I got grief about using the Statutory Declaration in Lieu of Guarantor (Form PPT132). Can a Canadian use Chinese as Canadian passport guarantors?

I got the 5th degree (or was it the ninth degree?) about using the Form PPT 132 when I made an application to renew my four year old son Tony’s passport on Tuesday at Shanghai Canadian Consulate. The lady at the reception desk at the Consulate held the form up and away from me when I requested it, and told me that the Consulate was strongly discouraging applicants from using the form. In response, I told her that I had been in China for seven years and so didn’t know anyone in the various groups who could perform the guarantor function, that I had used the Form PPT 132 on two previous occasions at the Consulate and not been hassled about it, and that an email I had sent asking about using the form the week before, I had not been informed of their policy of official discouragement. So the lady did relent and allow me to use the form. But when I filled out the form, I was made to declare that I would never use the form again.

So who can I use as a guarantor if I continue to live in China? Apparently, I can use lawyers, medical doctors, dentists, policemen, magistrates, judges, and notaries from China! I asked, I asked again and that was what they told me! Not that I could have done other than I did when I signed the Form PPT 132 yesterday. There aren’t any Chinese lawyers, Chinese medical doctors, Chinese dentists, Chinese policemen, Chinese magistrates, Chinese judges and Chinese notaries that I have know for two year. Although, I will make sure to know some when I renew my Visa later this year!