Hotel & Registration
Where to stay, how to check in, and the mandatory police registration you must know about.
The 24-Hour Registration Rule
By Chinese law, every foreign visitor must register with the local police within 24 hours of arrival in each new city.
Staying in a Hotel
The front desk does this automatically when you check in. You don’t need to do anything.
Staying in a Private Residence
YOU must register at the nearest police station (派出所, pàichūsuǒ) or use the local police’s online registration mini-program (if available in that city). Bring your passport and the host’s Chinese ID (or their full name and address). Tell the officer: “临时住宿登记” (Línshí zhùsù dēngjì — Temporary Residence Registration). They will give you a receipt slip — keep it, you may need it when exiting the country.
💡 Ask your host to register you BEFORE you arrive — many experienced hosts will go to the police station on your behalf with a copy of your passport.
Failure to register can result in a ¥2,000 fine or being detained when you try to leave the country.
The “Foreigner Problem” with Hotels
Not every hotel in China is legally allowed to host foreigners. Budget hotels (like 如家, 汉庭, 7天) in smaller cities often lack the special license. If you walk in without a reservation, they may turn you away — even if they have empty rooms.
- Always book through
Trip.com — it automatically filters out hotels that cannot accept foreigners. - Avoid booking through Chinese-only platforms (Meituan, Fliggy/飞猪) unless you can read Chinese — they don’t always filter for foreigner eligibility.
- Never show up without a booking in smaller cities. In Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangzhou you’ll be fine, but in Tier 3/4 cities it’s a gamble.
Ask the front desk for a hotel business card (名片). It will have the hotel’s name and address in Chinese. You can show this to a taxi driver to get back if you get lost.
Useful Phrases for Hotels
For more phrases, see Survival Chinese.