Do Foreigners Have to Register at China Police? (2026)

Written by TravelChina's editorial team — a Singapore passport holder living in Chongqing since 2018 (8 years on the ground). Chongqing is one of the 7 pilot provinces for the new online registration policy. Editor has hosted ~25 foreign visitors at private apartments since 2018 and has personally handled the PSB registration process at the local police station 6+ times before the online option launched. Penalty range cited from r/chinalife and r/Chongqing aggregated reports (2024–2026, n=12) plus Article 76 of the Exit-Entry Administration Law.

The rule everyone misses

Article 39 of China's Exit and Entry Administration Law requires every foreigner staying overnight in mainland China to be registered with the local Public Security Bureau (PSB) within 24 hours of arrival at the address. There is no exception for short stays, no exception for visa-free entries, and no exception for the "just one night between flights" scenario. The clock starts when you arrive at the address, not when you cleared immigration.

This is the most-skipped rule in foreign travel to China. Almost every traveler who stays at a hotel chain (Marriott / Hilton / Accor / Hanting / Atour / Jinjiang) is in compliance and never knows the rule exists, because the hotel files the paperwork automatically when they swipe the passport. Trouble starts when the trip looks any different from that pattern — an Airbnb, a friend's apartment, a private boutique guesthouse, or your own China property if you've bought one.

Hotel vs non-hotel: the only distinction that matters

The whole law splits cleanly into two cases.

Case 1: hotel stay (旅馆住宿)

You do nothing. Compliant foreigner-accepting hotels are licensed by the PSB to register foreign guests, and they file the report electronically the moment they scan your passport at the front desk. This is the actual reason ~40% of mid-range Chinese hotels refuse foreign passports — they don't have the PSB license, so they legally can't check you in. (We cover the foreigner-accepting hotel filter in the pre-trip checklist.) If the front desk takes your passport and gives you a key, the registration is done.

Case 2: non-hotel stay (旅馆以外住宿)

This is where the 24-hour rule actually applies to YOU. Non-hotel covers everything that isn't a licensed hotel:

• Airbnb / short-term rental — even if the listing is on Airbnb, the host is treated as a private individual, not a hotel. Most Airbnb hosts in China either handle the registration for you (the better ones) or expect you to do it yourself. Ask before you book.
• A friend or family member's apartment — classic case. Your friend is the "host" (留宿人) and is jointly responsible for filing.
• A private guesthouse / B&B — if it's licensed as a 民宿 with PSB registration capability, it acts like a hotel; if it's a private rental, it doesn't. Many small guesthouses in scenic areas (Zhangjiajie, Yangshuo, Lijiang) operate as private rentals even when they look like a hotel from the outside.
• Your own China property — if you or your spouse own a property in mainland China, you still need to register the first time you stay there (or if you move properties). After the first registration, you don't need to re-register on subsequent returns within the same permit/visa validity.
• Long-term rentals on a residence visa — same rule: register once with the PSB at the address (this is part of establishing your "regular residence" / 经常住所), then no re-registration after you leave and come back.

What changed on 20 March 2026: online filing in 7 pilot provinces

Until the policy update on 20 March 2026, the only way to file a non-hotel stay was a physical trip to the local PSB exit-entry office or police station (派出所). The new policy lets you file online in seven pilot provinces:

Outside these seven, you still go to the PSB in person. The National Immigration Administration has said the pilot will expand nationwide gradually but has not announced a timeline.

Filing channels (any of four work)

The same registration record reaches the PSB through any of these four paths — pick whichever you have:

• NIA government services website — web browser, full form
• "移民局12367" mobile app — iOS and Android, Chinese UI
• WeChat mini-program — search "移民局12367" inside WeChat, no separate install
• Alipay mini-program — search the same name inside Alipay; useful if you set up Alipay Tour Pass already and don't have WeChat

The data flow is identical regardless of channel. After the submission completes, click “登记记录查询” (Registration record query) to see and screenshot the confirmation. Save that screenshot — it's your proof if a routine ID check ever asks where you're staying.

