We are all familiar with the law that requires all foreigners to register their residence within 24hours of arrival at a police station. This causes headaches for both expats and foreign tourists. It may not fit their schedule upon arrival leading to delays hence resulting in penalties. If you stay in hotels, then you are fine. The government requires hotels to register their foreign guests as part of the check-in process.

You no longer have to register at the police station anymore!

Shanghai government launched a self-service resident registration system to help streamline this process. Now all foreign tourists and expats staying in Shanghai can simply declare their information and place of residence online. Isn’t this cool?

It is a user-friendly government site. It seems the government has hired a legitimate UI/UX designer. The process seems very straightforward. You can access the self-service registration website by clicking on this link: https://crjzndg.gaj.sh.gov.cn/24hr

This comes just in time before the second annual China International Import Expo (CIIE) and many foreigners will be flocking to Shanghai. It seems they had a difficult time last year registering such a large influx of foreigners so they are preparing themselves better this year.

It is anticipated that Beijing and other cities will follow suit and launch the service in the next few months.

Basic rules still apply

Expats with residence permit only need to register whenever they renew their residence permits or move to a new address. Others would still need to register each time they enter the country. Others include tourist visas, business visas, and family visas. It should take about 15 minutes to complete the online process. Hence, much convenient compared to the hours involved if you were to go to the police station.

Here is how to register online with the police.

Step 1: Log In To the Website

Here is the link: https://crjzndg.gaj.sh.gov.cn/24hr/web/zcbd/login?relogin=true. Assuming you do not have an account, make one. It takes a few seconds and does not require email verification (but you might want that email for later).

foreigners to register their residence

Step 2: Fill In Your Details

Next step is to fill in your info, once you click off the thoughtful “you don’t need to register if you stay in a hotel” tip. This might be the most user-friendly website the government has ever made for foreigners.

Do not mind the “with your certificate” bit, just upload a passport photo or a clean, passport-style selfie.

The address system is slightly tricky, owing to the interminable difficulty in translating sometimes-complex Chinese address into English ones. Do your best. The system has already simplified the task for you.

Note: the “Date of Departure” info does not appear on your final certificate, just put the last date you left China.

Step 3: Wait For Processing

Now you just wait!

Processing can take five to ten minutes. You will get an email confirmation when it is done, and it might show up in your spam folder; check it in case it is not in the inbox folder.

Step 4: Download Your Registration Form of Temporary Residence

Back on the website, select the QR code that has replaced the “processing” bit and you will have the option to “preview” (download), email or share a PDF of your form.

Just upload an image of the photo ID page in your passport. It will pick the details automatically, but you can add or correct anything that was not right online.

Were you late to register? Be sure to do it on time next time. Stay safe!

Author: Enjoy Shanghai

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