Checking in at the local police station

[wushucrab20]

I have travel plans this summer in China, but I won't likely be staying in any one location for more than a few weeks. Do I need to check in with the local police every time I relocate? The type of accommodations will vary from staying with friends, to hostels, and campus dorms. If anyone has experience with this and can provide some advice that would be great. Thanks!

[889]

Yes, you need to register when staying with friends or at informal lodgings. You don't need to register when staying at licensed lodging, and most hostels and campus dorms will be licensed.

[stapler]

For what it's worth I've never once checked in with any authorities and like yourself I move around frequently when traveling in China. And I will continue not to register in the future.

[eion_padraig]

I was staying at an AirBnB in Dalian for two weeks and didn't bother registering. I didn't have any issues. People definitely saw me coming and going, but Dalian is a big city with a decent foreign population.

 

If I was somewhere sensitive or in a rural area, I'd probably look into registering at the local police station.

 

I've also heard you're also supposed to to re-check in with your local police station when you've been away traveling and return home. None of my colleagues nor I do that either.

[889]

Just to be clear, the registration requirement is set out on the back of the immigration card in your passport. If you need to have any contact with the PSB, such as report a lost passport, they will almost certainly check your registration.

[ChTTay]

Hostels and hotels register their guest so that's nothing to worry about.

As for staying with friends, it's worth noting that the person letting you stay with them unregistered can also get into trouble should anyone check. I'm not sure about Chinese citizens but for foreigners this is the case, at least where I've lived. Our company has had issues in the past with employees not registering guests then getting caught. A few trips to the police station, apologies and assurances etc and a fine in some cases.

The risk of getting caught might be slim but if you're going to be there more than a day or two it can't hurt just to go and register. As long as it's not a really busy area it shouldn't take long.

[wushucrab20]

Thanks everyone for the advice. I'll probably register when I'm staying with friends, but for my other accommodations it doesn't sound like I will have to.  

[abcdefg]

I've also heard you're also supposed to to re-check in with your local police station when you've been away traveling and return home. None of my colleagues not I do that either.

 

I always do this in Kunming after having been out of the country 出境。