Essential Post-Arrival Procedures in China
1. First thing after arrival: residence registration
Under Article 39 of the Exit and Entry Administration Law of the PRC: where a foreigner stays in a hotel in China, the hotel shall register the stay and report the information to the public security organ; where a foreigner resides or stays at a place other than a hotel, the foreigner or the person accommodating them shall register with the public security organ of the place of residence within 24 hours of arrival.
To add convenience, the National Immigration Administration decided, from 21 September 2026, to roll out nationwide online residence registration for foreigners staying outside hotels. The foreigner or the accommodating person may apply online via the NIA government service website, the "移民局12367" app, or the WeChat/Alipay mini-program; the offline channel at the local public security organ remains available, and online and on-site registration have equal effect.
2. Visa and residence permit
Foreigners who enter with a visa and plan to work or live in China shall apply for a residence permit within 30 days of entry. To extend the duration of stay, apply to the exit-entry authority at or above county level at least 7 days before the expiry.
Those who need to stay after the residence permit expires shall apply for an extension 30 days before expiry. If you change passport or other registered items while holding a valid residence permit, apply for an information update within 10 days.
3. Work permit
Foreigners working in China shall obtain a work permit. Those working more than 90 days shall apply for a Z visa with the Notification Letter for Foreigner's Work Permit, then obtain the Foreigner's Work Permit within 30 days of entry at the local administration. Apply for an extension 30 days before the Work Permit expires; for personal-information changes (name, passport number, position), apply within 10 working days.
4. Other notes
- Abide by Chinese laws and regulations when posting on social media in China.
- Comply with relevant rules when keeping dogs, cats or other pets.
- Do not photograph military installations, including buildings, sites and facilities directly used by China for military purposes.
5. Emergency contacts
| Need | Number |
|---|---|
| Assault / property crime | 110 |
| Fire | 119 |
| First aid | 120 |
| Lost passport | Report to the local police station immediately |
国家移民管理局公告（2026年第7号）及《中华人民共和国出境入境管理法》第三十九条：
第三十九条 外国人在中国境内旅馆住宿的，旅馆应当按照旅馆业治安管理的有关规定为其办理住宿登记，并向所在地公安机关报送外国人住宿登记信息；外国人在旅馆以外的其他住所居住或者住宿的，应当在入住后二十四小时内由本人或者留宿人，向居住地的公安机关办理登记。
公告：自2026年9月21日起，在全国推广网上办理外国人旅馆以外住宿登记。外国人本人或者留宿人可以通过国家移民管理局政务服务网站、“移民局12367”应用程序、微信或支付宝小程序网上办理；网上办理与到公安机关现场办理的住宿登记具有同等效力。
All guides on this platform are based solely on official public information from the relevant Chinese authorities. We only organize and plainly restate it; we do not interpret, promise, or offer any agency service. Visa, residence and permanent-residence policies follow the latest official publications. Content about immigration / PR quotes official texts verbatim without exaggeration. We do not provide any unlawful or shortcut options. Report discrepancies via the footer "Contact / Report".
This guide was manually verified on 2026-10-29 (12 days ago). Based on official publications; always refer to the latest official source.
Official source: https://www.nia.gov.cn/News/news/content.jsp?id=1808296
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