The first-registration / subsequent-registration split

One subtle rule: the first time anyone registers at a new address, the host (留宿人) has to be the one to file. That's because the system needs to authenticate the address using the host's household registration document or property ownership record — details the foreign guest typically doesn't have. After that first registration, the foreigner can self-file from their own phone for subsequent stays at the same address.

The host can be a Chinese citizen or a foreigner. Your Chinese-friend host uses their resident ID; your foreign-friend host uses their residence permit. If you own the property, you are your own host.

When you don't have to re-register (the simplified rule)

You only need to register the FIRST time at a new address. The policy explicitly waives re-registration for two cases:

1. You return to your own China property after domestic or international travel — the original registration stays valid as long as you're returning to the same address.
2. You hold a residence permit or permanent residence permit with a registered "regular residence" (经常住所) — you don't re-register after travel as long as you're returning to the same address and the same permit is still in its validity period.

Definitions per Article 36 of the Foreigner Entry-Exit Administration Regulations:

• 自有住所 (own property) — a residence owned by the foreigner or their spouse in mainland China.
• 经常住所 (regular residence) — a residence where the foreigner lives long-term or plans to live long-term in mainland China. "Long-term" is defined here as over 180 days of cumulative stay.

What this means in practice: a tourist on a 30-day visa-free entry almost never qualifies for the simplified rule, because tourist stays don't hit 180 days. The simplified rule is for residents (work / study / family-reunion visa) and for property owners. Tourists must register every time at every new address.

The penalty if you don't register

Article 76 of the Exit-Entry Administration Law specifies that a foreigner OR the host who fails to register can be issued a warning — and may also be fined. The law doesn't specify the fine amount; in practice it ranges from ¥500 to ¥2,000 based on r/chinalife and r/Chongqing aggregated reports (n=12, 2024–2026), depending on:

• Length of late registration: 1–3 days late typically gets a warning only or ¥500. A week or more late edges toward ¥1,000–2,000.
• What else is wrong: if your visa or visa-free-stay window has also overstayed, the registration fine stacks on top of the visa-overstay fine (¥500/day). The two are separate offenses.
• Which city: enforcement is uneven. Beijing, Shanghai, and Shenzhen PSB tend to be stricter; Chongqing / Chengdu / Kunming PSB tend to issue warnings on first offense for tourists.
• Whether anything triggered the check. Random tourist checks at private addresses are rare; checks tied to something else (visa extension application, an Alipay account verification, a phone-plan opening, a noise complaint at the building) are common — and the unregistered status will surface immediately.

Honest enforcement note from Chongqing (2018–2026): I have personally not been fined, but I've hosted visitors who were a day or two late on registration without any consequences. I know two people from r/Chongqing reports who were fined ¥500 each for stays of 3–5 days at private apartments without registration; both incidents triggered when they tried to do something else at the PSB (one was a visa extension, the other was a residence-permit renewal). The rule has teeth, but the enforcement curve is weighted toward repeat or longer-stay violations, not first-time short stays.

What documents you actually need

For the foreigner:

• Your passport (biographical page + the visa or entry-stamp page)
• Your residence permit (if you have one) — not needed for tourist stays
• Your phone number (for SMS verification on the online channels)

For the host (if it's not your own property):

• Their Chinese ID card OR their residence permit (foreign hosts)
• One of: household registration booklet (户口本) for their address, OR property ownership certificate, OR a current rental lease in their name — the system needs to confirm the host has rights over the address
• Their phone number (also used for SMS verification)

If you're registering at your own mainland China property, both roles collapse onto you and you only need your passport, residence permit, and the property ownership certificate (or the lease, if you're renting in your own name on a residence visa).

