Start with your own circumstances. Entry purpose, visa or residence status, city and type of accommodation can change the procedure. Use this page as a checklist, then follow the authority responsible for your case.
1. Check your entry and residence documents
Keep a clear record of your passport details, entry date, visa or stay period and any existing residence or work permits. Do this before arranging a longer rental or travel. The Chinese government's working-and-living guide distinguishes visa validity, residence permits and work permits; they are not interchangeable. If a permit needs extending or a passport has changed, consult the local exit-entry administration early rather than relying on a general internet deadline.
Keep originals safe and a private copy accessible if you lose a document. A landlord, employer or university may help prepare documents, but the official authority decides the application. Do not assume a visa-free visit permits work or long-term residence.
2. Register the place where you stay
At a hotel, the hotel handles the accommodation registration with the public security authority. If you stay in a private home or another non-hotel address, you or your host must complete the registration within 24 hours of arrival. This distinction comes from the National Immigration Administration's explanation of Article 39.
Ask your host or landlord which local police station handles the address and what proof of the address is needed. The government guide lists a valid passport or other international travel document and a rental contract or property ownership certificate for in-person registration. Keep the confirmation you receive; it may be requested for another service.
Online registration is available nationwide. The National Immigration Administration expanded its non-hotel service across China on 21 September 2026. A foreign guest or host can register through the official NIA website, NIA 12367 app, WeChat mini program or Alipay mini program. In-person registration remains available. For a first online registration, ask the host to help verify the address details. The official policy explanation lists the steps and the 12367 help line.
If you move, check the registration requirement for the new address. A confirmation from a previous address should not be treated as proof that a new stay is already registered.
3. Establish a phone and a way to pay
The government's working-and-living guide says foreign nationals can take a passport or Foreign Permanent Resident ID Card to a telecom operator's service office to apply for a SIM card. Ask the operator which plans and identity checks apply to you. Keep access to your registered number because other everyday services may use it for account verification.
For payments, set up more than one workable option. The official payment services guide covers bank cards, mobile payments, cash, bank accounts and e-CNY. It explains that a foreign or Chinese phone number can be used to register for supported mobile payment apps and that eligible foreign cards can be linked, subject to the provider and issuing bank's checks. Card brands, limits and fees can differ by product; read the current prompts in the app before depending on one method.
If a card will not link, ask the payment provider and the issuing bank for the reason. Keep an alternative accepted payment method available while resolving it. A bank may ask for identification and other documents that depend on the account and branch; confirm the list with the bank before visiting.
4. Make ordinary travel easier
For rail trips, the government's guide says foreign travellers can use passports or Foreign Permanent Resident ID Cards on the official 12306 website or app, with real-name identity verification. Verification may be automatic, require a passport image for manual review or be completed at a station ticket office. Allow time for this before the day you need to travel, and make sure the name and document number on the ticket match the document you carry.
Transport and ticketing processes vary by city and operator. Start with the official service you intend to use, then check accepted documents and payment methods rather than assuming a process seen in another city will work unchanged.
5. Save the right help channels
For immigration and accommodation-registration questions, the National Immigration Administration identifies 12367 as its service hotline. For an application, local exit-entry administration or the service window handling your address is the relevant authority. Ask your employer, school or host for local contact details, but verify consequential instructions with the responsible office.
For health, insurance, school admission or taxes, the right answer depends strongly on your status and locality. Start with the relevant official service and a qualified professional where needed. This guide does not give individual medical, legal, immigration or tax advice.
Official sources & review note
- A Guide to Working and Living in China as Business Expatriates, 2025 edition — government overview of documents, SIM cards, payments and transport.
- National Immigration Administration: accommodation registration rules — hotel and non-hotel responsibilities.
- National Immigration Administration: nationwide online accommodation registration notice, September 2026 — scope, start date and channels; policy explanation — procedure and help channel.
- Guide to Payment Services in China — available payment categories and practical checks.
These sources were reviewed for this page on 28 September 2026. Official pages and local procedures can change; verify the latest status before acting.