Living in China · Overview
Living in China
You have arrived, or you are about to. This is the hub for everyday life: registering your address, opening a bank account, getting a phone number, renting a home, seeing a doctor, driving, paying social insurance and schooling your children. Each area has its own page; this one tells you what matters first.
Checked against official sources on 13 October 2026. Rules change — confirm with the issuing authority before you apply. Sources at the bottom.
Do this first
Register your address within 24 hours
China requires every foreigner to have a registered place of stay. If you sleep somewhere, it must be on record with the local police — and the clock starts the day you move in.
If you stay in a hotel
The hotel registers you as part of check-in and reports your information to the local public security authority. You simply hand over your passport or other international travel document at the front desk.
If you stay anywhere else
A rented apartment, a friend's flat, a dormitory, a relative's home — you or the person hosting you registers at the public security station (police station) for the place of residence within 24 hours.
| What to bring | Why it matters | Where to go |
|---|---|---|
| Your passport or other international travel document | Links the address record to your identity and your entry record. | The public security station serving where you live, or the online channels above. |
| Proof of the address — lease, landlord statement or host information | Shows the exact place of stay, so the record matches the address. | Same. If the landlord files the lease, keep a copy for the police. |
| Residence permit, if you already hold one | Lets the officer confirm your stay status in one step. | Same. |
The daily essentials
Six things to sort out as a new resident
Work through them in any order that suits you — but start with your address above, because a registered address unlocks almost everything else.
Bank account and phone number
A local bank card and a Chinese mobile number are the two keys to daily life — they unlock payments, apps, bookings and deliveries.
Banking & mobile →Renting a home
Agents versus direct rentals, what a contract should contain, deposits, and the lease filing your landlord must complete.
Renting →Healthcare
How a visit to a public hospital works, when to use an international department or private clinic, and how emergencies are handled.
Healthcare →Driving
Short stays can use a temporary driving permit; longer stays can exchange a foreign license for a Chinese one.
Driving →Social insurance
Foreign employees lawfully working in China join the same five social insurance schemes as Chinese staff.
Social insurance →Culture, schools and safety
Getting used to daily habits, finding schools for children, and the safety and compliance basics nobody should have to learn the hard way.
Culture & safety → Schools for children →The calm version of a busy week
Your first week in China
A simple sequence that keeps you legal and functional. Everything here has a page of its own — this is just the order most people use.
Register your place of stay
Hotel guests are registered at check-in. Everyone else registers within 24 hours — at the local police station or online through the NIA channels. Bring your passport and proof of address.
Get a local phone number
Take your passport to an official service hall of a major carrier. A local number makes apps, banking codes and bookings far easier. Mobile guide →
Open a bank account
Bring your passport or permanent residence ID to a commercial bank branch. Ask what extra documents that branch wants — they can vary. Banking guide →
Set up mobile payment
Link your card to Alipay or WeChat Pay. Both support many overseas card brands as well as domestic cards. Payments →
Apply for your residence permit if you need one
If the visa you used to enter states that you need a residence permit, you must apply at the local exit-entry administration within 30 days of entry. Work & residence → Verified · official source
Learn your neighborhood
Save the emergency numbers below, locate the nearest hospital and pharmacy, and find the community around you. Culture & safety →
Save these in your phone
Emergency and useful numbers
These are national numbers. To call from a mobile phone, simply dial the digits. For the non-emergency numbers, staff may not speak English — a translation app helps.
| Number | Service | When to use it |
|---|---|---|
| 110 | Police | Crime, danger to a person, theft, lost property reports, or any situation needing police. For a lost passport, report it to the police station where you lost it. |
| 119 | Fire and rescue | Fire, smoke, a gas leak, or someone trapped. |
| 120 | Ambulance | A medical emergency. Say the address clearly and stay on the line. |
| 122 | Traffic accidents | A road accident, or a traffic dispute needing an officer. |
| 12367 | Immigration help line | Questions about visas, residence, accommodation registration and exit-entry procedures. Runs around the clock with Chinese and English service. |
| 12306 | China Railway | Train tickets, timetables and rail booking questions. Official ticketing and service: 12306.cn (English site at 12306.cn/en). |
110, 119, 120 and 122 are the national emergency numbers published by the central government; 12367 is the immigration service hotline, and 12306 is the China Railway customer service line. The immigration hotline is available nationally, and some provinces also publish an area-code version (for example 010-12367 in Beijing).
Before and after arrival
Related guides
Before you go
Documents, medical checks, notarized paperwork and insurance — the pre-departure checklist.
Prepare →Work and residence permits
The work permit and the residence permit that turn a Z or X visa into long-term status.
Work & residence →Policy updates
Dated notes on visa-free entry, transit rules and residence policies — check this before you plan.
Policy radar →Enjoyed this guide?
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Sources & disclaimer
Facts on this page are linked to the official sources below, checked on 13 October 2026. Requirements, fees and timelines change — always confirm with the issuing authority. This page is for reference only — official sources prevail; always check the latest version with the relevant Chinese authority. General information, not legal advice.
- National Immigration Administration — Announcement No. 7 of 2026 on nationwide online registration for foreigners staying outside hotels (from 21 September 2026)
- Exit and Entry Administration Law of the People's Republic of China — Article 30 (a foreigner whose visa requires a residence permit must apply within 30 days of entry), Article 39 (accommodation registration within 24 hours), Article 76 (penalties)
- National Immigration Administration — 12367 service hotline and English-language portal (around-the-clock, Chinese and English service)
- National Immigration Administration — provincial immigration service telephone numbers (area code + 12367)
- The Central People's Government of China — common emergency numbers: 110 police, 119 fire, 120 medical, 122 traffic
- Guide to Working and Living in China for Foreign Business Personnel (2026 edition) — accommodation registration, help numbers, daily services
- China Railway 12306 — official rail ticketing website and customer service (English site at https://www.12306.cn/en/index.html)