China Arrival Card 2026: How to Fill It Online Before You Fly

_TI***ffOct 8, 2026

Contents

China Arrival Card: What It Is and Who Needs It
- Who must fill in the China arrival card
- Who is exempt from the arrival card
How to Fill In the China Arrival Card Online
- Official channels: all free of charge
- Filling in the card, step by step
- Information to have ready
- If you cannot submit it online
Arrival Card Timing, Validity and Cost
At the Airport: What to Show at Immigration
- Arriving by land or sea
Arrival Card, Visa and Visa-Free Transit: Which Applies to You
After You Arrive: Registration and Practical Tips
China Arrival Card FAQ
- Is the China arrival card mandatory?
- Where can I fill in the China arrival card?
- Do I still need a visa if I complete the arrival card?
- What if I cannot fill in the card online?

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China arrival card guide banner with passport and visa illustration

Since 20 November 2025, foreign travellers entering mainland China have filled in the arrival card online instead of on paper. The form is run by China's National Immigration Administration (NIA) and applies to arrivals by air, land and sea.

The digital arrival card is an entry declaration, not a visa. Holding a visa or travelling visa-free does not remove the requirement, and the NIA charges no fee for the form.

Almost every foreign traveller entering mainland China needs to submit the form, including:

Tourists travelling visa-free, such as Singapore passport holders staying up to 30 days

Travellers holding a tourist, business or family visit visa

Students, business travellers and family visitors

Transit passengers who leave the port's restricted area, including the 24-hour and 240-hour visa-free transit routes

Travellers arriving overland from Hong Kong or Macao, or by cruise, unless an exemption applies

Every entry needs its own card: a trip from mainland China to Hong Kong and back requires two separate submissions.

Seven groups do not need to complete the card:

Holders of a valid Foreign Permanent Resident ID Card of the People's Republic of China

Non-Chinese holders of a Mainland Travel Permit for Hong Kong and Macao Residents

Travellers entering with a group visa or under group visa-free arrangements

Passengers in 24-hour direct transit who stay inside the port's restricted area

Cruise passengers who enter and leave on the same ship

Travellers entering through the e-channel fast lanes

Foreign crew members of aircraft, trains and vessels in international service

The online form takes about 10 to 15 minutes once your passport and trip details are at hand.

Submit the arrival card through an official NIA channel only:

NIA desktop website at s.nia.gov.cn/ArrivalCardFillingPC/

NIA mobile website at s.nia.gov.cn/ArrivalCardFillingPhone/

The NIA 12367 app for iOS and Android

The NIA 12367 mini-program inside WeChat or Alipay

The official arrival card QR code displayed at ports of entry

Online arrival card filling is free. Ignore lookalike websites that ask for a payment, because the NIA collects nothing for this service.

Photograph the data page of your passport and upload it; the system reads your name, passport number, date of birth and expiry date.
Check the extracted passport details and correct anything the system misread.
Choose your entry policy (30-day visa-free, 240-hour visa-free transit or visa) and enter the visa number if you hold one.
Add your contact details and travel information: mode of transport, arrival flight, train or vessel number, entry city and port.
Enter your itinerary and accommodation: purpose of entry, arrival date, main destination city and the full address of your hotel or host.
Sign the declaration, submit the form and save the QR code to your phone; emailing a copy to yourself keeps it available offline.

Passport data page photo and passport expiry date

Flight, train or vessel number and the port you will enter through

Phone number with international dialling code and an email address

Full accommodation address, including province, city, district, street and building number

Visa number, or the visa-free policy you are entering under

You can still complete the arrival card after landing. Ports provide self-service devices, QR codes to scan with your phone, and paper arrival cards at the immigration counters. Allow extra time if you complete it on arrival, especially during public holidays.

There is no fixed rule on how early you submit the card, but the details you enter must match your actual trip.

Timing: submit the form any time before you travel. Most travellers finish it within 72 hours of arrival, once the flight and hotel details are confirmed.

Validity: one card per entry, so leaving and re-entering mainland China means a new submission.

Editing: submitted forms cannot be changed, so start a new form if you spot a mistake.

Cost: free on every official channel.

Time needed: budget 10 to 15 minutes with your passport and booking confirmation nearby.

On arrival, the QR code on your phone does the work of the old paper card at the immigration counter.

Follow the signs for foreigner entry and join the immigration queue.
Present your passport and the arrival card QR code to the officer.
Complete the identity check and fingerprint collection if it is requested.
Collect your luggage from the belt shown for your flight.
Use the green channel if you have nothing to declare, or the red channel if you do.

Land, rail and sea arrivals use the same online card. If you cross at Luohu, Futian or another Shenzhen land port, select Shenzhen as the entry city and walking as your mode of transport rather than arriving by air. Cruise passengers who return on the same ship do not need a card. For onward travel, see our guide to getting around China.

Destination

Shenzhen

China

The arrival card is required whichever entry policy you use. The policy you pick in the form should match your passport and your ticket.

30-day visa-free: Singapore passport holders and travellers from other countries covered by China's visa exemption arrangements, staying up to 30 days for tourism, business or family visits.

240-hour visa-free transit: passport holders from 57 countries, including Singapore, transiting to a third country or region and entering through one of the designated ports.

Visa: travellers who do not qualify for visa-free entry, or who plan to stay longer than the visa-free limits.

240-hour transit passengers must hold an onward ticket to a third country or region and leave within 240 hours. A return trip to the country you departed from does not qualify. If you are still planning the rest of the trip, start with our guide to travelling to China from Singapore.

The arrival card is not the only formality once you land; your accommodation must also be registered with the local public security bureau.

Hotels and licensed guesthouses register foreign guests for you, so bring your passport to check-in.

If you stay with friends or family in a private home, register your address at the local police station within 24 hours of arrival.

Carry your passport or a photo of it inside China; it is needed for hotel check-in, train travel and ticket collection.

Keep the arrival card QR code offline: a screenshot in your photo album works when your phone has no data.

Save China's immigration hotline, 12367, in case you need to confirm an entry or visa question.

Choosing accommodation near the port you arrive through shortens the first day. Our guide to choosing a hotel in China compares the main areas, and once your entry is sorted, see the places to visit in China for itinerary ideas.

Most travellers begin in one of these three gateway cities:

Destination

Shanghai

China

Destination

Beijing

China

Destination

Guangzhou

China

Yes. Nearly every foreign traveller entering mainland China must complete the card, unless they belong to one of the seven exempt groups listed above.

Only through official NIA channels: the NIA website, the NIA 12367 app, the WeChat or Alipay mini-program, or the QR code at the port. The service is free of charge.

Only if your nationality requires one. The arrival card is an entry declaration and does not replace a visa, a residence permit or a visa-free arrangement.

Complete it on arrival using the self-service devices, the port QR code or a paper card at the immigration counter.