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Accommodation registration: the 24-hour rule for foreigners staying in China

Unofficial entry · Sources checked

Accommodation registration is the step a foreigner, or the person hosting them, must complete with the public security organ after arriving at a place of stay in mainland China. Article 39 of the Exit and Entry Administration Law of the People's Republic of China sets the rule: for a stay in a domicile other than a hotel, the registration shall be done within 24 hours of arrival. Related entry and residence terms are listed under Visas and residence.

What the official text says

Exit and Entry Administration Law of the People's Republic of China

Article 39 (first paragraph): where foreigners stay in hotels in China, the hotels shall register their accommodation in accordance with the regulations on the public security administration of the hotel industry, and submit foreigners' accommodation registration information to the public security organs in the places where the hotels are located.

Article 39 (second paragraph): for foreigners who reside or stay in domiciles other than hotels, they or the persons who accommodate them shall, within 24 hours after the foreigners' arrival, go through the registration formalities with the public security organs in the places of residence.

Article 76, item (6): persons concerned who fail to go through the registration formalities in accordance with the provisions in the second paragraph of Article 39 of this Law shall be given a warning, and a fine of not more than RMB 2,000 yuan may also be imposed.

Article 76 also states separately: hotels that fail to process accommodation registration for foreigners shall be punished in accordance with the relevant provisions of the Law of the People's Republic of China on Penalties for Administration of Public Security; hotels that fail to submit foreigners' accommodation registration information to public security organs shall be given a warning, and where circumstances are serious, such hotels shall be fined not less than RMB 1,000 yuan but not more than RMB 5,000 yuan.

Measures for the Administration of Schools Recruiting and Educating International Students (Order No. 42 of the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Public Security)

The English wording below is this site's translation of the Chinese text.

Article 24: a higher education institution shall provide international students with necessary living-service facilities such as food and accommodation, and shall establish, improve and publish the management rules for the use of such facilities. International students who live outside the school dormitory shall promptly go through the registration formalities at the public security department of the place of residence.

National Immigration Administration — Policy Interpretation of the Nationwide Implementation of the Online Accommodation Registration Service (21 September 2026)

Scope (Q1): under Article 39 of the Exit and Entry Administration Law, the National Immigration Administration has rolled out the online accommodation registration service nationwide for foreigners who reside or stay in domiciles other than hotels. Foreigners who reside or stay in domiciles other than hotels may go through the registration formalities online without the need to visit the public security organs in person. Online registration has the same legal effect as on-site registration.

Channels (Q2): accommodation hosts or foreigners may access the NIA Government Service Platform, including the official website, the "NIA 12367" App, and "NIA 12367" WeChat mini program, or the Alipay mini program. After completing user registration and identity verification, users may follow the step-by-step prompts of the Accommodation Registration module under Foreigner Service. Upon completion, users may click "Registration Record Inquiry" to view their accommodation registration record.

Who registers (Q3): accommodation registration may be completed online either by the foreigners who reside or stay in domiciles or by the persons who accommodate them. The initial registration should be completed with the host's assistance to ensure accuracy. Foreigners may go through the registration formalities independently where they have previously gone through the registration formalities through the NIA Government Service Platform and need to register again at the same residence, or where they reside at a self-owned residence. The accommodation host may be either a Chinese citizen or a foreigner.

Simplified re-registration (Q4): for foreigners who reside or stay in domiciles other than hotels and have already gone through the registration formalities after arrival, re-registration is not required where they reside at their own residences within China and return to the same residences after travelling within or outside China, or where foreigners holding residence permits or permanent residence permits reside at a habitual residence within China and return to the same residences after travelling within or outside China during the validity period of the same permit. A self-owned residence refers to a residence owned by the foreigner or his/her spouse within China. A habitual residence refers to a residence where the foreigner resides or plans to reside in China for a long term. Article 36 of the Regulations of the People's Republic of China on Administration of the Entry and Exit of Foreigners defines "long term" as residing in China for a period exceeding 180 days.

Help with difficulties (Q5): accommodation hosts and foreigners may access the Guide to Online Accommodation Registration on the accommodation registration page of the NIA Government Service Platform and follow the instructions, call the NIA 12367 service hotline, or visit the exit-entry administration service windows of the local public security organs or local police stations to seek assistance with on-site registration.

Liability (Q6): according to Article 76 of the Exit and Entry Administration Law, foreigners or their accommodation hosts who fail to process accommodation registration in accordance with the relevant regulations shall be given a warning and may also be subject to a fine.

Questions

What is the scope of online accommodation registration?

The National Immigration Administration's policy interpretation states that, under Article 39 of the Exit and Entry Administration Law, online accommodation registration is available nationwide for foreigners who reside or stay in domiciles other than hotels. They may complete the formalities online without visiting the public security organs in person, and online registration has the same legal effect as on-site registration.

What channels can be used for online registration?

The policy interpretation lists the NIA Government Service Platform, including the official website, the "NIA 12367" App, the "NIA 12367" WeChat mini program, or the Alipay mini program. After user registration and identity verification, users follow the step-by-step prompts of the Accommodation Registration module under Foreigner Service, then may click "Registration Record Inquiry" to view the record.

Who may complete the registration formalities online?

The policy interpretation states that accommodation registration may be completed online either by the foreigners who reside or stay in domiciles or by the persons who accommodate them. The initial registration should be completed with the host's assistance to ensure accuracy. Foreigners may register independently where they have previously registered through the NIA Government Service Platform and need to register again at the same residence, or where they reside at a self-owned residence. The accommodation host may be a Chinese citizen or a foreigner.

When is re-registration not required?

The policy interpretation states that foreigners who have already registered after arrival need not re-register where they reside at their own residences within China and return to the same residences after travelling within or outside China, or where foreigners holding residence permits or permanent residence permits reside at a habitual residence within China and return to the same residences after travelling within or outside China during the validity period of the same permit. A self-owned residence is a residence owned by the foreigner or spouse within China; a habitual residence is one where the foreigner resides or plans to reside long term. Article 36 of the Regulations of the People's Republic of China on Administration of the Entry and Exit of Foreigners defines "long term" as residing in China for a period exceeding 180 days.

What should users do if they have trouble with online registration?

The policy interpretation states that accommodation hosts and foreigners may access the Guide to Online Accommodation Registration on the accommodation registration page of the NIA Government Service Platform and follow the instructions, call the NIA 12367 service hotline, or visit the exit-entry administration service windows of the local public security organs or local police stations for on-site assistance.

What is the liability for failing to register?

The policy interpretation refers to Article 76 of the Exit and Entry Administration Law: foreigners or their accommodation hosts who fail to process accommodation registration as required shall be given a warning and may also be subject to a fine.

Related terms

Sources

Checked 11 October 2026.

This entry is an unofficial summary. It is not legal or immigration advice and is not published by the bodies named above. If it differs from the official text or the instructions of the body handling your case, the official text and those instructions prevail.

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