How Foreigners Can Register Accommodation Online in China

Hotel vs non-hotel stays

• Hotel — The hotel normally registers each foreign guest during check-in and submits the accommodation information to the local public security organ. Bring the original passport or travel document requested for check-in.
• Friend or relative’s home — The foreign guest or the person providing the accommodation should register within 24 hours after the guest arrives.
• Rented apartment — The foreign guest or accommodation host should register the actual address within 24 hours. Registration does not by itself confirm that the lease or short-term rental arrangement is legally permitted.
• Self-owned home — The foreign owner should register the stay. Limited simplified rules may apply when returning to the same self-owned residence after a compliant registration.
• Other non-hotel accommodation — Use an official online channel or the existing in-person process. Ask NIA 12367 or the local public security authority when the correct category is unclear.

Who needs to register

• The nationwide online service is for foreigners residing or staying in domiciles other than hotels.
• Common situations include staying with friends or relatives, in a rented apartment, at a self-owned residence, or in another non-hotel address.
• Under Article 39 of China’s Exit and Entry Administration Law, the non-hotel registration should be completed within 24 hours after the foreigner arrives at the address.
• Failure to register as required may result in a warning and may also lead to a fine. This guide does not provide a legal conclusion for an individual case.

Who can submit

• The foreign guest or the person providing the accommodation may complete the registration online.
• For the first registration at an address, official NIA guidance says it should be completed with the accommodation host’s assistance because the host is generally more familiar with the accurate residence information.
• A foreign guest may register independently after previously completing registration through the NIA Government Service Platform and returning to register again at the same residence.
• A foreign guest residing at a self-owned residence may also register independently under the official guidance.
• The accommodation host may be a Chinese citizen or a foreigner.

Official online channels

• National Immigration Administration Government Service Platform official website.
• NIA 12367 mobile app, shown in Chinese as 移民局12367.
• NIA 12367 WeChat mini program.
• NIA 12367 Alipay mini program.
• Use the official NIA service rather than an unverified third-party registration page. The in-person channel at local public security organs remains available, and online registration has the same legal effect as on-site registration.

Step-by-step process

1. Open an official NIA 12367 channel: the government-service website, mobile app, WeChat mini program, or Alipay mini program.
2. Create an account or sign in to an existing account.
3. Complete the identity-verification steps shown by the official platform.
4. Open Foreigner Service.
5. Select Accommodation Registration.
6. Enter the accommodation information requested by the current platform. Use the exact address and ask the host to help when the address details are uncertain.
7. Review the information and submit the registration.
8. Open Registration Record Inquiry to view the accommodation registration record after completion.

What to prepare

• Your passport or other travel document.
• The exact accommodation address, including the local administrative details used for that residence.
• Host or accommodation information where the platform requests it.
• A phone capable of accessing the selected official NIA channel and receiving any required verification messages.
• The actual fields and interface may change. Have your passport or travel document and the exact accommodation details ready. The platform may request additional information based on your situation.

When repeat registration may be simplified

• The official policy interpretation describes limited situations in which re-registration is not required after the foreigner has already completed registration after arrival in accordance with the rules.
• One stated situation is a foreigner returning to the same self-owned residence after travel within or outside China. A self-owned residence means a residence owned by the foreigner or the foreigner’s spouse in China.
• Another stated situation concerns holders of valid residence permits or permanent residence permits returning to the same habitual residence after travel within or outside China during the permit’s validity.
• A habitual residence is described by the NIA as a residence where the foreigner lives or plans to live in China for more than 180 days. Do not extend these exceptions to a hotel, a new address, an ordinary short visit, or a different rental without official confirmation.

If online registration does not work

• Ask the accommodation host to help confirm the exact address and other residence information.
• Check the official Guide to Online Accommodation Registration shown on the NIA service page.
• Try another official NIA 12367 channel if one interface is unavailable.
• Call the NIA 12367 service hotline for guidance.
• Contact the local exit-entry administration service window or police station responsible for the address.
• Use the existing in-person registration process. Do not wait for an online technical problem to resolve itself after the 24-hour period.

Important distinction

• Accommodation registration is not the same as a visa, residence permit, rental approval, work permit, or confirmation that a short-term rental is legally permitted.
• Completing the registration records where a foreigner is staying. It does not legalize an otherwise non-compliant visa status, employment arrangement, lease, hosting activity, or accommodation business.
• Registration does not prevent the public security authorities from requesting further information or conducting checks when permitted by law.