Foreigners who want to lodge at a guest house, hotel, inn, hostel or a place provided by a school or any institution or work unit must produce a valid passport or residence permit, and must fill in the Temporary Lodging Form. In areas not open to foreigners, they must produce a travel permit.
Foreigners who want to lodge at the home of a Chinese citizen must, within 24 hours after their arrival, go to the local public security bureau and get registered there, producing their passport and the host’s Household Register and filling in the Temporary Lodging Form, if they are in a city or town. In the countryside, they must, within 72 hours after their arrival, register with the local police station or household affairs office.

Foreigners who want to lodge at a foreign institution or at the home of an expatriate in China must, within 24 hours after their arrival, go to the local public security bureau either in person or represented by the host, and get registered there, producing their passport and filling in the Temporary Lodgin Form.

Foreigners eligible for long-term stay in China must also get registered for temporary lodging if they want to spend the night away from their residence.

Foreigners who want to have temporary lodging in mobile accommodation facilities must, within 24 hours, get registered at the local public security bureau. Institutions or individuals who provide space for such facilities must report to the local public security bureau 24 hours before their arrival.