What it feels like to lose your Passport +Visa:

HELPLESS because of the visa, (be prepared to go around) BUT PROUD TO BE SINGAPOREAN because of the passport. (Singapore embassy and ICA will do their utmost best to help their citizens abroad, though sometimes the local staff might not be so friendly). I am truly thankful that I am situated in the Capital City of China, Beijing, where Singapore put our embassy at.

When you lose your passport, Firstly you have to go to a dozens of 派出所 police stations because no one really wants to open a case for you. FYI, the place you DISCOVERED that you lost your passport is the branch you need to go to, not the place you actually lost it. Get the police officers to call the branches that they redirect you to and tell their colleagues what you need instead of doing it yourself or going straight there only to find out that you need to go back again. If you intend to stay in a hotel, most of them will require you to show the lost report. This report can only be obtained for the Main Branch Police Station of your district, and the police report you had previously will not suffice. Hotels will also not even let you talk to the ONLY visa officer in charge of hotels and hostels, meaning there is no such thing as exceptions and case-by-case. What’s new, I should have realised it already. It is really rare in China.

My colleagues in China says that if they lose their 户口 here, it will take months before it can be replaced.

The whole of China knows that it is very troublesome when a foreigner loses their passport in China, what more a foreigner with a visa to stay in China, what they call 居留许可。

For example, I called up six times to ask the Visa office staff what is required for my application. They said that a 照会, official letter from the embassy will mean that I can skip the second step of filing a lost report at the Haidian Police Main Branch.

Letter from the Embassy

I went there anyway just in case; It was highly guarded but the people were smoking inside the station and no one really knew what I needed nor cared till I burst out crying, they were even asking why I need the form if my super efficient Singapore ICA and embassy has already issued me my new passport within 7days. I feel that the police officer should have never raised his voice at me.

Report Loss Form from Police HQ at Ulu Bagou.

I eventually found out that the Visa office will reject my application if I did not have this lost form. I also had to pay 210yuan to put my name and visa number up in a newspaper in order for the office to process my order. The space allocated is smaller than the top edge of an iPhone4. This money spent is on top of 400yuan charged for the replacement of your visa.

Visa Application Form

Lastly, If you’re a student, you cannot just apply straight at the office. Your application has to be first approved by an officer at the visa office, then printed out by the school, stamped by the foreign students teacher in charge before you can proceed to the office to apply. In this aspect I really have to thank the visa affairs lady at Tsinghua, thank you for updating me on my application status ASAP and also getting the teacher to stamp the application. Thank you really (:

When you get depressed and frustrated with all the procedures and places you have to go to collect the millions of forms, tell yourself to understand that China is huge and people need jobs and they need the inefficiency to cope with the demands of their service. But seriously, sometimes there is only so much we can understand, then tell yourself that China is only making you stronger. It really does, because you will start appreciate the efficiency that you take for granted (:

When you have come through everything, have a good meal or get your friend to treat you to a good meal and pat yourself on the back, you survived yet another trial in China! Woohoo! For me, I was lucky that Vanessa, who is our NOCBJ05 Mama accompanied me through half the journey. She even treated me to Japanese Buffet and brought me to Laupatsat for Singaporean food to cheer me up I miss you!

I would also like to thank my awesome happy family Jason, Dennis and my Beijing friends who offered their help in someway or another, Sg embassy Mr Lee, ICA Ms Rosni, dearest boyfriend for getting up early to make payment to DHL, my boss for offering emotional consolation by relating his experiences and Maverick China for giving me time off work to attend to this matter, Tsinghua staff and nice police officers. Thank you!

{The author is currently having her visa processed by the bureau, she really hopes that everything goes well and she can really get her visa 10 working days later on 16 Jan }