Staying in a Chengdu Homestay as a Foreigner: The 24-Hour Registration, Now Online Nationwide

Oct 9, 2026·5 min read

On this page

• The rule, and who it applies to
• The four online channels
• Three traps worth knowing in advance
• Why this is worth knowing now
• FAQ
• Do I need to register if I only stay two or three nights?
• Can I register myself, or does the host have to?
• Does filing online count, or do I still need to go to a police station?
• Is a hotel booking the same thing?
• Check dates and availability

Yes, you have to register — but you no longer have to go to a police station to do it. A foreigner staying in a Chengdu homestay or short-term rental is legally required to complete accommodation registration within 24 hours of moving in. Since 21 September 2026, that registration can be completed online anywhere in the country, and online filing has the same legal effect as filing in person.

It is the single most commonly missed formality for independent travellers in China, and it is missed for one reason: hotels do it for you, so most visitors never learn it exists. Stay somewhere that is not a hotel, and the obligation becomes yours.

The rule, and who it applies to

The basis is Article 39 of the Exit and Entry Administration Law: a foreigner living or staying at a residence other than a hotel must, within 24 hours of moving in, have the registration completed with the local public security authority — by the person themselves or by the host.

That covers everything outside the hotel system, and official guidance names the categories directly: short-term rentals, urban and rural homestays, and daily rental apartments. A few nights booked on a short-stay platform counts. It is not a rule aimed only at long lets.

One exception. Homestays already managed under hotel-industry rules, where the operator reports guest information centrally, do not require guests to register again. If that is your listing, the host handles it. Ask which category your accommodation falls into before you arrive — one question at booking saves a scramble after landing.

The four online channels

Online filing runs through official channels only:

1. The National Immigration Administration government service website
2. The "NIA 12367" mobile app
3. The official WeChat mini-program of the same name
4. The official Alipay mini-program

The path is the same in each: Foreigner services → Accommodation registration.

The administration has stated three things about the service: online filing has the same effect as filing in person, offline channels remain available for anyone who prefers to go in person, and after registering and verifying your account you complete the steps the platform prompts.

This did not arrive nationwide in one step. From 20 March 2026 it was piloted in seven places — Hebei, Liaoning, Zhejiang, Hubei, Guangxi, Chongqing and Sichuan — and the nationwide rollout was a response to foreign nationals reporting that the in-person process was inconvenient.

Three traps worth knowing in advance

1. For a first registration, let the host do it. The host knows the property details and is the natural person to file them. A guest can file for themselves in only two situations: they have previously registered at the same address through this platform, or the property is their own.

2. It is not required every single time. You are exempt from re-registering when you return to your own property after travelling inside or outside China, or when you return to your habitual residence within the validity of your residence permit or permanent residence permit. "Habitual residence" is officially defined as a residence with a long-term stay exceeding 180 days, per Article 36 of the Regulations on the Administration of the Entry and Exit of Foreigners. Do not confuse that with an ordinary short stay.

3. Do not read "24 hours" as "the same day". The official wording is within 24 hours of moving in, not on the day you check in. If you land on a late flight and let yourself in after midnight, that distinction is the difference between being on time and being late.

Why this is worth knowing now

Sichuan is the province where the demand is concentrated. In the first half of the year the province recorded 1.664 million inbound overnight visitors, up 58.3% year on year, including 412,000 visa-free foreign arrivals, up 60.1%.

Homestays and short-term rentals are the fastest-growing category of accommodation in that surge — and registration is not the hard part. Knowing it exists is. Plenty of foreign travellers only hear about it when the host mentions it after they have already moved in. Asking the host to walk through the process before arrival is far easier than fixing it afterwards.

FAQ

Do I need to register if I only stay two or three nights?

Yes, if you are staying outside the hotel system. Short-term rentals, homestays and daily rental apartments are all covered, and the obligation applies from the moment you move in, not after a certain number of nights.

Can I register myself, or does the host have to?

For a first registration, the host is the easier and more reliable option. You can file for yourself only if you have registered at the same address through the platform before, or if the property is your own.

Does filing online count, or do I still need to go to a police station?

Online filing has the same effect as filing in person. Offline channels are still available if you would rather go in person.

Is a hotel booking the same thing?

No. Hotels report your stay themselves, which is exactly why most visitors never encounter this rule. It applies to accommodation outside the hotel system.