What you need to know

After you arrive, register your address quickly. In a hotel, the front desk does it. In a flat or a house, you have 24 hours to report to the police station.

Hotel

Show a valid passport or other international travel document at the front desk. The hotel handles the registration.

Any other place

Report to the police station of the place where you live within 24 hours of moving in. You or the person who lets you stay can go. Bring:

  • a valid passport or other international travel document
  • proof of address

The source does not say which document counts as proof of address. Ask the police station or your landlord before you go. A rental contract and the owner's property document are the usual candidates.

Why it matters

The same guide lists the other deadlines that start when you arrive: change a visa into a residence permit within 30 days of entry if you plan to work or live in China, and extend a residence permit at least 30 days before it expires. Apply for a visa extension at least 7 days before the permitted stay ends.

Help

For immigration and entry-exit questions, call 12367. If you lose your passport, report it at once to the police station where you lost it.

The source is listed below with the date it was opened.

Practical facts

Documents to bring

  • Valid passport or other international travel document original Needed in both cases[1]
  • Proof of address, such as the rental contract or the owner's property document original or copy Needed at the police station if you do not stay in a hotel[1]

Steps

  1. In a hotel, show your valid passport or other international travel document at the front desk. The hotel registers you.[1]
  2. In any other place, report to the police station of your residence within 24 hours of moving in.[1]
  3. Go yourself or send the person who hosts you. Bring a valid passport or other international travel document and proof of address.[1]

Official sources

  1. Ministry of Commerce with the National Immigration Administration and other agencies: 外国商务人士在华工作生活指引（2025年版） (Guide to working and living in China for foreign business people, 2025 edition) (www.mofcom.gov.cn/tjsh/art/2025/art_40eb0a9f2afd4b6cb4cbecfda797e0cc.html) · accessed 10/21/2026