Lok Ma Chau / Huang Gang

[tx75070]

Why when you cross that border do you have to fill out the form that basically says you don't have bird flu, but you don't have to when you cross at Lo Wu? Why do only foreigners that are going into China have to fill this out? I really doubt a foreigner would be carrying bird flu into China. It is many, many times more likely for a mainland Chinese person to carry bird flu out of China than it is for a foreigner to carry bird flu into China. Whenever I fill out that form I don't even slow down when I give it to the desk that is collecting the form. No checking against passport or anything. I could write my name is Jesus Christ and it wouldn't raise an eye brow. So I always just hand it off and keep walking. The form seems kind of pointless. Here is another thing. It is not only one person's job to collect the forms and put them in nice stacks, it is two people's job! No kidding! Two people are paid by the government to sit there at the same time and basically collect pointless pieces of paper and put them in stacks. I think it is pretty funny and get a kick out of it every time I cross there.

[HKChigger]

If your talking about your entry card to China Lo Wu has it also. Everytime I go I fill in the entry card with my name, passport #, nationality, date of birth, sex, where I am staying, reason for entering China, and there is a list of symptoms that you must check if you have experienced any in the last two weeks.

Sounds like you are talking about something similar.

[tx75070]

No, I am not talking about the entry card that you have to fill out and give to the customs agent along with your passport. At the Huang Gang border before you can enter the customs area you have to fill out a seperate form. Once hand that form off to the "form gatherers" wearing white coats then you get to fill out the entry card, which is actually checked against your passport.

[Mr.Bing]

Why when you cross that border do you have to fill out the form that basically says you don't have bird flu, but you don't have to when you cross at Lo Wu? Why do only foreigners that are going into China have to fill this out? I really doubt a foreigner would be carrying bird flu into China. It is many, many times more likely for a mainland Chinese person to carry bird flu out of China than it is for a foreigner to carry bird flu into China. Whenever I fill out that form I don't even slow down when I give it to the desk that is collecting the form. .

sounds like another "make work program" to me.
at least it's better than the "WTF" program the government used to do back in the early 90s- After arrival into Beijing Airport from a flight originating in the US, all Chinese nationals (and only Chinese nationals) had to get checked for AIDS (this was before I became a US citizen so I had to do this and I was 9 years old!!!!)
seriously, WTF? like only Chinese nationals get AIDS!
it was such a joke - the results came out on slips of paper with no corresponding name (we were told to just grab whatever paper that came out of the printer in our turn in line), and sometimes the results came out before you were even tested!

[martyn]

I've only been asked to fill that form in once.

On all other occaisions, I never fill it in. But then again, that might have something to do with crossing the border during rush hour at around 8-8:15am/6-6:30pm when they cannot keep an eye on everyone.

[HKChigger]

I have went a few times in the last few months at night and same thing for me. Never seen or filled out these forms. I am going by Lok Ma Chau also!