Accommodation Registration in China: The 2026 Guide

The 60-second answer

If you stay in a hotel, show your valid passport or other international travel document and the hotel normally completes the registration. If you stay in a rented apartment, your own home, a friend’s home or another non-hotel address, the foreign guest or the person providing the accommodation must register with the public-security authority for that address within 24 hours of moving in. The rule applies to short visits as well as long-term residence; it is about where you actually stay, not your visa type.

What changed on March 20, 2026

China’s National Immigration Administration began a pilot allowing non-hotel accommodation registration through its national online platform in seven provincial-level regions. Online and in-person registrations have the same legal effect. The agency reported in July 2026 that the pilot was operating smoothly and said it would be expanded nationally in stages, but it had not announced a nationwide launch date as of this guide’s review.

Choose the right route

Use the national online route only when the address is in one of the seven pilot regions and the service accepts your case. Available official channels are the NIA Government Service website, the “NIA 12367” app, and the NIA 12367 mini programs in WeChat or Alipay. Open Foreigner Service, choose Accommodation Registration, complete account authentication and follow the prompts. Outside the pilot—or whenever an online application does not succeed—use the local police station, an exit-entry administration service window or another local foreigner-service point.

Who can submit online

The guest or the host can use the service, and the host may be a Chinese citizen or a foreign national. There is an important first-time rule: when a foreigner rents or borrows someone else’s home, the NIA says the host should assist with the first online registration because the host is more familiar with the property information. The foreign guest may submit independently when living in a home owned by the guest or the guest’s spouse, or when registering again at the same address after a previous registration through the national platform.

• First filing at a rented or borrowed home: arrange for the landlord, tenant of record or other host to assist
• Same address previously registered through the NIA platform: the foreign guest may file again
• Home owned by the foreign guest or spouse: the foreign guest may file
• Online filing rejected or unavailable: go to the local in-person channel within the deadline

Online, step by step

Do not wait until the last hour: identity checks and property information can take time. After opening Accommodation Registration, register or sign in, complete the required authentication, and enter the guest, host and address details exactly as the platform requests. Review passport numbers, dates and the full Chinese address before submitting. When processing is complete, open Registration Record Query and save the resulting record or confirmation.

• Use the official website, app, WeChat mini program or Alipay mini program
• Ask the host to be available for the first filing at a rented or borrowed home
• Enter names and document numbers exactly as shown on the travel document
• Use the complete Chinese address, including building, unit and room
• Check Registration Record Query after submission and retain the record

The offline route

In-person service remains available even inside the pilot regions. Go to the police station responsible for the accommodation address, a local exit-entry administration service window or another official point identified by the local authority. National guidance confirms that the guest or host should bring the valid passport or other international travel document and proof of the address. Local offices may request additional host or housing documents, so call 12367 or the office before travelling if the case is unusual.

What to prepare

The national rule is consistent, but the exact evidence and interface fields can differ by location and housing situation. Treat the list below as a preparation checklist, not a promise that every office will ask for exactly the same items. Bring originals where possible and keep clear digital copies for uploading or reference.

When you do—and do not—register again

Register after moving into a new non-hotel address. A hotel should handle registration for a hotel stay, even when it is only a short domestic trip. The 2026 national policy also creates two specific simplifications after a valid registration: a foreigner returning from domestic or international travel to a home owned by the foreigner or spouse does not need to register the same home again; and a residence-permit or permanent-residence-card holder returning to the same habitual residence during the same document-validity period does not need to repeat the registration. These are narrow exemptions—after an address or relevant document changes, confirm the new requirement rather than assuming an old record still covers you.

Before signing a lease

Ask about accommodation registration before paying a deposit. A landlord who will not provide accurate property information or assist with the first filing can turn a good-looking apartment into an immigration problem. Put the cooperation requirement in writing, confirm the landlord or agent knows which local office covers the address, and do not accept “foreigners do not need this” as an answer.

• Can this address be used for foreigner accommodation registration?
• Who will assist with the first registration?
• Can you provide the address and housing documents requested by the authority?
• Which police station or service point covers the property?
• Will you help again if the authority asks for corrected information?

If you are already late

Register as soon as possible instead of waiting for the next trip, visa application or police check. Call 12367 or visit the responsible local office, explain the actual move-in date honestly and bring the available documents. Under Article 76 of the Exit and Entry Administration Law, failure to register can result in a warning and may also carry a fine of up to RMB 2,000. The outcome depends on the authorities and facts; no website or agent can guarantee that a late filing will be penalty-free.

Keep proof—and check it

An online submission screen is not necessarily the final record. Use Registration Record Query, or ask the in-person office what proof it issues, and check that the name, passport number and address are correct. Save a PDF, screenshot or paper copy securely. Accommodation records can be relevant to later immigration or administrative procedures, and correcting an error immediately is easier than discovering it during another application.

• Confirm that processing is complete
• Check spelling, passport number and full address
• Store a copy somewhere accessible without the original phone
• Keep the host or landlord’s contact details
• Ask 12367 or the local office how to correct an error

Common questions

A residence permit does not automatically erase the accommodation-registration rule; the 2026 repeat-registration exemption applies only in the defined same-address and document-validity situation. An invitation letter, lease or property certificate is evidence of an address, not the registration itself. If a host refuses to help, if the online system cannot locate the address, or if you are unsure whether an apartment operator has filed for you, call the multilingual 12367 immigration-service hotline or visit the local authority. The practical rule is simple: do not rely on “someone probably did it”—obtain a record or direct confirmation.