Hotels, private stays and accommodation registration

Choose the location around your days

Compare a neighborhood with your planned visits, transport and preferred evening atmosphere. Look beyond a district name: the final walk from a station, pedestrian-lane access and luggage handling can matter more than the map distance.

Before paying, check the room type, beds, bathroom, stairs or lift, breakfast, cancellation terms and arrival time. Ask directly about any feature your party needs, such as step-free access or a child’s bed.

Checking into a hotel

Bring your original passport and booking confirmation to reception. Hotels register foreign guests and submit accommodation information to the local public security authority. Ask reception if you need a record for a later travel or administrative task.

Check the hotel’s accepted payment methods and deposit arrangements. Save the name card and contact number. For a late arrival or early departure, contact the hotel in advance so you know how the desk and luggage service work.

Staying with friends or in a private home

For accommodation outside a hotel, the foreign guest or the host must register with the public security authority responsible for the address within 24 hours after arrival. Make this part of the arrival plan rather than leaving it until the final day.

Ask the host for the full address and information needed by the registration process. A booking-platform receipt is not the same as completing accommodation registration.

Use the NIA online registration service

Nationwide online accommodation registration for non-hotel stays began on 21 September 2026. The service is available through the NIA Government Service Platform, the NIA 12367 app, and its WeChat or Alipay mini program.

Choose the accommodation-registration service, complete the account and identity steps, enter the stay details and keep the resulting record. Local police registration remains available if you need in-person help or cannot complete the online process.

When the accommodation changes

Keep each stay’s dates and contact details together. For a new private address or a return stay, use the registration service or ask local public security how the new arrival should be recorded. Your host can help with the address information.

Accommodation registration does not extend a visa or change the length or area of a permitted stay. Keep those entry conditions in your travel plan separately.

Common questions