How to fill in China's arrival card

Every foreigner entering mainland China fills in an arrival card. You can do it online for free before you travel, through the National Immigration Administration’s official channels, or on paper or by QR code when you land. It takes a few minutes either way if you have your passport, flight number and first hotel address to hand. For which entry route applies to you, see Visas and entry.

Where to fill in China’s arrival card

China’s arrival card is free, and the official online version is only available through National Immigration Administration (NIA) channels:

• The NIA website, s.nia.gov.cn.
• The “NIA 12367” app.
• The official NIA mini programs in WeChat or Alipay.

If you don’t fill it in before you fly, you can complete the arrival card in the immigration hall, by scanning a QR code, at a kiosk or on a paper card.

Check before you go: The online arrival card channels, how early you can submit, the exact fields and any exemptions can change. Check nia.gov.cn before you fly.

Fake arrival card websites: the official one is free

Look-alike websites charge a fee to “process” China’s arrival card or promise faster entry. The official arrival card costs nothing, and paying a third-party site gets you nothing extra. Use only the NIA channels above, check the web address before you type in your passport details, and never pay for the card.

What you need before filling in the arrival card

Have these ready before you start China’s arrival card:

• Your passport, for your name, passport number, nationality and date of birth.
• Your visa, if you have one, for the visa number. If you’re entering visa-free or on visa-free transit, know which; the visa checker tells you.
• Your arrival flight or train number.
• Your first address in China, usually your hotel’s name and address.
• A contact phone number or email, if the form asks for one.

Step by step: the fields on China’s arrival card

China’s arrival card typically asks for the following. Fill it in exactly as your passport shows.

1. Name: family name and given names as printed in your passport, in Latin letters. On paper, write in clear capital letters.
2. Sex.
3. Date of birth.
4. Nationality: the country that issued the passport you’re traveling on.
5. Passport number.
6. Visa or entry type: your visa number and where it was issued, or the visa-free route you’re using, such as 30-day visa-free entry or 240-hour visa-free transit.
7. Flight or train number: the one you’re arriving on, for example the flight number on your boarding pass.
8. Purpose of visit: for most visitors, tourism or sightseeing. Choose the one that matches your entry route; business or visiting family are separate options.
9. Address in China: your first hotel’s name and address. Writing it in Chinese characters is not required, but have the Chinese version on your phone.
10. Contact details: a phone number or email, if asked.
11. Signature, on the paper card.

Each traveler needs their own arrival card, including children. A parent can fill in a child’s card. When you submit online, save or screenshot the confirmation so you can show it if asked.

Check before you go: The fields, the options for visa-free and transit entry, and how an online submission is matched to your passport at the border can change. If an option doesn’t fit your situation, check nia.gov.cn or ask staff in the immigration hall.

At the border: what happens to your arrival card

1. In the immigration hall, fill in the card by QR code, at a kiosk or on paper if you didn’t do it online.
2. Join the right lane: the foreigners’ lane, or the transit lane if you’re using visa-free transit.
3. Fingerprints: most visitors aged 14 to 70 give fingerprints at a machine or at the desk.
4. The desk: hand over your passport, and your paper card if you used one. The officer may ask your purpose, length of stay, first hotel and onward plans. Answer as you did on the card.
5. Entry stamp: check it before you leave the desk.

See Arriving at a Chinese airport for what comes after immigration.

If something goes wrong with the arrival card

• Made a mistake online or your plans changed: the simplest fix is usually to fill in a new card in the immigration hall and tell the officer.
• Can’t load the online form: fill it in on arrival instead, on paper or by QR code in the immigration hall.
• Paid a website by mistake: contact your card issuer about the charge, and fill in the official card anyway.
• Unsure which entry type to choose: check Visas and entry or the visa checker. Immigration questions go to the 12367 hotline.