China Arrival Card 2026: How to Fill It Out (Online & Paper)
Last verified: August 2026
China’s arrival card is a short entry declaration that foreign travellers file before or on arrival. Since November 20, 2025 you can file it online for free through the National Immigration Administration at s.nia.gov.cn, before you board. The NIA lists seven categories of traveller who are exempt — permanent residence card holders and passengers in 24-hour direct transit who stay inside the port’s designated area among them. If you are not in one of those categories you need a card, whether you hold a visa, enter visa-free, or transit under the 240-hour policy. Here's exactly how to complete it, field by field, whether you do it online or on paper.
In this guide
Who needs an arrival card?
You DO need one if:
→ You're entering on any type of visa (tourist, business, work, student, etc.)
→ You're entering under the 30-day visa-free policy
→ You're entering under the 240-hour transit visa-free policy (see our 240-hour visa-free transit guide for whether you qualify)
→ You're arriving by air, rail, road, or sea
You DON'T need one if:
→ You hold a Chinese Permanent Resident ID card (foreigner’s green card)
→ You are a non-Chinese national holding a Mainland Travel Permit for Hong Kong and Macao Residents
→ You are entering on a group visa, or under a group visa-free arrangement
→ You are in 24-hour direct transit and stay inside the port’s designated area
→ You are on a cruise that enters and leaves China on the same ship
→ You enter through a fast-track channel (快捷通道)
→ You are foreign crew on a vehicle, vessel or aircraft crossing the border
That list is the NIA’s own, and its wording is open-ended — it ends with “and so on,” so treat it as the main categories rather than a closed list. If you are close to one of these but not clearly inside it, file a card. It is free and takes a few minutes. (source: NIA notice on online arrival card filing, as published by the Chinese Embassy in the United States)
Option 1: Fill it out online (recommended)
Since November 20, 2025 the National Immigration Administration (NIA) has let foreign travellers file the arrival card online before arriving. The official filing address is https://s.nia.gov.cn/ArrivalCardFillingPC/. Four ways to reach the form:
1. NIA website
Go to s.nia.gov.cn/ArrivalCardFillingPC/ on your phone or laptop. Fill in your details and submit. You get a QR code to show at the counter.
2. NIA 12367 app
The National Immigration Administration’s own app (“移民局12367”). Same form, same QR code.
3. WeChat mini-program
Search for “移民局12367” in WeChat mini-programs.
4. Alipay mini-program
Search for the same NIA mini-program in Alipay.
→ The filing is free. Anything that charges you is not the official site. The NIA has published a warning that fraudsters overseas have set up counterfeit arrival-card filing sites to take fees from travellers, and states plainly that online filing carries no charge (National Immigration Administration notice). These copycats rank well in search results and look official. Check that the address starts with s.nia.gov.cn before you type anything in, and close any page that asks you to pay.
Advantages of filling it out online:
→ Skip the paper forms entirely — just show your QR code
→ Fill it out calmly at home or at the gate, not in a cramped airplane seat
→ Auto-validates your entries so you catch mistakes before submitting
→ Faster processing at the immigration counter
Tip
The NIA notice itself does not set a filing window — it just says “before coming to China.” The guidance published by foreign missions and event organisers consistently points at the three days (72 hours) before arrival, so filing weeks ahead may not go through. In practice the evening before you fly is the right moment: your flight number and first-night address both need to be final. Screenshot the QR code — you may have no internet in the arrivals hall.
Option 2: Fill it out on paper
If you didn't fill it out online, no problem. Paper cards are available in three places:
→ On your flight — cabin crew distribute them before landing
→ At self-service kiosks — in the arrivals hall before immigration
→ At the immigration counter — ask the officer for a blank card
Bring a pen. The paper card must be filled in with a black or blue ballpoint pen. Pencil is not accepted. Not every airline provides pens, and the ones at kiosks sometimes run dry.
Field-by-field guide
Whether you're filling out the digital or paper version, the fields are identical. Here's every one explained.
