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Living and working in Shanghai as an expat requires wading through a fair share of red tape. Visa regulations are somewhat difficult to access and are under constant review – government officials can and do enforce rules on a whim. The best defence is to learn as much as you can and plead ignorance if caught in a difficult situation. Like most Chinese transactions, personal relationships trump any rulebook and most administrative conflicts can be eventually resolved with seemingly idle conversation. Remember you are now in the land of the middle man – so always use a trusted friend, colleague, employer or reliable agency to assist in any documentation errand; direct, straight-to-the-source problem solving does not work here. Issues are resolved through roundabout paper-heavy channels, so be patient and keep your cool.