Entry & Exit
How to Fill in the China Arrival Card
Learn how to complete the China Arrival Card online before your trip, what information you need, who is exempt and how to avoid fake arrival card websites.
Most foreign travelers entering mainland China need to provide arrival information.
Since November 20, 2025, China has allowed foreign travelers to complete the Arrival Card online before departure, which can make immigration procedures easier when you arrive.
The official service is free.
You can also still complete the Arrival Card after arriving in China if you do not submit it in advance.
For most travelers, though, filling it out before your flight is the easiest option.
The Short Version
Before traveling to China:
- Go to an official National Immigration Administration Arrival Card channel
- Enter your passport and trip information
- Provide your accommodation details
- Check everything carefully
- Submit the form
- Save the confirmation or relevant screen if provided
The service is free.
If you cannot complete it beforehand, you can still fill it out when you arrive in China.
What Is the China Arrival Card?
The China Arrival Card is an immigration form used to collect basic information from foreign travelers entering mainland China.
It may include information about:
- Your identity
- Passport
- Flight or other arrival transport
- Purpose of visit
- Accommodation
- Contact details
- Travel information
It is separate from your:
- Visa
- Visa-free eligibility
- Hotel booking
- Accommodation registration
Filling in an Arrival Card does not give you permission to enter China by itself.
You still need to qualify for entry under the appropriate visa, visa-free or transit policy.
Read next: Do I Need a Visa for China? 2026 Guide
Can You Fill It Out Online Before Your Trip?
Yes.
China introduced online Arrival Card filing nationwide on November 20, 2025.
Foreign travelers can submit the required entry information before traveling through official National Immigration Administration channels.
For most visitors, this is the most convenient option.
You can complete the form before going to the airport rather than dealing with it after a long flight.
Where Can You Fill It Out?
China's National Immigration Administration provides several official channels.
These include:
- The National Immigration Administration official website
- The NIA Government Service Platform
- The NIA 12367 app
- The NIA 12367 WeChat mini-program
- The relevant Alipay mini-program
- The official Arrival Card QR code
When possible, start from the National Immigration Administration's official website rather than searching randomly for “China Arrival Card” online.
Is the China Arrival Card Free?
Yes.
The official online Arrival Card service is free of charge.
You should not need to pay a processing fee simply to submit the standard official Arrival Card.
This matters because fake websites have appeared online pretending to provide China's official Arrival Card service and charging travelers a fee.
China's National Immigration Administration has specifically warned travelers about these websites.
How to Recognize the Official Service
The safest approach is to begin from an official Chinese government immigration website or official NIA 12367 service.
Be cautious if a website:
- Appears high in a search advertisement
- Uses “China Arrival Card” in the domain but is not a government site
- Charges a compulsory application fee
- Claims you must pay to enter China
- Creates artificial urgency
- Asks for unnecessary financial information
A professional-looking website is not necessarily an official website.
You are submitting sensitive passport information, so check the source before entering anything.
When Should You Fill It Out?
You can complete the online form before traveling to China.
For practical travel planning, we recommend doing it after your:
- Flight is booked
- First accommodation is confirmed
- Passport information is available
and close enough to departure that your itinerary is unlikely to change.
There is usually no benefit in trying to complete it months before the trip.
The important thing is to have accurate arrival and accommodation information.
What Information Should You Prepare?
Before starting, have these ready.
Passport
You may need information including:
- Full name
- Nationality
- Passport number
- Date of birth
- Passport validity details
Enter everything exactly as shown in your passport.
Arrival Transport
Have your arrival details ready.
For example:
- Flight number
- Train information
- Ship information
- Port of entry
- Arrival date
Most air travelers will simply need their flight details.
Purpose of Visit
Be ready to state why you are entering China.
Common reasons include:
- Tourism
- Business
- Visiting family or friends
- Transit
- Exchange activities
Your answer should match your real travel purpose and immigration status.
Accommodation
Prepare your first place of stay in China.
For a hotel, save:
- Hotel name
- Address
- City
- Contact information where available
Having the hotel's Chinese name and address can also be useful during the rest of your trip.
Step 1: Open the Official Arrival Card Service
Use an official NIA channel.
Do not simply choose the first sponsored search result you see.
Once the form opens, select the relevant Arrival Card service and follow the current instructions.
The interface can change over time, so button names may differ slightly from screenshots or older tutorials.
