A mobility management processing method includes: receiving, by an SMF network element, a data notification message that includes a PDU session identifier and that is sent by a UPF network element, and determining, based on the PDU session identifier, a session and SSC mode corresponding to the PDU session identifier and/or a service area of the UPF network element, where the UPF network element is a network element that establishes a PDU session corresponding to the PDU session identifier; determining a paging area based on the SSC mode and/or the service area of the UPF network element; and sending a first message including the paging area to an AMF network element, where the first message is used to trigger the AMF network element to page, in the paging area, a terminal that establishes the PDU session by using the UPF network element.