China Online Accommodation Registration 2026: 24-Hour Rule for Foreigners

Quick answer: Since March 20, 2026, foreigners staying outside hotels can complete accommodation registration online in Hebei, Liaoning, Zhejiang, Hubei, Guangxi, Chongqing, and Sichuan. The traveler or host must register within 24 hours of arrival; hotel guests are normally registered by the hotel.

The online pilot removes a trip to a local police office for many private-home stays, but it does not remove the legal duty to register. Outside the seven pilot regions, or when the portal cannot process an address, the existing in-person channel remains available.

Who must register accommodation in China?

Article 39 of China’s Exit and Entry Administration Law separates hotel stays from other accommodation. A hotel records a foreign guest’s passport and submits the registration. A person staying in a home or another place that is not registered as a hotel must arrange the filing with the local public security authority.

The rule can apply to:

a stay with friends or relatives;
a privately rented apartment;
a home exchange or private guest room;
a small lodging whose operator does not submit a hotel registration;
a move from one private address to another.

Ask the host directly, “Will you register my accommodation with the police?” A booking confirmation alone is not proof that the filing happened. If the property operates as a hotel, reception should handle it. If not, you or the person hosting you needs to act.

Traveler presenting a passport at a reception desk

Which regions allow online registration in 2026?

The National Immigration Administration started the pilot in seven provincial-level regions:

Region	Common visitor bases covered
Hebei	Shijiazhuang, Chengde and areas around Beijing
Liaoning	Shenyang and Dalian
Zhejiang	Hangzhou, Ningbo and much of the Yangtze Delta
Hubei	Wuhan
Guangxi	Guilin, Yangshuo and Nanning
Chongqing	The municipality of Chongqing
Sichuan	Chengdu and other Sichuan cities

The announcement says the service will expand gradually according to the pilot’s progress. That wording is not a nationwide launch date. If your address lies elsewhere, check the current NIA platform or ask the local police station rather than assuming the list has already changed.

How do you register a non-hotel stay online?

The official announcement provides four routes: the NIA Government Service website, the NIA 12367 app, the NIA 12367 mini program in WeChat, and the corresponding mini program in Alipay.

The screen flow may change, but the practical sequence is:

Open an official NIA 12367 channel and choose accommodation registration for foreigners.
Identify whether the foreign traveler or the host is filing.
Enter the passport and arrival information requested by the service.
Enter the full address where the traveler is sleeping.
Add host or property information when requested.
Review names, passport number, date, and address before submission.
Save the confirmation page, receipt, or reference number.

Use the exact passport spelling. Chinese addresses can be difficult to transliterate, so ask the host to send the address in Chinese characters and to remain available while you submit.

Two international travelers completing check-in details

What does the 24-hour deadline mean?

For a stay outside a hotel, the traveler or host must complete registration within 24 hours after arrival at that residence. A new private address can require a new filing because the registration describes where the foreigner is staying.

Do not wait until the end of the trip. Accommodation registration can be requested during later visa, stay-permit, or residence procedures. More immediately, a complete record gives you evidence that you followed the rule if the address is checked.

If the website rejects the address, take screenshots, note the time, and contact the local public security office or NIA hotline 12367 promptly. The online and in-person channels have equal legal effect in the pilot regions; the notice keeps the offline option open for anyone who needs it.

Hotel, serviced apartment, or private rental?

Accommodation	Who normally files?	What you should do
Licensed hotel	Hotel reception	Present your passport and confirm registration is accepted
Serviced apartment operating as a hotel	Property staff, if licensed for hotel reporting	Ask explicitly and request confirmation
Private apartment or friend’s home	Traveler or host	Use the online pilot or visit local police within 24 hours
Small homestay with unclear status	Depends on its registration	Ask before arrival; do not rely only on the listing

Foreign travelers sometimes hear that “all hotels accept foreigners” and conclude every rental also reports guests automatically. These are different questions. A property may accept the booking yet still require the host and traveler to complete a non-hotel filing.

Common mistakes

Assuming a booking app registered you: payment and police registration are separate.
Using only an English address: the local system may need the Chinese administrative address.
Waiting more than 24 hours: start the process on arrival, not at checkout.
Submitting the wrong passport spelling: match the machine-readable passport page.
Believing the pilot is nationwide: verify the current region list.
Deleting the confirmation: keep a screenshot until after departure or the next registration.

Who this is for

This guide is for tourists, business visitors, students, and family visitors staying in a private home or other non-hotel address in one of the seven pilot regions. It is also useful for a host preparing for a foreign guest.

It is not a substitute for hotel reception procedures, a residence permit, or advice on a complex immigration case. If the traveler has overstayed, cannot access the official service, or has conflicting address records, contact NIA 12367 or the local exit-entry administration.

For conventional hotel stays, our China hotel and police registration guide explains what reception should do with a foreign passport.

Before you arrive at a private address

Send the host your arrival time and ask for the address in Chinese. Confirm who will file, which official channel they plan to use, and what proof you will keep. Have a clear passport photo available only for the official service, not for an unknown link sent in a chat.

The safest plan is simple: agree on responsibility before check-in, file within 24 hours, and save the result. If the online service fails, use the still-valid in-person route rather than leaving the registration incomplete.

Frequently asked questions

Do foreigners need to register every hotel in China?

Hotels register foreign guests through their own reporting process after checking the passport. The traveler should present the passport at reception and should not need to use the non-hotel online pilot for a normal licensed hotel stay.

Can I register a friend’s home online?

Yes, in the seven pilot regions, the foreign guest or the person hosting them may use an official NIA online channel. The filing must be completed within 24 hours after arrival at that home.

Is online registration available across all of China?

Not under the March 20, 2026 announcement. It names Hebei, Liaoning, Zhejiang, Hubei, Guangxi, Chongqing, and Sichuan, with gradual expansion planned. Check the official platform for later changes.

What if the NIA website does not accept my address?

Save evidence of the failed attempt and contact the local public security office or 12367. In-person registration remains available and has the same legal effect as an online filing.

Does my host have to register me?

Either the foreign traveler or the person providing the accommodation may complete the procedure. Decide who will do it and verify the confirmation rather than assuming the other person filed.