Arrival & Entry guide
China Arrival and Entry Preparation Guide
A 2026 China arrival and entry preparation guide covering passport, visa or visa-free basis, online arrival card, 12367, transit rules, hotels, and first-hour backups.
Entry decisions are made by carriers, border inspection authorities, and on-site officers under current rules. This guide is a preparation aid only.
Quick answer
Confirm entry basis, complete the free official arrival card when applicable, and keep documents offline.
Use this practical sequence to prepare, act, and recover if the normal plan does not work:
- Check visa, visa-free, or transit eligibility from official sources before booking final travel.
- Prepare passport, visa or entry-basis documents, onward tickets, and hotel address.
- Use official NIA channels for online arrival-card filling when applicable; do not pay unofficial websites.
- Save the QR code, hotel address, and first-night booking offline.
Applies to foreign travelers entering mainland china, travelers using visa, visa-free entry, or transit visa-free policy, travelers preparing airport, rail, or seaport arrival documents.
Key facts
Check visa, visa-free, or transit eligibility from official sources before booking final travel.
Use only official NIA channels or complete the card at the port if needed.
Show onward ticket and official policy details; apply for the proper visa if the route does not qualify.
Use offline PDFs, screenshots, and printed details for passport, visa, hotel, and onward travel.
Arrival and border processing often happen at airports.
Entry preparation applies before traveling to mainland China.
Step-by-step plan
- 01
Check visa, visa-free, or transit eligibility from official sources before booking final travel.
- 02
Prepare passport, visa or entry-basis documents, onward tickets, and hotel address.
- 03
Use official NIA channels for online arrival-card filling when applicable; do not pay unofficial websites.
- 04
Save the QR code, hotel address, and first-night booking offline.
- 05
Carry the passport used for bookings and entry throughout arrival day.
- 06
Know whether your itinerary requires accommodation registration after arrival.
- 07
Use 12367 or on-site immigration staff for official immigration questions, not social media rumors.
When the normal plan fails
A website asks for payment to submit an arrival card.
Use only official NIA channels or complete the card at the port if needed.
Your transit route is questioned.
Show onward ticket and official policy details; apply for the proper visa if the route does not qualify.
You cannot access documents at immigration or hotel.
Use offline PDFs, screenshots, and printed details for passport, visa, hotel, and onward travel.
Practical details
Source cross-check
This answer was checked against NIA: Beware of fraudulent websites for arrival card filling and NIA: Online filling of Arrival Card from November 20, 2025. A third source, NIA: China Immigration Service Hotline and English website, was used where the answer depends on implementation detail or traveler-facing handling. Additional support from U.S. Department of State: China travel advisory and entry guidance was kept when official rules and platform execution need to be separated. Where sources use different scope or dates, the guide follows the current official or most directly authoritative source and keeps platform or traveler-facing material as implementation context only.
Phrase cards
Arrival card
English
Ask where to complete the arrival card.
中文
您好，请问外国人入境卡在哪里填写或确认？
Hotel address
English
Show your first hotel address during arrival inspection.
中文
这是我在中国第一晚的酒店地址和预订信息。
Arrival help desk
English
Ask where to go after baggage or document trouble.
中文
您好，我的行李或入境材料遇到问题。请问应该去哪个服务柜台处理？
FAQ
- Is the online arrival card mandatory for everyone?
- NIA lists exemptions and still provides port-device or paper options for people who cannot complete online filling in advance. Check the current official category for your case.
- Is arrival-card filling free?
- Yes. NIA warns that the official online arrival-card filling service is free.
- Who can answer immigration questions?
- Use NIA 12367, official websites, carriers, or on-site immigration staff.
Sources and review policy
- NIA: Beware of fraudulent websites for arrival card fillingOfficial · checked Jun 28, 2026
- NIA: Online filling of Arrival Card from November 20, 2025Official · checked Jun 28, 2026
- NIA: China Immigration Service Hotline and English websiteOfficial · checked Jun 28, 2026
- U.S. Department of State: China travel advisory and entry guidanceOfficial · checked Jun 28, 2026
Visible guide facts must be supported by the page sources and rechecked before the next update date.
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