Step 2: Enter Your Personal Information
Enter the requested identity information.
This may include:
- Name
- Sex
- Date of birth
- Nationality
- Passport details
Use your passport as the reference
Do not enter a nickname or an English name that does not match your travel document.
Your Arrival Card should correspond to the passport you actually use to enter China.
Step 3: Enter Your Arrival Information
Provide your arrival route.
For most travelers arriving by air, this means your:
- Flight number
- Arrival date
- Entry port or airport
Check your booking confirmation rather than entering the information from memory.
If you have connecting flights, pay attention to the flight that actually enters mainland China.
Step 4: Enter Your Purpose of Visit
Select or enter the purpose that genuinely describes your trip.
For example:
Tourism
if you are taking an ordinary holiday.
Do not select tourism if you are actually entering for employment, long-term study or another activity requiring different immigration permission.
Step 5: Enter Your Accommodation Information
Enter your first accommodation in China.
If you are staying at a hotel, use the details on your hotel reservation.
If possible, save both:
- English hotel name
- Chinese hotel name and address
This information can also be useful when:
- Taking a taxi
- Calling Didi
- Checking into the hotel
- Talking to immigration staff
Step 6: Review Everything Before Submitting
Before submitting, check:
- Passport number
- Name
- Nationality
- Arrival date
- Flight number
- Accommodation
- Purpose of visit
A small typing error can create unnecessary confusion at immigration.
Pay particular attention to long passport numbers and dates.
Step 7: Submit and Save the Result
Submit the Arrival Card through the official platform.
If the service provides:
- A confirmation screen
- QR code
- Reference
- Submission record
save it.
A screenshot can be useful even if the immigration system already holds the electronic record.
You should also keep your:
- Hotel booking
- Return or onward ticket
- Passport
- Visa if applicable
readily available when you arrive.
What If You Don't Fill It Out Before Your Flight?
That is not necessarily a problem.
China still provides several ways to complete the Arrival Card at the port of entry.
Travelers who did not submit online in advance may be able to:
- Scan the official QR code with a phone
- Use a smart device provided at the immigration inspection area
- Complete a paper Arrival Card
Paper cards remain available.
So forgetting to complete the online form before departure does not automatically mean you cannot enter China.
It may simply make arrival a little less convenient.
Is the Paper Arrival Card Still Available?
Yes.
Although China now provides online filing, paper Arrival Cards remain available at entry ports.
This is useful if:
- Your phone battery is dead
- You have no internet connection
- The online service is unavailable
- You prefer paper
- You could not complete the form beforehand
Online filing is a convenience, not the only possible method.
Who Does Not Need to Fill in an Arrival Card?
China's National Immigration Administration lists seven categories of foreign travelers who may be exempt.
These include:
1. Foreign Permanent Resident ID Card holders
Foreigners entering with a People's Republic of China Foreign Permanent Resident ID Card.
2. Certain Hong Kong and Macao travel permit holders
People holding the Mainland Travel Permit for Hong Kong and Macao Residents (Non-Chinese Citizens).
3. Certain group travelers
Foreigners holding a group visa or qualifying for group visa-free entry.
4. Some direct 24-hour transit passengers
Travelers transiting directly within 24 hours without leaving the restricted area of the port.
5. Same-cruise entry and exit
Travelers entering and leaving China on the same cruise ship under the applicable arrangement.
6. Travelers using eligible fast lanes
Foreigners entering through qualifying fast-lane immigration channels.
7. International transport employees
Foreign employees of exit-entry transport vehicles.
If you are unsure whether an exemption applies to you, follow current immigration instructions at your port of entry.
Do Visa-Free Travelers Still Need an Arrival Card?
Usually, yes — unless you fall into one of the specific exemption categories.
Being eligible for China's:
- 30-day visa-free entry
- 240-hour visa-free transit
- Other visa-free entry policies
does not automatically mean the Arrival Card requirement disappears.
Visa-free status answers:
Do I need a visa?
The Arrival Card answers:
Who am I, why am I entering and where will I stay?
They are separate immigration procedures.
What About 240-Hour Visa-Free Transit?
If you are entering China under the 240-hour visa-free transit policy, you should still prepare the required arrival information.
Transit eligibility depends on your:
- Nationality
- Passport
- Entry port
- Onward ticket
- Route
- Permitted travel area
The Arrival Card does not replace these requirements.
