China accommodation registration for foreigners: 2026 guide

China’s 24-hour accommodation rule in plain English

Article 39 of China’s Exit and Entry Administration Law separates accommodation into two practical categories. Hotels register foreign guests and submit their details to the local public security authority. At any residence other than a hotel, the foreign guest or the person accommodating them must complete registration within 24 hours after arrival.

The rule is confirmed in the National Immigration Administration’s 2026 interpretation and the current English text published by the Shenzhen Government. It is an address-reporting requirement, not a new visa, residence permit or hotel tax.

Visa-free entry does not remove the accommodation requirement. Shanghai’s official visitor guidance explicitly confirms that visa-exempt visitors still register their stay. The same Article 39 rule applies nationally. “Within 24 hours” is a deadline, not a free pass to ignore a short private stay.

Staying at a hotel: what the traveller actually does

For a normal hotel stay, registration is part of check-in. Give reception the original passport or accepted international travel document for every foreign guest, including children. Staff record the stay and submit the required information. You do not then make a separate trip to a police station.

Before arrival, put every guest’s name into the reservation exactly as shown in the passport. If you booked only one name for a twin room, add the second guest before check-in where possible. A passport photo stored on your phone is a useful backup, but do not expect it to replace the original document.

Should a hotel accept a foreign passport?

A 2024 national circular said platforms and accommodation operators must not restrict hotels from receiving foreign guests based on “qualification” requirements, and operators must not advertise illegally that they do not accept foreigners. A Shanghai Government summary also explains that hotels were told not to turn away foreign guests and must register their identity documents.

That policy does not guarantee a frictionless late-night check-in at every small property. Confirm directly that reception can process your passport, especially outside major cities. If staff are unsure, calmly ask them to call the local police or the NIA hotline at 12367 for registration guidance. Keep a refundable backup nearby rather than turning an administrative misunderstanding into a stranded night.

Do you need a paper certificate?

A tourist who checks in and continues the trip usually does not need to carry a printed registration form. Ask for proof if you will apply for a visa extension, residence matter, driving licence or another service that requests accommodation evidence. Shenzhen’s current visa Q&A says a hotel-issued accommodation registration certificate can support a visa application.

Staying with friends, family or in a private apartment

A hotel registration covers only the hotel address. When you move to a friend’s home, rented apartment, your own property or a serviced apartment that does not use the hotel reporting system, start a new non-hotel registration. The visitor or host can do it, but it is sensible to organise the address documents together.

Requirements differ by city and by the type of property. Official Beijing and Shenzhen guides commonly ask for:

• the visitor’s original passport, including the photo page, current visa or residence document and latest mainland China entry record;
• the host’s identity information;
• proof of the address, such as a property ownership certificate, lease contract or accepted community/property-management confirmation;
• a recent photo where the local process requests one;
• supporting documents for an unusual case, such as a changed passport or a newly signed lease.

A practical private-stay workflow

1. Ask before booking or arriving. Confirm whether the operator registers guests as a hotel. If not, ask the host which official channel covers the address.
2. Collect the documents. Photograph the passport and entry stamp, but bring originals when attending in person. Ask the host for the exact Chinese address and proof of occupancy.
3. Register within 24 hours. Use the national pilot where available, a verified local government channel, or the police station responsible for the address.
4. Check the result. Save the electronic record or photograph the completed form. Make sure the passport number, arrival date and address are correct.
5. Repeat after an address change. A new private address is not covered by the old record.

What changed in 2026: the NIA online pilot

On 20 March 2026, the NIA launched an online accommodation-registration pilot for foreigners staying outside hotels. As of this review, it covers seven provincial-level regions: Hebei, Liaoning, Zhejiang, Hubei, Guangxi, Chongqing and Sichuan. China Daily separately reported the same start date, regions and planned phased expansion.

The pilot can be accessed through the NIA Government Service Platform website, the “NIA 12367” app, the NIA 12367 WeChat mini program or the Alipay mini program. After account registration and identity verification, open Foreigner Service, choose the accommodation-registration module, follow the prompts and later check Registration Record Inquiry. Online registration has the same legal effect as the in-person process.

Either the visitor or host can submit. For the first registration at an address, the NIA recommends the host’s help because property details must be accurate. A visitor may register independently when returning to the same residence already registered through the platform or when staying in a self-owned residence.

How accommodation registration works in Shenzhen

In Shenzhen, a hotel registers you at reception. For a private home or apartment, current city guidance directs the visitor or host to register within 24 hours. Shenzhen also describes a local WeChat/QR route: follow the official “Shenzhen Public Security” account, enter the temporary accommodation service for overseas personnel and scan the housing QR code where one is posted. If the address is not supported or the submission fails, go to the police station responsible for the residence.

Shenzhen’s published in-person checklist includes the passport and current entry/visa information, one accepted proof of address and a photo. A landlord, friend or family member can register for the guest or accompany them. For a serviced apartment whose system is not connected to public security, the Shenzhen Public Security Bureau has explicitly said the foreign guest must complete residence registration.

If you live in the Shekou or Shenzhen Bay police-station area, the Shekou Management and Service Center for Expats is authorised to handle temporary accommodation registrations within its delegated scope. The published address is 2/F at the intersection of Nanshui Road and Shiyun Road, and the telephone number is 0755-26678381. Call before visiting. For citywide exit-entry questions, Shenzhen publishes the 24-hour number 0755-12367.

New hotels, new cities and returning to China

• Hotel to hotel: present the passport again. Each property registers its part of the stay.
• Hotel to a private home: complete non-hotel registration within 24 hours after arriving at the home.
• Private home to another private address: register the new address; the previous record does not travel with you.
• Private home to hotel: reception handles the new hotel record.
• New passport, visa or residence document: update the registration promptly because the identity details have changed.

The NIA’s March 2026 interpretation says re-registration is not required when a foreigner returns to the same self-owned residence after travel, or when a residence-permit or permanent-residence-card holder returns to the same habitual residence during the document’s validity. Older Shenzhen guidance says residents should renew after re-entry. Because Guangdong is outside the national pilot and the local English guidance has not been reconciled publicly, call 0755-12367 before relying on the exception in Shenzhen. Re-registering when advised is the safer administrative choice.

If the registration is late or something goes wrong

Register as soon as you discover the problem. Use the real arrival date and address; do not invent a hotel stay or ask anyone to backdate documents. Bring the available passport, entry and housing records, explain the delay simply and follow the local officer’s instructions.

Article 76 allows a warning and a fine of up to RMB 2,000 when a person fails to complete non-hotel accommodation registration as required. The NIA’s official Q&A and the published law give the same ceiling. A possible fine is a reason to fix the record, not a reason to avoid the authority.

Common mistakes to avoid

1. Assuming the entry card at immigration registered your address.
2. Believing a booking confirmation proves that the operator reported you.
3. Letting a hotel record cover a later stay with friends.
4. Using an unofficial mini program found through a random search.
5. Submitting the form but never checking that it was accepted.
6. Forgetting to update the record after moving or changing passports.

Your five-minute arrival checklist

Before the trip, save the hotel’s contact details or ask a private host for the Chinese address and registration plan. At a hotel, hand over every guest’s original passport. At a private address, collect the host and property documents, submit within 24 hours and save the result. If the online route rejects the address, contact the local police station or 12367 instead of waiting.

For the rest of the arrival setup, use the first-time China checklist, verify any visa-free transit route and keep the Shenzhen travel guide with your city plan.