How to Fill in China's Online Arrival Card in 2026

Use the official, free form

1. Open the NIA government form at https://s.nia.gov.cn/ArrivalCardFillingPC/ or reach it through the NIA government service portal. Check that the address ends in nia.gov.cn before entering passport details.
2. You may also use the NIA 12367 app or the official NIA mini program in WeChat or Alipay. Follow the fields and prompts in the current version of the service.
3. Submit the entry details and retain the confirmation or QR code shown. Keep a screenshot available offline alongside your passport and accommodation address.
4. NIA states the service is free. A lookalike website requesting an arrival-card processing fee is not the official form.

What to prepare before starting

• Have the passport you will use for entry, your flight or other arrival details, and the address of your first stay available.
• Enter names and document details as shown on your travel document. Check dates and the port of entry before submission.
• Keep the visa, visa-free basis or eligible transit documents for your route separately. An arrival card is an information form, not an entry permit.
• If the form asks a question that does not fit your situation, use the official instructions or NIA 12367 support instead of inventing an answer.

Who may be exempt

• NIA lists specific exemptions, including holders of a Chinese Foreign Permanent Resident ID Card, qualifying group entry, direct transit within 24 hours without leaving the port's restricted area, and entry through fast lanes.
• Other listed categories include certain cruise passengers, foreign transport staff, and holders of the Mainland Travel Permit for Hong Kong and Macao Residents (Non-Chinese Citizens).
• An ordinary tourist should not assume that visa-free entry also removes the arrival-card requirement. Check the NIA notice for the exact exemption.
• An airline or port officer may request travel or accommodation information even when a separate arrival card is not required.

If you cannot complete it online

• NIA says eligible travelers can fill it in after arrival at the immigration checkpoint using the official QR code, an on-site device, or a paper form.
• Allow extra time if you must complete the form at the airport; do not buy a tight onward connection on the assumption that pre-filling guarantees faster immigration.
• If a third-party page asks for payment, close it and use the NIA link above. Do not enter passport or payment information into an unverified site.
• If you submitted the wrong information or cannot access your confirmation, follow the official service's current correction instructions or ask staff at the port.

After the card: plan the first hour

• Keep the first hotel's Chinese address and your onward transfer plan on your phone and offline.
• Follow signs for immigration, baggage and customs. Use an official taxi queue, airport train, metro or a verified ride-hailing pickup.
• A hotel normally registers guests at check-in. A private or other non-hotel stay may require a separate accommodation-registration step; that is a different process from the arrival card.
• Use the airport arrival guide for mobile data, payment backups and the trip into the city.

• after the arrival card: immigration, customs and getting into the city: Fingerprints for ages 14 to 70, customs limits, then the metro, taxi queue or DiDi.