I worked on my China taxes today. Last year my company coordinated the filing process and gave us the chance to turn in the form at school. I decided to try turning it in at the local 张江行政服务中心 Zhangjiang Administrative Service Center, a set of government offices across from the company that issues all sorts of permits and deals with taxes. It was pretty easy: I took the form and my passport plus a copy to the office, had my identity checked against my passport, and received a receipt to show I filed.

Turning the form in by hand is one of the three options you have if you live in Shanghai:

File by Mail:

1. Download/print/fill out the filing form.
2. Go to the post office and get a special envelope.
3. Send by registered mail, wait for confirmation letter.

File in Person:

1. Download/print/fill out the filing form.
2. Go to the local tax office, turn in form, get confirmation letter.

File Online:

1. Download/print/fill out "online tax application form".
2. Go to the local tax office, verify identity, get password application form.
3. Go to another window, get a personal password.
4. Go home, submit taxes online, wait for digital confirmation.

Look at the last option. Who is going to go through that whole rigmarole just to file online? I might try it this year just for fun.