Notice: New Update, Now(December 25th, 2019) can be registered on Line now , so please check our another post about registration online )
Any foreigner, visiting or living in China, has to register with the local police within 48（or 24） hours after arriving in China. If you are staying at a hotel, they will do this for you when you check-in. However, when you are renting your own apartment, live in a shared apartment , or Airbnb，you have to go to the closest police station to apply for a temporary residence permit.
For Police Registration you must bring:
Your passport and visa
Copy of passport and visa
A copy of the property ownership certificate
A copy of the landlord´s ID or passport
Your original lease contract
Copy of your lease contract
Maybe if you living in the hotel before you find the apartment , when you go to the police station , the officer sometimes will ask you “where you are living before you move in your new apartment ” if you said ” I living in the hotel before ” the officer will ask you provide the check out paper ( i don’t know the correct English name of the paper, you should ask the hotel when you check out, It’s is a red color o yellow color paper ）
Hand these documents over the counter and 10 minutes later the police officer will present you with a form to sign and date, return your passport and then give you a copy of your temporary residence permit to keep.
Please note that, if your registration has expired because you left the country and then re-entered, you have extended your visa, or you are moving to another apartment you have to go to the local police station to renew your temporary residence permit.
