A policeman asked me if I had already "bàobēi" (or something like this); what did he ask me?

Question

When I moved to my current place, I registered my residence at the local police station (giving them a copy of my contract; I think this is called 登记). At the time, I ended up befriending a local police officer. Today I (inadvertently) ran into him at lunch, and he asked me if I had already "bàobēi", saying if I haven't already I should do so. At least, that's what I think I heard.

Looking up similar words in the dictionary, he may have said:

CC-CEDICT: 报备 (bào​bèi​) to report a proposed activity to an authority (to obtain approval or register one's intentions)

However, I'm not sure why he would ask me this, and whether or not this refers to registering my residence at the police station. I can't think of anything else I would need to do, but the rules here change from time to time and sometimes I'm not up to date.

Question: A policeman asked me if I had already "bàobēi" (or something like this); what did he ask me?

Answer 1

The immigration rules have a specified requirement for “foreigner”’s accommodation

外国人申报住宿登记

一、《中华人民共和国出境入境管理法》第三十九条规定：“外国人在中国境内旅馆住宿的，旅馆应当按照旅馆业治安管理的有关规定为其办理住宿登记，并向所在地公安机关报送外国人住宿登记信息。 外国人在旅馆以外的其他住所居住或者住宿的，应当在入住后二十四小时内由本人或者留宿人，向居住地的公安机关办理登记。

二、外国人在旅馆以外的其他住所居住或者住宿的，应当向住宿地公安机关派出所申报办理住宿登记。住宿地设有公安机关警务室、外国人服务站的，可以在公安机关警务室、外国人服务站申报办理住宿登记。招收外国留学生的院校、留宿外国人的单位，可以作为留宿人按照法律规定代外国人本人向所在地公安机关申报办理住宿登记。

三、根据《中华人民共和国出境入境管理法》第七十六条规定，外国人在旅馆以外的其他住所居住或者住宿，但未按《中华人民共和国出境入境管理法》第三十九条第二款规定向公安机关申报住宿登记的，给予警告，可以并处二千元以下罚款。

四、旅馆未按照规定办理外国人住宿登记的，依照《中华人民共和国治安管理处罚法》的有关规定予以处罚；未按照规定向公安机关报送外国人住宿登记信息的，给予警告；情节严重的，处一千元以上五千元以下罚款。

Briefly, every night every “foreigner” needs to inform the local police station (公安局) that they’re staying in a premise of that authority’s administration.

• Clause 1: hotels / hostels would do this, in lieu of the foreigner

• Clause 2: schools, institutions that permitted for foreigner’s accommodation would do this, in lieu the foreigner; otherwise, the foreigner must do it him/her-self, if he/she does not stay in any hotels / hostels

• Clause 3: the penalty is a warning and a fine less than $2000

• Clause 4: a penalty for hotels

A policeman asked me if I had already "bàobēi"

He reminded you in a friendly way that such rule exists, and is in force. When I visited relatives in Canton, the police enforced it seriously in the 70s; it was a little bit lax in the 80s.

Another approach is: the political climate is intense, so the public security bureau need to tighten its monitoring and controlling of foreigners in your living area.

Answer 2

报备

Probably related to the virus situation. You need to tell the local community you are there, especially if you come from a high risk area, and go for virus testing when there is one, or your health code may be shifted to yellow.

My residential registration is called: 境外人员临时住宿等级。