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This one matters if you stay with friends, in a short-term rental or in a guesthouse in China rather than a hotel.
In those cases you have always had to register at the local police (public security) office within 24 hours of arriving.

Since September 21, you can do it online anywhere in China.
China’s National Immigration Administration (NIA) announced it in Notice No. 7 of 2026.

Daju Hutong street sign on a wall in a Beijing alley
A hutong (alley) sign in Beijing, 2012. Photo: The Erica Chang / CC BY 3.0

Hotels handle it for you

First, to be clear: if you stay in a hotel, you do not need to do anything.
The hotel takes your passport details at check-in and registers you.

It applies in these cases:

Where you stay Registration
Hotels and licensed guesthouses Done by the property (nothing to do)
A friend’s or relative’s home You or your host
Unlicensed short-term rentals, Airbnb-style stays You or your host
A home you own You

The deadline is within 24 hours of moving in.
It comes from Article 39 of China’s Exit and Entry Administration Law and applies to visa-free visitors too.

Where to do it

Channel  
NIA government services website  
“NIA 12367” (移民局12367) app  
“NIA 12367” WeChat mini program  
Alipay mini program  
In person at the local police office Still available

Go to “Services for foreigners” (外国人服务) → “Accommodation registration” (住宿登记), verify your identity, and follow the steps.
Afterwards, check “Registration records” (登记记录查询) to confirm it went through.

Online registration has the same legal effect as registering in person.

Grey brick houses in a Beijing hutong with a bicycle and cart
A residential hutong in Beijing, June 2008. Photo: Peter Dowley / CC BY 2.0

Your host has to help the first time

One catch:
the first registration at an address has to be done with the host’s help.
The NIA says this is because hosts know the property details better.

Travellers can only do it alone in two cases:

  • You have registered online at the same address before
  • You are staying in a home you own

So if you are staying with a friend or in a rental, ask your host before you arrive to do the online registration with you.
The host can be a Chinese citizen or a foreigner.

What if you don’t?

Under Article 76 of the same law, the foreigner or the host can be given a warning and may be fined.
If you get stuck, call the 12367 hotline or ask at the service window of a local police station.

Entrance to a Chinese high-rise apartment complex with a fountain and carved stone
A high-rise apartment complex in China, 2005. Photo: Kong of Lasers / CC BY-SA 4.0

Also worth knowing

The service was piloted from March 20 in seven regions (Hebei, Liaoning, Zhejiang, Hubei, Guangxi, Chongqing and Sichuan) before going nationwide.

China’s entry checks also changed on September 15. Officers can ask for electronic data when checking the purpose of your visit, so keep your accommodation bookings handy. If you are staying with a friend, have their contact details and address ready too. → China entry rules post

Sources: NIA – policy explainer · NIA Notice No. 7 of 2026, full text in Chinese and English · Travel Times
Checked: September 28, 2026

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