U.S. Consulate General Shenyang Consular Section
American Citizen Services (ACS)
The U.S. Consulate in Shenyang is transmitting the following information via its warden system as a public service to U.S. citizens in the consular district. Please feel free to disseminate this message to U.S. citizens in your organizations or to other Americans you know.
1. Registration with the Public Security Bureau (PSB)
Although anecdotal evidence supports the following information, the PSB has not provided official notification regarding changes listed here.
This information is being provided because of numerous inquiries ACS has received regarding enforcement of registration guidelines.
We have been informed that the PSB recently issued guidelines to hotels and apartment management companies concerning the registration of foreigners in China. The rule states that all foreigners must be registered with the local PSB office within 24 hours of arrival. Both individual violators and hotels and apartment managers could be subject to fines for failing to adhere to the rule.
Hotels and serviced apartments
Guests must be registered upon arrival with the PSB by their hotel or serviced apartment management company. Usually this procedure is automatic, as guest information is directly given to the PSB at check-in, with no additional action being required from the guest. However, the PSB is conducting some checks by physically visiting hotels to request copies of the hotel's in-house guest list to make sure they match the PSB’s own records. If the records do not match, the hotel / serviced apartment will be fined up to RMB5,000 per missing entry. Hotel guests under these circumstances would not be fined.
However, this does mean that foreigners wishing to stay at a hotel must provide full passport and visa credentials in order to check in. Some hotels have denied check-in to guests with reservations who are not in possession of a passport and visa.
Foreigners living in private apartments
Apartment management companies are supposed to contact foreign tenants to remind them to register with the local PSB. Tenants who do not register risk being fined themselves as well as having their apartment management company fined. Fines can be up to RMB 5,000. This applies to any foreigner living in any apartment or private dwelling - even if it is for just for one night. If staying overnight or visiting friends in China, registration must be carried out upon arrival with the local PSB office responsible for the area.
Visa Problems
We also have anecdotal evidence that people are having difficulty renewing or changing their visas while in China. Please check that you have a valid visa as the PSB has been fining and in some cases, detaining people who remain in China with the incorrect visa or a visa that has expired. Under Chinese law, the PSB may ask to see your passport, so keep it handy when traveling. We recommend that you carry your passport with you, but be careful to keep it out of easy reach from pickpockets or where it can be easily lost or mislaid. You should keep a copy of the passport bio page and your valid visa in a safe place at home. Do keep in mind that should you lose your passport, you will need to have it replaced at the Embassy or one of our Consulates, and you will also need to have a new visa placed in your replacement passport by Chinese officials. This process may take several days.
2. Renewing U.S. Passports Ahead of Summer Travel
U.S. citizens who will be traveling this summer are strongly encouraged to check their passports (and those of their family members) now to confirm that they have not expired or will not expire soon. Don't let a long-awaited vacation or a move to another country become a nightmare because of an expired passport. Note that some countries require foreigners to have a passport with a validity of at least six months in order to be granted entry to their country; you should check with the embassy of the country you are traveling to. If your passport has expired or is nearing its expiration date, you should begin the process of applying for a new one immediately in order to beat the summer rush. A passport applied for at the Consulate can take 7 to 10 days to process. For information on renewal procedures, please see our website: http://shenyang.usembassy-china.org.cn/p assports.html.
3. Voting
1. Register to vote and request your ballot in a timely manner – the sooner the better.
2. Complete the Federal Post Card Application Form (SF-76), obtainable from the Federal Voting Assistance Program’s (FVAP) website: http://www.fvap.gov/pubs/fpca.html
Or stop by American Citizen Services anytime to pick up a form.
3. Make sure your local election official has your current mailing address, in block 4.
4. Mail the FPCAF form via FPO mail to your local election official. You can find the correct mailing address for your state here: http://www.fvap.gov/pubs/vag.html#ch3
5. Sign and date all election materials.
6. Fulfill your state’s witness/notary requirements (if required).
7. Ensure that your ballot or FPCA is postmarked.
8. VOTE - mail your ballot not later than October 15, 2008.
9. Use the Federal Write-In Absentee Ballot if you are overseas and your stateside absentee ballot does not arrive in time to be mailed back by your state’s deadline.
For more information, please see www.fvap.gov.
4. Upcoming Holidays: The afternoon of July 3rd and all of July 4th
The Consulate will be closed the afternoon of July 3rd and all day on July 4th in celebration of Independence Day.
Please be advised that the days just before and after holidays are usually exceptionally busy in the American Citizen Services Unit of the Embassy. Do not be surprised at a significantly longer wait for consular services on those days. If you can visit us outside those times, you should have a shorter wait.
5. Consulate Contact Information
Write to us or visit our office in person during work hours
American Citizen Services
U.S. Consulate General Shenyang
No.52, 14th Wei Road, Heping District
Shenyang, P.R. China 110003
The American Citizen Services section is open Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday, except American and Chinese holidays, between the hours of 1:30 to 4:30 pm. We are closed on Thursdays. Be sure to bring your passport for identification.
Call the Consulate
(8624) 2322-1198
Email us
shenyangacs@state.gov
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