Read next: China's 240-Hour Visa-Free Transit: Complete Guide
What About a Short Airport Connection?
Travelers transiting China directly for up to 24 hours without leaving the restricted port area may be exempt from filling in the Arrival Card under current rules.
This is not the same situation as entering China for sightseeing during a transit stop.
If you intend to pass through immigration and enter China, different requirements may apply.
Arrival Card vs Visa: What's the Difference?
These are completely different things.
Visa
A visa is an immigration authorization that allows you to seek entry for a particular purpose under specified conditions.
Many travelers now enter China visa-free and therefore do not need one.
Arrival Card
The Arrival Card provides immigration authorities with information about your actual entry and stay.
You may still need an Arrival Card even if you do not need a visa.
Arrival Card vs Accommodation Registration
These are also different.
Arrival Card
Completed as part of entering China.
Accommodation registration
Records where a foreign traveler is staying after arrival.
If you stay at a hotel, the hotel normally handles accommodation registration using your passport information.
If you stay somewhere other than a hotel, you or your host generally need to complete the required registration.
Do not assume that giving an address on your Arrival Card replaces accommodation registration.
Read next: Accommodation Registration in China for Foreigners
What If Your Hotel Changes After You Submit the Form?
Travel plans can change.
If your accommodation changes before departure, use the current official Arrival Card system or immigration guidance to determine whether your submission should be updated or completed again.
At immigration, provide accurate information about where you are actually staying.
Do not intentionally give an outdated hotel simply because it was on an earlier booking.
What If Your Flight Changes?
The same principle applies.
If your:
- Flight number changes
- Arrival date changes
- Entry port changes significantly
make sure the information you provide immigration reflects your actual trip.
For major itinerary changes, check the current instructions in the official system.
Common Mistake 1: Paying a Third-Party Website
The official Arrival Card service is free.
A commercial website charging you does not become the official service simply because it appears first in a search engine.
Start from the National Immigration Administration.
Common Mistake 2: Using a Nickname
Use the identity details from your passport.
Do not replace your legal passport name with:
- A nickname
- Social-media name
- Informal English name
unless that name actually appears in the relevant field of your travel document.
Common Mistake 3: Entering the Wrong Flight
If you have a connection, enter the flight or transport information relevant to your actual arrival into mainland China.
For example:
London → Doha → Shanghai
your relevant entry flight is normally:
Doha → Shanghai
not London → Doha.
Common Mistake 4: Confusing Hong Kong With Mainland China
Hong Kong and Macao operate separate immigration systems.
For example:
London → Hong Kong → Shanghai
your mainland China arrival information relates to the journey from:
Hong Kong → Shanghai
not your original London departure.
Common Mistake 5: Assuming It Replaces Hotel Registration
It does not.
Giving immigration your accommodation information at entry and registering your actual accommodation after arrival are separate requirements.
Before You Fly: Arrival Card Checklist
Identity
- [ ] Passport ready
- [ ] Legal name checked
- [ ] Passport number checked
- [ ] Nationality confirmed
Travel
- [ ] Arrival date confirmed
- [ ] Correct flight or transport number ready
- [ ] Entry port confirmed
- [ ] Return or onward travel information available
Accommodation
- [ ] First hotel confirmed
- [ ] Hotel address available
- [ ] Chinese hotel name saved if available
- [ ] Hotel booking screenshot saved
Submission
- [ ] Official NIA channel used
- [ ] No fee paid for the official Arrival Card
- [ ] Information reviewed before submission
- [ ] Confirmation or screenshot saved if available
What We Recommend
For most travelers, complete the Arrival Card before leaving home.
It takes one administrative task off your list when you arrive.
Our preferred order is:
- Confirm your visa or visa-free eligibility
- Book your first accommodation
- Confirm your flight
- Complete the official Arrival Card
- Save your submission and hotel details
- Travel
If you forget, don't panic.
You can still complete the process at the Chinese entry port.
The important part is not whether you use paper or online filing.
It is that the information you provide is accurate, current and submitted through an official channel.
Official Sources
This guide was checked against information published by:
- National Immigration Administration of the People's Republic of China
- National Immigration Administration guidance on online Arrival Card filing
- National Immigration Administration warning on fraudulent Arrival Card websites
China's entry procedures can change. Check current National Immigration Administration guidance before departure.