Step-by-step: filing online from inside one of the 7 pilot provinces

1. Open WeChat or Alipay (most foreign visitors already have one of these; the standalone NIA app and website also work but require a separate account setup).
2. Search for “移民局12367” in the mini-programs index.
3. Tap into “外国人服务” (Foreigner Services) → “住宿登记” (Lodging Registration).
4. Register / authenticate the account with the host's phone and ID. (First time only.)
5. Fill in the address details, dates of stay, and the foreigner's passport + visa info. Upload the passport bio page photo and the entry-stamp / visa page photo.
6. Submit. The system returns a confirmation record within seconds (in pilot provinces; the upstream PSB system processes it asynchronously but the file is logged immediately).
7. Tap “登记记录查询” (Registration record query) and screenshot the record for proof.

For the foreigner self-filing on a return visit (subsequent registration at the same address), steps 4–5 are abbreviated because the address is already on file — you only need to confirm the new entry date.

If you're outside the 7 pilot provinces

You still need to register within 24 hours, but you have to do it in person. Two paths:

• PSB exit-entry administration office (出入境管理局 对外服务窗口) — the city-level office. Bring all documents listed above. Open hours typically 9:00–17:00 weekdays, Saturday morning at major-city offices. Process takes 15–45 minutes after your queue number is called.
• Local police station (派出所) for the address — smaller and faster but not every neighborhood-level station has the foreigner-registration system installed. Call the station first (any Chinese friend can do this) to confirm they handle foreigner registration before making the trip.

Tier-1 cities and the larger tier-2s (Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Hangzhou, Suzhou, Nanjing, Chengdu, Wuhan, Xi'an, etc.) have foreigner-friendly windows at the city-level office; smaller cities are more uneven.

The hotline if you get stuck: 12367

The National Immigration Administration runs a service hotline at 12367 (the same number the apps are named after). The hotline has English-capable operators in Beijing / Shanghai / Guangzhou shift hours; outside those hours the line is Chinese-only. If you're stuck on the online flow or can't figure out which PSB office to visit, this is the fastest way to a real answer that doesn't depend on a travel-blog post being current.

Practical checklist

• Staying at a hotel chain — nothing to do, the front desk handles it when you check in
• Staying at an Airbnb — ask the host before you arrive whether they'll register you or whether you need to do it; in pilot provinces the host can do it from their phone in 5 minutes
• Staying at a friend's apartment — the friend is your host; register within 24 hours via the online channel (in pilot provinces) or together at the PSB
• Staying at your own China property — first stay register at the PSB (in person if outside pilot, online if inside); after that, no re-registration needed for return visits
• Already on a residence permit with regular residence registered — nothing to do for return visits to the same address within the same permit's validity
• Penalty if skipped: warning + fine ¥500–2,000; enforcement weighted toward repeat / longer-stay cases but does happen on first-time short stays especially in tier-1 cities

FAQ

Do foreigners have to register at the police station in China?

Yes — Article 39 of the Exit-Entry Administration Law requires every foreigner to be registered with the local Public Security Bureau (PSB) within 24 hours of arrival at any non-hotel accommodation. Hotels handle this automatically when you check in (they swipe your passport and submit the file). For Airbnb, a friend's apartment, a private guesthouse, or your own China property, YOU or your host must do the registration yourselves. As of 20 March 2026, seven pilot provinces (Hebei, Liaoning, Zhejiang, Hubei, Guangxi, Chongqing, Sichuan) accept online filing through the National Immigration Administration platform — the rest still require an in-person trip to the PSB exit-entry office.

What happens if I forget to register within 24 hours?

Article 76 of the Exit-Entry Administration Law specifies a warning, possibly accompanied by a fine. In practice the fine ranges from ¥500 to ¥2,000 depending on city, length of overstay-of-registration, and whether anything else is wrong (e.g. expired visa). The foreigner OR the host can be fined — both share legal responsibility. Real-world enforcement against pure tourists at compliant hotels is essentially zero (the hotel handles everything). Enforcement against people staying at private addresses without registering is uneven city to city, but it does happen, especially when the foreigner later interacts with the PSB for any other reason (visa extension, Alipay binding, opening a phone plan).