Personal information
Family Name (姓)
Exactly as it appears in your passport. Example: SMITH
Given Name (名)
Exactly as in your passport. Example: JOHN MICHAEL
Sex (性别)
Check M (Male) or F (Female)
Date of Birth (出生日期)
Format: YYYY / MM / DD. Example: 1990 / 05 / 14
Nationality (国籍)
Write the country that issued your passport. Example: UNITED KINGDOM
Passport Number (护照号码)
Copy it exactly, including any letters. Example: AB1234567
Travel information
Purpose of Visit (来华事由)
Choose one: Tourism, Business, Work, Study, Employment, Visiting Relatives, or Other. Most visitors pick Tourism.
Visa Number (签证号码)
Found on your visa sticker. If you're entering visa-free, write VISA FREE or leave blank (the online form handles this automatically).
Flight / Vessel Number (航班号)
Example: CA982 or MU588. Check your boarding pass.
Coming From (从何处来)
The city you departed from, not your home country. Example: LONDON or TOKYO
Address in China
Hotel / Address (在华住址)
Write your hotel name and address. Example: JW Marriott, 399 Nanjing West Road
City (城市)
Example: SHANGHAI or BEIJING
Tip
Save a screenshot of your hotel booking confirmation with the Chinese address. Immigration officers occasionally ask to see it, and having the Chinese characters makes everything smoother.
Departure information
Intended Date of Departure (离开日期)
Your planned departure date in YYYY / MM / DD format. An estimate is fine.
Departing To (前往何处)
Your next destination after China. Example: SINGAPORE or USA
Declaration
The card includes a customs declaration section. You must declare if you are carrying:
→ More than USD 5,000 (or equivalent) in foreign currency
→ More than RMB 20,000 in Chinese currency
→ Animals, plants, or biological materials
→ Goods exceeding duty-free limits (e.g., more than 1.5L of alcohol, 400 cigarettes)
→ Commercial goods or samples
Most tourists check "No" for all items. If in doubt, declare it — there is no penalty for declaring, but there are penalties for not declaring.
Signature and date
Sign your name (same signature as in your passport) and write today's date. On the digital version, you draw your signature on screen.
Common mistakes
→ Writing too small or illegibly — use BLOCK CAPITALS on the paper card
→ Wrong date format — China uses YYYY/MM/DD, not MM/DD/YYYY or DD/MM/YYYY
→ Leaving the address blank — you must write something, even if it's just the hotel name and city
→ Mixing up "Coming From" and "Departing To" — "Coming From" is where you flew from; "Departing To" is where you'll go next
→ Forgetting a pen — bring your own black or blue ballpoint pen for the paper card
At the immigration counter
Here's what to expect when you reach the officer:
Join the "Foreigners" queue (外国人通道). Follow the signs after exiting the jet bridge.
Have your passport, arrival card (paper or QR code), and visa ready in hand.
Hand everything to the officer. They will scan your passport and review your card.
Look into the camera for a photo and place your fingers on the scanner for fingerprints.
The officer may ask simple questions: "How long are you staying?" or "What is your purpose?" Answer briefly.
You’ll receive an entry stamp in your passport. Check the date and permitted stay duration before walking away.
Wait times
Typical wait at major airports (PVG, PEK, CAN) is 15–40 minutes. Peak hours (multiple international arrivals) can push this to over an hour. Having the digital card speeds things up.
After immigration
Once you're through, here's what comes next:
Collect your luggage from the carousel (screens show belt numbers by flight).
Walk through customs — green channel if you have nothing to declare, red if you do.
Get connected: pick up a SIM card at the airport or activate your eSIM.
Get to your accommodation by taxi, metro, or Maglev (Shanghai).
What changes on 15 September 2026
China’s State Council issued Order No. 841, the Regulations on Exit and Entry Administration, on 22 July 2026. It was published on 31 July and takes effect on 15 September 2026. The regulation runs to 19 articles; three of them matter if you are travelling to China.
Your stated reason for entering must be true. Article 3 says the purpose given when applying to enter, stay or reside must be genuine and lawful. Border officers and visa officers may ask questions and require you to produce documents, materials or electronic data when they verify your identity or your stated purpose, and you are required to cooperate. If someone in China issues you an invitation letter or other supporting document, that person or organisation is responsible for the truth of what it says.
Deliberately false statements can carry a one-to-five-year entry ban. Article 5 says a foreign national who provides false materials or makes false statements when applying for a Chinese visa abroad, or when applying to enter at a port, may be barred from entering China for one to five years. The same range applies to anyone criminally punished for obstructing border administration, or administratively punished for fraudulently obtaining travel documents or for illegal entry or exit — counted from the date the penalty is completed.
