Moving to a different address changes the information that should appear on your accommodation registration. Check the record for the place where you actually stay; a hotel's record or a record for your former home does not establish that your new private address has been registered.
First, identify the type of stay
Hotels register their guests with the local public security authority. At a home or other non-hotel address, either the foreign resident or the person accommodating them must complete the registration within 24 hours after arrival, according to the National Immigration Administration's nationwide interpretation. The host may be a Chinese citizen or a foreigner. The NIA advises that a host assist with an initial online registration because the host generally knows the address details.
When you move from a hotel to a rented home, or between two private addresses, check the registration for the new location. Do not treat a previous registration as proof that the new address is covered.
Check the new record
- Confirm the exact address with the hotel or host, including the unit and building details used for registration.
- For a non-hotel home, ask whether the host or you completed the filing. The NIA's nationwide online route is available through its government service platform and listed app or mini-program channels; an in-person route remains available.
- After online filing, use the platform's Registration Record Inquiry function to check that a record appears and that the address matches the place where you stay. The NIA's nationwide notice confirms that online and on-site registration have the same legal effect.
- If the record is absent or the details are wrong, use the platform's guide, call NIA 12367, or ask the local exit-entry service window or police station for help. A missing search result alone does not prove that no registration exists.
A return to the same home can be different
A trip away does not always require a new filing when you return to the same registered address. The NIA's interpretation names limited cases: a foreigner returning to a self-owned residence after travel, or a residence-permit or permanent-residence-permit holder returning to a registered habitual residence while that permit remains valid. A self-owned residence includes a home owned by the foreigner or their spouse. These exceptions concern returning to the same address, not moving to a new one.
If the address, permit status or earlier registration is uncertain, check the record and ask the local authority. Do not assume that every return trip requires another filing, or that a new address qualifies for the same-address exception.
Before you leave the matter
Keep the registration record or the authority's response with your own travel documents. If you need an in-person route, ask the local police station or exit-entry service window which desk handles accommodation registration for that address and what documents to bring. The national source establishes the registration duty and available channels; the local authority can confirm how to correct your individual record.