X1 & X2 Visa GuideUnofficial Registering your address online: the NIA 12367 channels named by the National Immigration Administration
Unofficial summary · Sources checked
You can register your address online through the NIA Government Service Platform: its official website, the “NIA 12367” App, the “NIA 12367” WeChat mini program, or the Alipay mini program. After you complete user registration and identity verification, you use the Accommodation Registration module under Foreigner Service and follow its step-by-step prompts. The National Immigration Administration states that online registration has the same legal effect as on-site registration.
This page follows the NIA’s Policy Interpretation of the Nationwide Implementation of the Online Accommodation Registration Service, dated 21 September 2026. Where that interpretation does not say something, this page says so rather than filling the gap.
Who the service covers
The service covers foreigners who reside or stay in domiciles other than hotels (Policy Interpretation, Section I).
Under the Exit and Entry Administration Law, Article 39, the rule splits in two:
- Hotels. Where foreigners stay in hotels in China, the hotels register their accommodation under the regulations on the public security administration of the hotel industry, and submit the accommodation registration information to the public security organs where the hotels are located.
- Everywhere else. Where foreigners reside or stay in domiciles other than hotels, they, or the persons who accommodate them, must register with the public security organs in the place of residence within 24 hours after the foreigner’s arrival.
The NIA introduced the online service to make that second case easier: registration can be done online, without visiting the public security organs in person.
The interpretation does not mention students, student dormitories, or any particular type of housing. It speaks only of “domiciles other than hotels”, so a student falls within it on the same terms as anyone else living outside a hotel.
The four channels
Accommodation hosts and foreigners may use any of these (Policy Interpretation, Section II):
| Channel | How it is named in the interpretation |
|---|---|
| Website | The official website of the NIA Government Service Platform |
| App | The “NIA 12367” App |
| The “NIA 12367” WeChat mini program | |
| Alipay | The Alipay mini program |
The interpretation names these four and does not rank them or say which one to prefer.
How the online process runs
The interpretation describes the process in general terms only. It does not list screens, fields, or documents.
- Open one of the four channels.
- Complete user registration.
- Complete identity verification.
- Open the Foreigner Service section.
- Open the Accommodation Registration module.
- Follow the step-by-step prompts.
- When you finish, open “Registration Record Inquiry” to view your accommodation registration record.
The interpretation does not say how long any step takes, and it does not state a fee.
Who can complete the registration
Registration may be completed online either by the foreigner who resides or stays in the domicile, or by the person who accommodates them (Policy Interpretation, Section III).
For the initial registration, the NIA recommends completing it with the assistance of the accommodation host, on the ground that hosts are generally more familiar with the details of the residence and this helps keep the information accurate.
You may go through the formalities independently in two situations:
| Situation | Who registers |
|---|---|
| You previously registered through the NIA Government Service Platform and need to register again at the same residence | The foreigner, independently |
| You reside at a self-owned residence | The foreigner, independently |
The accommodation host may be either a Chinese citizen or a foreigner.
Outside those two situations, the interpretation does not say that a foreigner may register alone; it says the initial registration should be completed with the host’s assistance.
If you run into a problem
The interpretation gives three routes for help (Section V):
- Read the Guide to Online Accommodation Registration on the accommodation registration page of the NIA Government Service Platform, and follow its instructions.
- Call the NIA 12367 service hotline for inquiries.
- Visit the exit-entry administration service windows of the local public security organs, or local police stations, for assistance with on-site registration.
The last route matters because on-site registration remains available: the interpretation frames the online service as an alternative to visiting the public security organs, not as a replacement for the duty itself.
Questions people ask
Does registering online count the same as going to the police station?
Yes. The NIA states that online registration has the same legal effect as on-site registration (Policy Interpretation, Section I). The interpretation does not describe any difference in the record produced by the two routes.
Do I still have to register if I live in a hotel?
The interpretation does not put hotels inside this service. Under the Exit and Entry Administration Law, Article 39, the hotel registers you under the regulations on the public security administration of the hotel industry and submits the information itself. The online service is described for domiciles other than hotels.
Can I register myself instead of asking my landlord?
Only in the two cases the interpretation names: where you have already registered through the NIA Government Service Platform and are registering again at the same residence, or where you reside at a self-owned residence. Otherwise, the NIA says the initial registration should be completed with the accommodation host’s assistance, because the host is generally more familiar with the residence.
Does the interpretation say what happens if I do not register?
No. The interpretation does not state any penalty or fine amount, and this page does not quote one. It also does not describe any consequence for late or missed registration.
Does the interpretation cover students or university dormitories?
No. It does not mention students or dormitories. It covers foreigners residing or staying in domiciles other than hotels, without distinguishing by status or by type of housing.
Is there a fee for registering online?
The interpretation does not state a fee, and this page does not give one. It also does not state any processing time.
Sources
- Policy Interpretation of the Nationwide Implementation of the Online Accommodation Registration Service — National Immigration Administration, page dated 21 September 2026.
Checked 11 October 2026
This page is an unofficial summary of the official text above, is not legal or immigration advice, is not published by the National Immigration Administration or any other body named here, and if anything here differs from the official text or from the instructions of the exit-entry office handling your case, the official text and those instructions prevail.