Registering with the Public Security Bureau

In order to ensure the safety of foreigners in China, the government has imposed a rule that requires all foreigners staying in private accommodations to report to the Public Security Bureau (PSB) upon their arrival in China. For tourists who stay in public lodgings, they only need to fill up a visitor's card when they check-in, and the hotel or dorm authorities will relay their personal records to the nearest PSB office.

The PSB is the law enforcement arm of the Chinese government, and PSB officers were once referred to as gong-an, which means 'public peace'. Ever since they adopted a new blue uniform, the civilians began to call them jing-cha, meaning 'police'. The role of the PSB in China is much more extensive compared to ordinary police forces around the world, with a scope of responsibilities that range from crime-fighting to immigration to observation of cultural standards. A PSB branch in a town or city is like a big brother of the neighborhood, making sure the locals within the area are living in accordance with the government's ideals of harmony and peace.

According to the law, foreigners who intend to lodge in the private homes of friends or relatives have to report to a PSB office in the area within 24 hours of their arrival. However, this timeline can be extended to 72 hours if you are living in rural areas where there are no PSB offices. You must be accompanied by your host (such as your Master or a staff member of a school) when you show up at the office, and make sure you have your passport and two passport photos with you. It is basically just a procedure to make the PSB officers aware of your visit and whereabouts so that they have something for the record if anything uneventful should happen to you.

If you are a tourist staying in public accommodations, you are a legal visitor in China anytime within the period of validity stated in your visa. However, once you are registered with a PSB office, you are only entitled to stay in the country one month at a time. At the end of every month during your visit, you must report to the PSB for a 'visa extension' as they call it. While many foreigners find this procedure rather inconvenient, it is a good measure to ensure your safety and to protect the locals from the deviant behaviors of some foreigners. If you are moving from place to place staying in private lodgings (ie, not hotels), you are required to report to PSB offices in the new areas when you arrive.

Those who fail to report to the PSB office as and when they are supposed to will be classified as illegal aliens in China, and if you are caught by PSB officers, you will be detained and then deported (though in some cases you may be able to get away with obtaining the proper documents and having to pay a fine). In the event that this should happen to you, immediately notify your embassy to arrange for the soonest deportation date. As it is quite commonly known, Chinese detention units are not quite as comfortable as those in the Western countries. Do keep in mind that when you are in China, you are subjected to Chinese laws and regulations, and if you go beyond the line, you can expect to be treated the same way local law offenders get treated, which leaves much to be desired in the manner of human rights.

Under normal circumstances, however, the PSB officers are rather friendly and helpful. If you have lost something or been a victim of violence, do not hesitate to report to a PSB office. The Chinese law enforcement authorities are especially concerned when it comes to the security of foreign visitors, and they will do almost anything in their power to ensure that your visit to China will be most pleasant and safe.