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[kev7161]

It must be the crack! I went to the "official" Bank of China in Hangzhou today to, once and for all, straighten up this thing called EXCHANGING MONEY. But first, let's harken back to the good old days of that quaint summer of 2004. I skipped merrily into what I thought was the "main" Bank of China in Hangzhou to exchange money before a short vacation home (actually, I didn't really skip - my bad knees and all). It was such the hassle. Do you have your passport? Yes. Do you have your foreign experts certificate? Yes. Do you have your contract with you? Yes. Do you have some sort of document from the education bureau that verifies you really do teach according to what your FE certificate says? Well, no. Did you bring your first born with you? (hmmm, okay so I made that last one up) Did you bring a receipt of payment? Yes, YES! For chrissake, I truly work and live in Hangzhou - - I even have a mobile phone and know most of the major bus routes!

Okay, so I didn't have this education bureau whatzits and so the lady kindly changed some money for me but said I MUST get that form to the bank within a week. Well, my school didn't have a copy, the education bureau didn't have a copy. Life was normal here in China.

Today I vowed to get this matter cleaned up. We went to one place, they sent us to another. We went to that other place, they promised to dig through their mounds of paperwork and would let us know when (if?) they ever find it. Don't even think about the fact that this document was on their computer and they could have just printed off a copy. Oh ho! Where do you think you are - - the civilized world? Finally, we make our way to this other Bank of China and talk to the lady in the "help me, I'm going crazy" department. She said (and I made her write it down . . . AND sign it) all I needed was my passport, my FE certificate, and my contract. I, naturally, was skeptical but she assured me and gave me a cup of hot water to soothe my nerves. I didn't have money on me today to test her claims, but someday soon I'm going to march in there with RMB in hand and, and . . . . . meekly ask her if she would please change my money for me.

To be continued . . .

[tom selleck]

Kev,

Do you use the black market? I haven't used the worshippers of bureaucracy for 2 years.

My money changer opens another account, foreign currency of your choice,then you give the money changer RMB, then withdraw your greenbacks from your new account.

One Bank of China branch actually suggested this method to an acquaintance of mine. The bank knows all about it. It's so common, it's practically legal.

You withdraw the foreign money from the bank, so there's no chance it's counterfeit.

[Spiderman Too]

This country is crazy in so many ways!

If you read the thread "How much tax on earnings??" you will see that the OP is paying 10% tax, I pay 7.5%.

Anyway, I have been successfully changing money at the local Bank of China for the past few months. On the first occasion they requested my passport, F.E. booklet and receipt showing my monthly income tax payment - that's all.

Now, each month, I take in my F.E. booklet and my tax receipt. Each transaction is recorded in my F.E. booklet. Oh, and I don't have an account with Bank of China.