Writing a false invitation letter is now a fineable offence. Under Article 11, an individual who issues a false invitation letter or false supporting documents for someone else’s entry, stay or residence application faces a fine of RMB 5,000 to 10,000. For an organisation the range is RMB 10,000 to 50,000.
Does this apply to the arrival card?
The regulation does not mention the arrival card anywhere. Article 5 covers false statements made when applying to enter at a port, and the arrival card is the declaration you complete for entry at the port — but the text does not name it, and neither does the joint Q&A published by the Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of Public Security and the National Immigration Administration. We are not going to tell you it is settled either way.
What we can tell you is what the regulation targets. Every relevant clause uses the language of fraud — false materials, false statements, fraudulently obtaining documents. The official Q&A describes the problem it addresses as a small number of people providing false materials when applying to enter and fraudulently obtaining travel documents. A mistake is not a false statement. Getting a flight number wrong, or listing a hotel you later changed, is an error you correct at the counter, not fraud. Fill the card accurately, and if something changes between filling it in and landing, tell the officer.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a China arrival card if I’m entering visa-free?
Yes. Visa-free entry and the arrival card are two separate things — one is about whether you need a visa sticker, the other is a declaration of your trip details. Travellers entering under the 30-day visa-free policy need a card, and so do 240-hour transit travellers who leave the port area. The only people who skip it are the seven categories the NIA exempts, which include 24-hour direct transit passengers who never leave the port’s designated area.
Is the China arrival card free?
Yes. The National Immigration Administration states that online filing carries no charge, and has published a warning that fraudsters overseas set up counterfeit filing sites to take fees from travellers. The official address is https://s.nia.gov.cn/ArrivalCardFillingPC/. If a site asks you to pay, it is not the official one.
When should I fill out the China arrival card?
The NIA notice does not set a filing window; it only says to file before coming to China. Guidance published by foreign missions consistently points at the three days (72 hours) before arrival, so filing weeks ahead may not go through. The practical answer is the evening before you fly, once your flight number and first-night address are final.
What happens if I don’t fill it out before I fly?
Nothing serious. At the port you can scan the filing QR code with your phone, use a self-service terminal in the inspection hall, or fill out a paper arrival card. The NIA notice explicitly keeps all three fallbacks open for travellers who cannot file online. Filing in advance saves you doing paperwork in a queue after a long flight.
Who is exempt from the China arrival card?
The NIA lists seven categories: holders of a Chinese Permanent Resident ID card; non-Chinese nationals holding a Mainland Travel Permit for Hong Kong and Macao Residents; travellers on a group visa or entering under a group visa-free arrangement; passengers in 24-hour direct transit who stay inside the port’s designated area; cruise passengers who enter and leave on the same ship; travellers entering through a fast-track channel; and foreign crew on vehicles, vessels or aircraft crossing the border. The official wording ends with “and so on,” so treat it as the main categories rather than a closed list.
What changes for foreign visitors on 15 September 2026?
State Council Order No. 841 takes effect. Three points affect visitors: the reason you give for entering must be genuine and lawful; officers may require documents, materials or electronic data when verifying it; and deliberately false statements when applying for a visa or entering at a port can carry a one-to-five-year entry ban. Anyone in China who writes you a false invitation letter faces a fine of RMB 5,000 to 10,000.
Can I be banned from China for a mistake on my arrival card?
The regulation taking effect on 15 September 2026 sets a one-to-five-year entry ban for foreign nationals who provide false materials or make false statements when applying for a visa or when applying to enter at a port. It targets fraud, not clerical error, and it does not mention the arrival card by name. If you spot a mistake, correct it with the officer at the counter rather than leaving it.
Need a SIM card? See our guide to getting a SIM card in China. Or get a China eSIM on Trip.com before your flight.
For a complete step-by-step of everything you need to do after landing, check our 72-Hour Task Flow, grab bilingual templates for taxis, hotels, and more, or use our Visa Checker to confirm your entry requirements.
Last updated: September 2026. Online arrival card filing has been in effect since November 20, 2025; the filing channels and exemption list above come from the National Immigration Administration's notice. Entry requirements can change — always verify with the official NIA page, your airline, or the nearest Chinese embassy before travel. This guide contains affiliate links — we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
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