At a Chinese hotel, check-in is a quick routine: hand over your original passport and wait while the desk registers you. It looks formal, but it is ordinary and it takes only minutes when you are ready.
First-time visitors can find this unsettling, especially with children asleep on a suitcase. Knowing the steps beforehand takes away most of the stress.
Why is your passport copied?
Foreign visitors in China must be registered with the local police within 24 hours of arrival at their lodging. Hotels file this for guests using the passport, while stays in private homes require the guest or host to register[1].
That is the whole reason. The copy is part of the system and does not mean anything is wrong with your booking.
What should you carry to the desk?
Keep these within reach, not at the bottom of a bag:
- your original passport, because hotels copy it for registration[2];
- the booking confirmation on your phone, saved offline;
- the hotel name and address in Chinese;
- a payment method for any deposit, which our deposit guide explains;
- a phone that is charged.
If you book through an app, our hotel booking apps guide tells you which ones work for Malaysians.
What happens at the desk, step by step?
| Step | What to expect | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Staff ask for the passport | Hand it over; one for each guest |
| 2 | Passport is copied for registration | Stay calm and wait |
| 3 | You sign a registration slip | Check your name matches the passport |
| 4 | Staff return the passport and give the key | Check you hold it before you go up |
Take the passport back before you leave the desk. Put it in the same pouch every time.
What if the hotel cannot take foreign guests?
Some hotels cannot register foreigners. Check this before you book, because a refusal at midnight is a bad surprise. Our guide to why some hotels cannot take foreign guests explains how to tell, and our foreign guest registration guide covers the process in more detail.
What about a late or early arrival?
Tell the hotel your arrival time and flight. A late check-in is easier when the desk expects you. See late check-in, early arrival and room hold rules.
For wider planning, browse the stays topic page.
What should you do next?
Put every passport in one pouch, save the hotel address in Chinese, and message the hotel with your arrival time. The desk will take it from there.