The first week, in order

Seven days, six errands, and the two deadlines that are counted in hours rather than days.

6 min read

The clock that matters

Temporary residence registration is due within twenty-four hours of arriving at your address in a city, seventy-two in the countryside. A hotel does it for you. A flat does not — you go to the local police station with your landlord or their property deed. Missing it is a fine, and it blocks the residence permit.

Day one

1
Register at the police station
Take your passport, the entry stamp, the lease and your landlord. You leave with a slip of paper. Photograph it; everything else this week asks for it.
2
Buy a SIM
Carrier shop, passport, an hour. Every step below waits on this.

Days two and three

1
Finish Alipay and WeChat verification
Both need the passport and both take minutes once the SMS arrives at a local number.
2
Set up the transit QR
In the wallet, one city, once. Then the metro stops being a project.
3
Find the nearest hospital with an international department
Save it in your maps app now, not at two in the morning.

The rest of the week

1
Open a bank account
Only once the registration slip and the SIM exist. See the banking guide.
2
Residence permit, if your visa needs one
Study and work visas are converted to a residence permit within thirty days of entry, at the exit-entry bureau. Your university or employer runs this; ask them on day one what they need from you.
3
Health check, if the permit requires it
Booked at a designated clinic, results take several days. Start early — this is the step that delays permits.

If you move flat, you re-register within twenty-four hours at the new address. People forget this one and find out at the permit counter.

Rules, fees and app screens change. Everything here was checked against the sources above on the dates shown; when the app in your hand disagrees with this page, the app is right.