on well, perhaps she had heard about my Viagra hoarde, and she decided that the civvie could scan my passport - take off the photo and use that. I started to fill the form in English as the qustions were in Chinese and English but they wanted them in Chinese. Lucky between the besta and the police woman we completed the form or rather they completed the form
I now have an official document complete with official red stamp that states my accommodation has been registered and I have temporary residence as a visitor. I only have to show it to any other callers. I can also go to them to apply for visa and extension up to 28th January 2010 quite painless and good fun in the end. This is the same office where I apply for permanent residence visa so hope these same two are there when I do that.
Maybe you will not get such a charming couple to deal with so my advice is that if you are staying anywhere other than at a hotel then register.
Willy
