Staying With Family in China: How to Use Online Accommodation Registration
China’s online non-hotel registration is now nationwide. Prepare with your host, find the official channel and check the registration record after submitting.
Find the right service, not an old city-only link
The NIA lists its Government Service Platform, NIA 12367 app and mini-program channels. After account registration and identity verification, use the Accommodation Registration service and then Registration Record Inquiry. The September guidance gives online registration the same legal effect as on-site registration.
Ask your host to start from the official NIA information linked below rather than a forwarded payment page or an unfamiliar search advertisement. Bookmark the official guidance before the trip. This article intentionally does not reproduce a changing screen-by-screen interface or collect your passport information.
Coordinate with the host before arriving
For a first registration, the NIA calls for the host’s assistance to ensure the residence information is accurate. As practical preparation, agree who will help, keep the complete Chinese address available and make sure you can access your own identity documents. Follow the actual service prompts for required information; do not invent a universal upload list.
Consider the difference between a property’s marketing name and its actual address. Ask the host to confirm the correct building and apartment details rather than guessing a translated address at the end of a long flight. Avoid sending document images through unnecessary group chats.
Check completion and handle a technical problem promptly
After submitting, review the registration record and keep an accessible copy if available. Check the name and address against the information you intended to submit. A saved draft or screenshot of an unfinished form is not the same as a completed record.
If you cannot finish online, the NIA points to 12367 and local police or exit-entry service windows for help. Seek assistance promptly instead of waiting for an app problem to disappear. For non-hotel stays, Article 39 establishes the 24-hour registration duty for the guest or host.
Keep the visa and accommodation records separate
Keep the visa application, arrival details and accommodation record in separate labeled folders. That makes it easier to find the right item if a later procedure asks for it. COVA records concern the visa application; entering an address there should not be treated as completing this post-arrival service.
A hotel stay uses the hotel’s registration process. If your trip changes from a hotel to a family home, ask about the procedure for the actual new stay. Repeat-registration exceptions have specific conditions in the official guidance; do not assume a ten-year visa makes every return to a relative’s home exempt.
Frequently asked questions
Is this still limited to the original pilot provinces?
No. The September 21, 2026 NIA interpretation describes nationwide implementation. Use the current guidance rather than a March pilot-only summary.
Does the registration record replace a visa or residence permit?
No. Keep checking the separate immigration permission and authorized stay that apply to you.
Related guides
- Accommodation registration basics
- Prepare a Q2 family visit
- Arrival card versus accommodation registration
Get help preparing your visa application
For the visa application before your family visit, eChinaVisa can pre-review documents, help with forms and follow the submission process. We are an independent nongovernment service and do not operate the NIA registration system. Visa decisions remain with Chinese authorities; approval and fixed processing times are not guaranteed.
Contact eChinaVisaSources
Official sources checked September 29, 2026.