Registering your address in Beijing: the 24-hour rule
Every foreigner staying in Beijing outside a hotel must register their address with the police within 24 hours. Here is exactly what that means, what to bring, and where to go.
If you are staying in a hotel in Beijing, the front desk registers you automatically and you do not need to do anything. If you are staying anywhere else — a rented flat, a friend's apartment, an Airbnb — you are legally required to register your address yourself, and the clock is short.
The rule
Foreign nationals residing or staying in accommodation other than a hotel must register with the local public security organs within 24 hours of moving in. The owner of the property may file the registration on your behalf.
This is not a formality that gets waived in practice. Failing to register carries a warning and a fine of up to CNY 2,000, and an unregistered address can cause problems later when you apply for a visa extension or residence permit.
What to bring
- Your passport (or other international travel document), with your current visa or entry stamp
- The rental contract or the property ownership certificate for the address
- Your landlord's ID is usually requested as well — arrange this before you go, as it is the single most common reason people are turned away
Where to register
Registration is done at the police station (派出所) covering your address — not at the exit-entry bureau, and not at whichever station is nearest. Where a police office or foreigner service station exists in your area, you may register there instead.
Beijing also operates an online accommodation registration system, which is available in English, French, Japanese, Korean and Russian. If you can complete registration online, do — it avoids a trip and a language barrier.
Exit-entry offices in Beijing
Address registration and visa business are handled separately. Once registered, visa extensions, residence permits and related applications are handled at the Exit-Entry Administration offices below. Hours change around public holidays, so call or check before travelling across the city.
| Office | Address | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Main Reception Hall, Beijing Municipal PSB Exit-Entry AdministrationDongcheng | No. 2, Dong Avenue, An Ding Men, Dongcheng District | Mon-Sat 09:00-17:00 |
| Zhongguancun Science Park Service CenterHaidian | No. Jia 22, Shuang Yu Shu Bei Li, Haidian District | Mon-Sat 09:00-17:00 |
| Beijing Government Affairs Center BranchFengtai | 3/F Unit C, No. 1 West 3rd Ring South Road, Fengtai District | Mon-Fri 09:00-12:00, 13:30-17:00; Sat 09:00-13:00 |
| Chaoyang Sub-bureau Exit-Entry HallChaoyang | 1/F, Building 304, BEZ IT PARK, No. Jia 10 Jiu Xian Qiao Bei Road, Chaoyang District | Mon-Sat 09:00-17:00 |
| CBD Sub-bureau Exit-Entry HallChaoyang | Rm. 0309, Beijing Fortune Plaza Office Building Block A, No. 7 Courtyard, E. 3rd Ring Road Middle, Chaoyang District | Mon-Fri 09:00-12:00, 13:30-17:00 |
| Shunyi Sub-bureau Exit-Entry HallShunyi | 1/F, No. Jia 3 Office Building, Tian Zhu Dong Road, Shunyi District | Mon-Sat 09:00-17:00 |
| Shijingshan Sub-bureau Exit-Entry HallShijingshan | No. Jia 3, Gu Cheng Nan Li, Shijingshan District | Mon-Sat 09:00-16:30 |
| Tongzhou Sub-bureau Exit-Entry HallTongzhou | Rm. 2020, 2/F, Building of Tongzhou Park, No. 11 Xinhua East Street, Tongzhou District | Mon-Fri 09:00-17:00 |
| Daxing Economic-Technological Development Zone CenterDaxing | 1/F, No. 4 Wanyuan Street, Daxing District | Mon-Sat 09:00-17:00 |
| Fengtai Sub-bureau Exit-Entry HallFengtai | 3/F Fengtai Government Affairs Center, No. 7 Nanyuan Road, Fengtai District | Mon-Sat 09:00-16:30 |
| Huairou Sub-bureau Exit-Entry HallHuairou | Huairou Government Affairs Service Center, No. 37 Qingchun Road, Huairou District | Mon-Sat 08:30-11:30, 13:30-17:30 |
| Yanqing Sub-bureau Exit-Entry HallYanqing | Yanqing Government Affairs Service Center, No. 60 Qingyuan Street, Yanqing District | Mon-Sat 09:00-17:00 |
| Dongcheng Sub-bureau Exit-Entry HallDongcheng | No. 52 Jinbao Street, Dongcheng District | Mon-Fri 09:00-17:00 |
| Haidian Sub-bureau Exit-Entry HallHaidian | 2/F, Beibu Service Mansion, No. 95 Beiqing Road, Haidian District | Mon-Sat 09:00-12:00, 13:30-17:00 |
| Xicheng Sub-bureau Exit-Entry HallXicheng | 1/F, No. 8 Xuanwumen Outer Street, Haolou Block D, Xicheng District | Mon-Fri 09:00-12:00, 13:30-17:00 |
| Daxing Sub-bureau Exit-Entry HallDaxing | Building 8, No. 18 Courtyard Jinxing Road, Daxing District | Not published — call ahead |
| Changping Life Science Park CenterChangping | Building 4, No. 4 Courtyard Kexueyuan Road, Changping District | Mon-Sat 09:00-16:30 |
No office matches that filter.
Verified 2026-09-01 · Source: official listing
Sources
- National Immigration Administration — Entry-Exit and Stay (Residence) of Foreigners
- Beijing Municipal Government — A Guide for Registering Accommodation Online
- Beijing Foreign Affairs Office — Guide to Registering Accommodation Online
- Beijing Municipal Government — Exit-Entry Locations & Office Hours
Rules and office hours change. This page records what the official sources said on the verification date shown above; confirm anything time-critical directly with the office before you travel.