AirBnb in China and Police registration.

[Moshen]

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China's strict regulations on residency require citizens and tourists to register their addresses with the police when they arrive in the country or stay at a hotel, within 24 hours.

 

My husband and I are going to China soon on a family visit visa, which involves giving them his (Chinese) sister's ID card and address.  So I assume we don't need to do anything else to meet this requirement?  We're saying we're staying at his sister's place, though we're actually staying at his mother's empty apartment.

[889]

No, the information you give when you get the visa is one thing. Registering your place of lodging with the PSB after arrival is another. You have to do both.

[Moshen]

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No, the information you give when you get the visa is one thing. Registering your place of lodging with the PSB after arrival is another. You have to do both.

 

Is this new? We were in China 4 years ago, and I never heard of this requirement at that time.

[DavyJonesLocker]

14 minutes ago, Moshen said:

 

Is this new? We were in China 4 years ago, and I never heard of this requirement at that time.

 

Did you stay in a hotel then? They would have put the information in their system. Mind you I never did it either when I stayed with friends 5, 6 years ago but think I the rule still applied then too.

 

[889]

No, it's been the rule for decades. But only if you're not staying in a hotel.

 

It's just that with all your records now computerised and available everywhere to the PSB, it's easier for them to make an issue of it if they're so inclined. In particular, there have been a few reports of travellers on transit-without-visa having had problems when they didn't register.

 

Note that many Chinese people instinctively dislike having to deal with the police, so your relatives may not be eager to help.

[Moshen]

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Did you stay in a hotel then? They would have put the information in their system. Mind you I never did it either when I stayed with friends 5, 6 years ago but think I the rule still applied then too.

 

Some nights in a hotel, some nights at his sister's place.  I'll ask my other sister-in-law about this as she has a US passport, goes back to China every year and stays at their mother's place.  If she doesn't normally register, then we won't, either.

[889]

Up to you. We're just telling you the rules. And reminding you that China is bit by bit becoming more stringent about everything.

[ChTTay]

I’d play it safe and register. Doesn’t make any difference If you’re visiting family. In fact, it’s more important to play by the rules as you know you’ll be coming back again and again. 

 

I know someone who was asked at the airport when entering China why they had been staying in Beijing so much if they’re registered to live in Shanghai. It was due to some slow processing by a HR department. It freaked them out so much they just gave up and left. This was a couple of years ago and, since then, things have just become more joined up/integrated. 

 

I’ve always found registering fairly painless as long as you’ve got the right documents. Requirements also change depending on the police station you’re required to go to. I’ve had to go to two or three extremely strict ones that need photocopies of everything, extra documents, yadayada but then I’ve also rocked up with all that stuff elsewhere and they’ve just wanted my original contract and passport only. Just send the sister to her apartment community 物业 office and ask where they’d need to go. It’s likely they’ll know but if not just head to a nearby police station.