Bureaucracy

I had to wait a few days to write this post so as to give my temper a chance to cool down. I shouldn't have been so surprised really. I knew going into this that China can be bureaucratic to the point of being nonsensical. It's just that all of my previous experiences with China have been through American programs that took care of the bureaucracy for me, so I was always a step removed from the mess.

Not this time.

Getting settled into my program here has redefined my parameters for what constitutes a hot mess. It didn't help that I was basically flying solo. Therefore, in order to help anyone who will be doing the Chinese Government Scholarship in Nanjing in upcoming years, I've made a sort of "How To" post.

For the sake of (relative) brevity and my sanity, I won't blog the many moments of frustration I endured. Let's just say the experience involved considerable trial and error.

Health Certification

According to the international student guidebook I downloaded from the Nanjing University website before coming to China, I needed three things for my health certification:

1. a "Physical Examination for Foreigner" sheet completed and stamped by a physician
2. proof that I tested negative for any STDs
3. a chest X-ray

Given that I needed those things to apply for the scholarship in the first place, I thought that the same paperwork I provided for the application would be acceptable when I got to Nanjing. This was fairly important, since I theoretically needed the health certification to register for class and to get my residence permit at the police station.

In order to get the certification, I first had to go to the Nanjing Public Health and Quarantine Bureau at白下路1号 Báixià Lù yī hào (No. 1 Baixia Lu), just to the east of Entrance 3 of the 张府园 zhāngfǔyuán stop on Line 1 of the Nanjing Metro. Try to get there early to avoid wasting multiple hours in line. Also have at least four 2" passport-type photos with you. The process is as follows:

Step 1: Fill out the two forms available at the counter along the window. They require one of the aforementioned passport-type photos.

Step 2: Get in line at Window #1 to have them verify the reports you do have and make note of the reports that you still need. (Note: they want original forms of everything, including the original lab reports on your blood tests and the original X-ray)

Step 3: Get in line at Window #2 or #3 to have your certification application processed. You will need two additional passport-type photos for this step. Your application will be given a barcode with a sheet of about five of six matching barcode stickers.

Step 4: Get in line at the Cashier's Window to pay for any missing tests you will need to take. Mine included having my blood tested again and having another chest X-ray done since I only had copies of the reports for both, not the originals.

Step 5: Go upstairs to the third floor and have any relevant tests done. They will initial or stamp the sheet in the appropriate boxes after they complete each test.

Step 6: After completing all of the tests, go back to Window #2 or #3 to turn the application in. They will hand back to you the bottom edge of your application, which has a matching barcode and lists the date and time that you can go back to the Bureau to get your certification.

Step 7: Go back on the appointed date and time and get in line at Window #3 to pick up your certification. If you got an X-ray done, you will also receive that X-ray. All done!

School Registration

This is obviously specific to each Nanjing school, so I'll just speak to Nanjing University. Registration was actually fairly straightforward. Things I needed:

1. at least four 2" passport-type photos (I only ended up using two I think) 
2. multiple copies of my passport identification page and student visa page
3. JW201 or JW202 (the white student visa application form)
4. letter of invitation/acceptance from your host university (just to be safe)
5. passport
6. health certification if you have it (they never asked me for it)

The process, for me at least, was as follows: 

Step 1: Fill out the registration form available at the first table. There will be a space for your student ID number, but you don't have it yet. They will fill it out for you. There will also be a space for your phone number, but if you don't have a cell phone yet, don't worry about it. They give you a China Unicom SIM card at registration which has a bunch of free stuff on it, including three months of free talk time, a few MB of data for a smart phone, and some other things.

Step 2: Check in at Table #1. They should give you a yellow copy of your JW201/JW202.

Step 3: Check in at Table #3. Since you're a scholarship student, you don't have to worry about paying tuition at Table #2. At Table #3 they'll take your passport-type photos to make a student ID.

Step 4: Check in at Table #4. Here you will receive the application form you need to get a residence permit from the local 公安局 gōng ān jù (public security bureau). You will also need to give the people at this table a copy of your passport identification page and your student visa page.  Make sure they return to you both the white and yellow copies of your JW201/JW202. All done!

Residence Permit
Documents you will need:

1. passport (They will take this and keep it for a week so don't make any travel plans for the week following the time you hand in your documents.)
2. application form (If you don't receive one at your school, they have copies at the sta.tion. Note: the form requires your institution's organization number [组织机构代码]. Google/Baidu this number before going to the station. Nanjing University's number was 46600745-8 at the time I filled out the application, but always double-check.)
3. yellow copy of your JW201/JW202
4. copy of your passport identification page
5. copy of your student visa page
6. at least two 2" passport-type photos
7. health certification if you have it (If you haven't received it yet, you can turn it in when you go to pick up your passport the next week, but it will require an extra hour of your time as you wait for it to be processed.)

The most difficult part for me here was finding where exactly I needed to go. The official address is 洪公祠1号（三元巷) hónggōngcí yī hào (sān yuán xiàng), which will take you to the corner of 丰富路 fēngfùlù and 秣陵路 mòlínglù. Go to the southeast corner of the intersection look for a doorway with a sign about exit-entry visas. If you already have all of your paperwork, don't go into that door. Instead, go to the door about ten yards to the left of the main door. That much smaller, less hectic office is your destination.

Step 1: Go to Window #3 or #4 and hand over all of your documents. The agent will then hand the documents back to you with a barcoded form (sound familiar?).

Step 2: Go to the far left window. I don't remember if it's Window #1 or #6. Hand over your documents to the agent there. You will have them returned to you momentarily.

Step 3: Go to the far right window. Again, I don't remember if it's Window #1 or #6, but it should be apparent by then. Hand over your documents and, again, you will get them back momentarily.

Step 4: Go back to Window #3 or #4. Hand over everything. This time they keep it all. You will receive a sheet verifying that you turned everything in and stating on what date you should come back to pick up your passport.

Step 5: Either before you leave the station or when you go back to pick up your passport, you need to go to that bigger office and pay for your permit. Go to the window on the far right, just before the hallway that takes you to another office area. Show the agent your verification sheet and pay the fee (for me it was ¥400). You will receive two slips of paper that serve as receipts.

Step 6: On or after the appointed day, go back to the office on the left, and proceed to the far left window. Hand over your verification sheet and your payment receipts, wait for them to bring your passport, then sign your name in the ledger. All done!

If anything was unclear, please leave a comment and I will do my best to respond. Good luck to anyone going through the process!