The accommodation registration rule is easy to miss because it is separate from booking a room, signing a lease or applying for a residence permit. For foreign nationals, the starting question is simple: are you staying at a hotel, or somewhere else?
At a hotel: ask the reception to register your stay
Under Article 39 as explained by the National Immigration Administration, a hotel registers a foreign guest's accommodation and reports that information to the local public security authority. Present the valid travel document the hotel requests at check-in. If you need evidence of the registration for another application, ask reception what confirmation they can provide.
Do not assume a hotel check-in also registers a later stay at a different address. Once your place of stay changes, check the requirement attached to the new address.
At a private or other non-hotel address: act within 24 hours
If you stay with a friend, in a rented home or in another non-hotel place, the foreign guest or the person providing accommodation must register with the local public security authority within 24 hours of arriving at that address. That is the rule confirmed by the National Immigration Administration's September 2026 notice. The foreign guest or host may use the nationwide online service, or register in person at the local public security authority.
Before visiting, confirm the right station and document list for your address. The government's working-and-living guide mentions a passport or other valid international travel document, plus a rental contract or property ownership document for in-person handling. Your host or landlord may help with address information, but you should confirm that the registration was actually completed.
Online registration is available nationwide. Since 21 September 2026, the National Immigration Administration has offered online registration for foreign nationals staying outside hotels across China. Use its official website, NIA 12367 app, WeChat mini program or Alipay mini program. In-person registration remains available and has the same legal effect. For a first online registration, ask your host to help check the address details. See the official policy explanation.
A short checklist before you consider it done
- Identify your exact accommodation type and address.
- Confirm whether the hotel or you/your host is responsible for filing.
- For non-hotel accommodation, complete the process within the required 24-hour period.
- Keep a copy or record of the accepted registration and ask how changes of address are handled locally.
- If the route is unclear, contact the local public security service window or the 12367 immigration service hotline.
Accommodation registration is one task within settling in. It does not, by itself, change your visa, residence or work status. Review your permission and dates separately in our getting-settled guide.
Sources and review date
Primary sources: NIA accommodation registration rules; NIA nationwide online service notice, September 2026; NIA policy explanation; Chinese government guide to working and living in China. Reviewed 28 September 2026. Confirm current local procedures before filing.