China Accommodation Registration: 24-Hour Rule for Foreign Visitors
Hotels normally register foreign guests at check-in. At a private home, apartment or other non-hotel address, the visitor or host must normally register with local public security within 24 hours; seven regions also offer the national online pilot.
Hotels normally register foreign guests during check-in. If you stay in a private home, apartment or another address that is not being operated as a hotel, you or the person hosting you must normally complete accommodation registration with the local public security authority within 24 hours of arrival.
A booking confirmation is not the same as accommodation registration. Before paying for a private stay, ask who will register each foreign guest and what address documents will be available.
Quick answer by accommodation type
| Where you stay | Who normally registers | What you should do |
|---|---|---|
| Hotel with a staffed reception | The hotel | Present the passport or travel document used for the stay |
| Serviced apartment or guesthouse operating like a hotel | Usually the property, but confirm | Ask whether it submits foreign-guest registration at check-in |
| Private apartment or rental | The visitor or host | Arrange online or in-person registration within 24 hours |
| Friend's or relative's home | The visitor or host | Prepare the Chinese address and host/address evidence |
What the official rule says
The National Immigration Administration's March 2026 announcement restates Article 39 of the Exit and Entry Administration Law:
- hotels register foreign guests and submit the information to the local public security authority;
- foreigners staying outside hotels, or the people accommodating them, complete registration in the place of residence within 24 hours.
For a normal visitor, treat every move to a new non-hotel address as a new registration event unless the responsible authority confirms that an exception applies to your facts.
What happens at a hotel
Bring the valid passport or other international travel document used for the booking. Every foreign guest occupying the room should be included. The reception normally records the required details and submits them through the hotel's reporting process.
You do not usually make a second police registration for the same hotel stay. If you need proof for another administrative process, ask the front desk whether it can provide a registration form or confirmation.
If the property says it accepts foreign guests but cannot explain how registration works, ask a supervisor before completing check-in. Our hotel booking guide explains how to confirm this before arrival.
Private homes, apartments and informal rentals
For a non-hotel address, prepare:
- the visitor's passport and current entry or stay information;
- the complete residential address in Chinese;
- the host's identity and contact details;
- a lease, ownership record or other evidence connecting the host to the address, if requested;
- the move-in date and intended stay details.
The local checklist may differ by address and registration channel. A rental-platform receipt alone may not contain the information needed by public security.
Before booking, ask the host in writing:
- Is this stay reported through a hotel-style guest system?
- If not, will the host help with non-hotel accommodation registration?
- Is a current online channel available for this exact address?
- What will happen if the online submission is rejected?
For the broader accommodation choice, see Can Foreigners Use Airbnb in China?.
The seven-region national online pilot
Since 20 March 2026, the National Immigration Administration has piloted online non-hotel registration in:
- Hebei;
- Liaoning;
- Zhejiang;
- Hubei;
- Guangxi;
- Chongqing;
- Sichuan.
The visitor or host can use the NIA government website, the NIA 12367 app, or the NIA 12367 WeChat or Alipay Mini Program. The official announcement says online registration has the same legal effect as on-site registration, while the offline route remains available.
Start from the official NIA Government Service Platform or a verified NIA 12367 app or Mini Program. Avoid third-party pages requesting passport and address images.
The State Council's official service explanation describes the channels and recommends host assistance for a first registration at an address. Do not describe the pilot as nationwide unless the NIA publishes an expansion.
Outside the seven pilot regions
Some cities maintain local online systems; others direct visitors to a police station or exit-entry service window. Ask the host or the public security authority responsible for the exact address. The State Council's visitor guide also identifies the local police-station route for non-hotel stays.
If an old blog conflicts with the responsible authority, follow the current official local instruction. The NIA service line is 12367.
If online registration fails
Check the passport number, document type, name, move-in date and complete address. Determine whether the host must confirm the first submission. Save the error message, but do not spend the entire 24-hour period repeatedly submitting the same details.
Take the passport and available host/address evidence to the designated office if the problem cannot be resolved online. An online error does not remove the registration requirement.
Keep the confirmation private
Save the online record, reference number or document issued in person. It may contain passport, host and residential information, so do not post it publicly or store it in an unsecured shared folder.
Official sources
- National Immigration Administration: seven-region online-registration pilot
- State Council: online registration channels and practical interpretation
- NIA Government Service Platform
- State Council guide to hotel and non-hotel registration
China Travel Pulse is an independent planning resource, not a public security or immigration authority. Confirm the current procedure for the address where you will actually stay.
Last reviewed: 12 August 2026.