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Study in China Q&A

Do I have to register with the police in China?

Unofficial answer · Sources checked

Yes, if you live or stay somewhere other than a hotel. Under Article 39 of the Exit and Entry Administration Law, you or the person who accommodates you must complete registration with the public security office where you live within 24 hours after you arrive. If you stay in a hotel, the hotel registers you.

What the Law says

Article 39 covers two cases. Foreigners who stay in hotels are registered by the hotel, which submits the information to the public security organs where the hotel is located. Foreigners who reside or stay in other places must go through registration with the public security organs at their place of residence, and the registration may be done by the foreigner or by the person who accommodates them.

Article 76 sets the penalty. It begins: "Under any of the following circumstances, a warning shall be given, and a fine of not more than RMB 2,000 yuan may also be imposed:" Item (6) of that list covers "Persons concerned fail to go through registration formalities in accordance with the provisions in the second paragraph of Article 39 of this Law." So the penalty is a warning, and a fine of up to RMB 2,000 may also be imposed.

Article 39 refers to foreigners in general. It does not mention students.

Students living off campus

Order No. 42 is the rule on the enrolment and education of international students. Its text is in Chinese, and the English wording here is this site's translation. Article 24 says that when an international student lives outside the school dormitory, the student shall promptly go through registration formalities with the public security department at the place of residence. The article uses "promptly" and does not give a number of hours. The 24-hour period comes from Article 39 of the Law.

Online registration and re-registration

On 21 September 2026 the National Immigration Administration published a policy interpretation of the nationwide online accommodation registration service. It covers foreigners who live outside hotels. Online registration has the same legal effect as on-site registration, so you do not have to visit the public security office in person.

You can register through the NIA Government Service Platform (the official website), the "NIA 12367" App, the "NIA 12367" WeChat mini program, or the Alipay mini program. The steps are:

  1. Open one of these channels.
  2. Complete user registration and identity verification.
  3. Open the Accommodation Registration module under Foreigner Service.
  4. Follow the step-by-step prompts.
  5. Click "Registration Record Inquiry" to view your record.

The foreigner or the accommodation host may complete the registration. The interpretation says the first registration should be done with the host's help, because hosts are usually more familiar with the residence information. A foreigner may register alone if they have registered through the platform before and are registering again at the same residence, or if they live at a self-owned residence. The host may be a Chinese citizen or a foreigner.

Re-registration is not required in two cases. The first is when a foreigner who has already registered after arrival lives at their own residence in China and returns to the same residence after travelling. The second is when a holder of a residence permit or permanent residence permit lives at their habitual residence in China and returns to it during the validity of the same permit. The interpretation defines a self-owned residence as one owned by the foreigner or their spouse in China. It defines a habitual residence as a place where the foreigner lives or plans to live for a long term. It quotes Article 36 of the Regulations on the Administration of the Entry and Exit of Foreigners to say that "long term" means more than 180 days.

For help, the interpretation names the Guide to Online Accommodation Registration on the registration page, the NIA 12367 service hotline, and the exit-entry administration service windows of local public security organs or local police stations for on-site registration.

Where to check the rest

Sections I to VI of the policy interpretation do not mention dormitories. Article 39 of the Law also does not name dormitories. Ask your university's international student office whether a dormitory stay counts as a place other than a hotel and whether you need to register for it. If you are unsure about the registration process, you can also contact the exit-entry administration office.

Related questions

What if I stay in a hotel?

Article 39 says that hotels register the accommodation of foreigners they host, under the regulations on public security administration of the hotel industry. The hotel then submits the foreigners' accommodation registration information to the public security organs where the hotel is located.

Can I register online instead of going to the police office?

Yes, for foreigners who live outside hotels. The policy interpretation says the nationwide online service lets them register without visiting the public security organs in person, and that online registration has the same legal effect as on-site registration.

Do I need to register again after I travel and return?

Not in the cases the policy interpretation lists. These are returning to the same self-owned residence in China, and returning to the same habitual residence during the validity of a residence permit or permanent residence permit.

Sources

Checked 11 October 2026

This page is an unofficial summary. It is not legal or immigration advice, it is not published by or affiliated with the bodies named, and if it differs from the official text, the official text and the instructions of the university, embassy or exit-entry office handling your case prevail.

Rules change. This answer reflects the official pages on the date above. If it differs from the current official page, follow the official page.

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