Does the 24-hour rule apply if I stay at a hotel?

No action needed from you. Chinese law makes the hotel responsible for registering foreign guests with the local police, and compliant foreigner-accepting hotels do this automatically when they swipe your passport at check-in. The reason ~40% of mid-range Chinese hotels still refuse foreign passports is that they DON'T have the PSB license needed to do this filing. If your hotel checks you in normally, registration is done — no need to visit a police station, no online filing.

Can I file the registration online instead of going to the police station?

As of 20 March 2026, yes — but only if your stay is in one of the 7 pilot provinces: Hebei, Liaoning, Zhejiang, Hubei, Guangxi, Chongqing, or Sichuan. Filing channels: (1) National Immigration Administration government services website, (2) the '移民局12367' mobile app, (3) the same WeChat mini-program, (4) the Alipay mini-program. The first registration at any new address still has to be done by the Chinese host (because they know the address details). After that, the foreigner can self-file on subsequent stays. NIA plans to expand nationwide gradually but has not announced a date.

Who actually does the registration — me or my host?

Either, but the rules differ by scenario. FIRST registration at a new address: the host (留宿人) does it, because the address authentication step requires their household-registration document. SUBSEQUENT registrations at the SAME address (you visit the same friend again, you return to your own apartment): the foreigner can self-file. The host can be a Chinese citizen or a foreigner. If you're staying at your OWN China property (you or your spouse own it), you can self-file from day one without involving anyone else.

I have a residence permit — do I need to register every time I travel and come back?

No. If you hold a residence permit (居留证件) or permanent residence permit and have already registered your 经常住所 (regular residence) with the PSB, you do NOT need to re-register after leaving and returning to that same address — within the validity period of the same permit. You only need to re-register if you move addresses or get a new permit. The same simplified rule applies to foreigners with their own China property: register once, no re-registration after travel as long as you return to the same address.

What documents do I need for the registration?

Foreigner side: your passport, your visa (or visa-free entry stamp), your residence permit if you have one. Host side: their Chinese ID card or their own residence permit, the property's household registration booklet (户口本) OR a property ownership certificate OR a current rental lease, and a phone number that can receive an SMS verification code. The first registration also captures a photo of the foreigner's passport biographical page and the visa/entry stamp page. Subsequent registrations at the same address re-use the address record and only need the foreigner's passport details and dates.

What if I'm staying outside the 7 pilot provinces — say Beijing or Yunnan?

You still need to register within 24 hours, but you have to do it in person at the local PSB exit-entry administration office or local police station (派出所) for the address you're staying at. Bring the documents listed above and expect 15–45 minutes of paperwork plus possible queue time. Beijing PSB exit-entry offices are open 9:00–17:00 weekdays plus Saturday morning; smaller cities often have reduced hours. Some neighborhood-level police stations can handle the filing too — call ahead to check, since not every station has the foreigner-registration system installed.

Related

• China pre-trip checklist — hotels that accept foreigners — the foreigner-accepting hotel filter that side-steps the registration question entirely
• China common issues troubleshooter — the hotel rejection problem (~40% of mid-range hotels don't have the PSB license)
• China lost passport emergency — PSB-to-embassy-to-airport flow if your passport is lost or stolen during the trip
• Visa requirements checker — confirm whether your nationality enters visa-free, 240-hour transit, or visa-required

Sources: Article 39 + Article 76 of the Exit and Entry Administration Law of the People's Republic of China; Article 36 of the Foreigner Entry-Exit Administration Regulations; National Immigration Administration policy interpretation 2026-03-20 (online lodging registration pilot in 7 provinces); first-hand observation Chongqing 2018–2026 (Singapore passport holder, ~25 hosted foreign visitors at private apartments, 6+ in-person PSB registrations); r/Chongqing + r/chinalife aggregated penalty reports (n=12, 2024–2026).