An arduous journey to a Beijing hukou

Both good news and bad news await students returning to Beijing with a postgraduate degree from overseas universities.

The good news is that, according to the policy of the Ministry of Education, they can get a Beijing hukou, or permanent residency permit entitling them to many privileges in the capital. The bad news is that they must cut through all kinds of red tape and collect numerous stamps and signatures before they are certified a Beijinger.

I happen to be one of the people undertaking this difficult process.