This application discloses a network access method and an apparatus, applied to the communication field, to improve network access accuracy of a terminal device. The method in embodiments of this application includes the following steps: A first network element first obtains an access request that includes access location information of a first terminal device, where the first network element may be an access management network element or a UDM network element, and the access management network element may be an AMF network element or an MME network element. Then, the first network element may obtain subscription information that includes subscription location information of the first terminal device. Next, when the first network element confirms that the access location information of the first terminal device does not belong to the subscription location information, the first network element may obtain permission information for permitting the first terminal device to access a network at an access location corresponding to the access location information, and may further permit, based on the permission message, the first terminal device to access the network at the access location corresponding to the access location information.