Refer China: China's Online Accommodation Registration for Foreigners to Expand Nationwide

China's NIA will roll out online accommodation registration for foreigners nationwide after a pilot in 7 provinces. Foreigners or hosts can register via apps or websites, valid as offline. Offline options remain.

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China Immigration Policy

Online Registration

Foreigner Accommodation

Digital Government Service

NIA

China's Online Accommodation Registration for Foreigners to Expand Nationwide

China’s National Immigration Administration (NIA) will gradually expand its online accommodation registration service for foreigners nationwide following a smooth pilot run across seven provincial-level regions, according to an official press briefing held on July 10, 2026.

Hosted by the NIA, the regular press conference unveiled key achievements and operational data of China’s immigration management work for the first half of 2026. Lin Yongsheng, NIA spokesperson and Director-General of the Policy and Regulation Department, delivered the official updates and answered questions from journalists regarding the optimized immigration services.

During the briefing, reporters inquired about the implementation progress of the newly launched online registration policy for foreigners staying in non-hotel accommodations, which was first trialed in seven provincial-level administrative regions starting in March 2026, as well as future expansion plans for the initiative.

Lin elaborated on the policy background and implementation outcomes. Under existing regulations, hotels are obligated to complete accommodation registration and submit relevant information for foreign guests in accordance with public security rules. To address long-standing complaints from foreign nationals about cumbersome offline registration procedures for non-hotel stays, the NIA launched a pilot online registration service on March 20, 2026.

The pilot covers seven provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities: Hebei, Liaoning, Zhejiang, Hubei, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Chongqing and Sichuan. Under the new mechanism, foreign residents or their hosts can independently finish accommodation registration via multiple official digital channels, including the NIA government service website, the official “Immigration 12367” mobile app, WeChat mini-program and Alipay mini-program.

Officially confirmed by the authority, online registration holds the same legal validity as in-person registration at local public security organs. To accommodate diverse user habits and special demands, traditional offline registration channels at police stations have been retained as an alternative option.

Lin noted that the pilot program has maintained stable system operation since its launch, greatly streamlining registration procedures and enabling more standardized, convenient and orderly accommodation management for foreign nationals in pilot regions. Adhering to the principle of balancing standardized supervision and optimized public services, the NIA will further promote the full nationwide rollout of the online registration service in due course, aiming to deliver more efficient and user-friendly government services for foreigners working, studying and living in China.

According to Article 39 of the Exit-Entry Administration Law of the People’s Republic of China, foreigners staying in Chinese hotels shall have their accommodation information registered and reported by hotel operators. For foreigners residing in non-hotel residential venues, either the foreign resident or their host must complete formal registration with local public security authorities within 24 hours of check-in.

The NIA officially issued a public announcement on March 20, 2026, clarifying that the online registration pilot was designed to further enhance the living convenience of foreign nationals in China. Based on the practical effects of the provincial pilot, the authority confirmed the phased nationwide promotion plan to continuously optimize immigration-related public services and improve the overall living and working experience of foreign residents in China.