CHINA – Exit and Entry Law to be Enforced More Strictly in Shanghai
China’s Exit and Entry Law requires that all foreigners register with the local police within the first 24 hours of arriving in China. Hotels are responsible for providing this information to the police when foreigners are staying there, and any foreign nationals not living in a hotel must provide this information to the police on their own. Foreigners must register in any of the following events: when they arrive in China, when they move, or when their passport changes. Failing to register may result in fines of up to RMB 5,000. Foreigners in China should be aware that the police in Shanghai have been strictly enforcing the law, choosing to conduct random checks at residential areas. Police stations are permitted to impose fines at their discretion, and may even allow foreigners up to 72 hours to register as compared to only 24 hours. If those who are living in hotels and apartments are unsure if they have been registered, they should contact management to be sure.