Foreign travellers can fill in China’s arrival card online before they travel, from 20 November 2025, through the National Immigration Administration (NIA) website, the “NIA 12367” app or a WeChat or Alipay mini-program. If you do not fill it in beforehand, you can complete it at the immigration area by QR code, an on-site device or a paper card.
LiveEntry rules change. See the visa-free entry rules, checked 9 November 2026 →
Where do you fill in the arrival card?
Three Chinese embassy and Foreign Ministry office notices, dated 28 November to 3 December 2025, give the same rule. From 20 November 2025, foreign nationals may fill in their entry information online before they travel to the mainland.
The official channels named are the NIA website and government service platform, the “NIA 12367” app, and a WeChat or Alipay mini-program, or scanning a QR code with a phone. The web address in two of the notices is s.nia.gov.cn/ArrivalCardFillingPC/. One notice also gives the telephone number +86-10-12367.
Only use the official channels. We link the notices below so you can check the address yourself.
What if you do not fill it in before you fly?
The notices say foreigners who cannot fill it in beforehand can complete it at the immigration inspection area. The options are scanning a QR code with a phone, using an on-site smart device, or filling in a paper arrival card. None of the notices mentions a penalty.
Who is exempt?
All three notices list the same seven groups.
| # | Exempt group |
|---|---|
| 1 | Holders of a Foreign Permanent Resident ID Card of the PRC |
| 2 | Holders of a Mainland Travel Permit for Hong Kong and Macao Residents (non-Chinese nationals) |
| 3 | Holders of a group visa, or those eligible for group visa-free entry |
| 4 | People in direct transit within 24 hours who do not leave the port’s restricted area |
| 5 | Cruise passengers entering and leaving on the same vessel |
| 6 | Travellers entering through fast-track lanes |
| 7 | Foreign crew members of cross-border transport vehicles |
The 240-hour transit notice of 3 November 2025 also asks transit travellers to fill in the arrival card, and says it can be filled in online.
What the notices do not say
The notices we read do not say how many days before arrival you may submit, what fields the form has, or whether there is a fee. We leave those out rather than guess. If you book with us, we check the current form with you before you fly.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to fill in China’s arrival card online?
The notices say foreigners “may” fill it in online before travel, from 20 November 2025. If you do not, you can complete it at the immigration inspection area.
Where is the official China arrival card website?
s.nia.gov.cn/ArrivalCardFillingPC/ is the address in the Chinese Embassy and Foreign Ministry office notices. The same notices name the NIA 12367 app and a WeChat or Alipay mini-program.
Can I fill in the arrival card at the airport?
Yes. Scan a QR code, use an on-site smart device or fill in a paper card, according to the notices.
Who does not need the China arrival card?
Seven groups, including permanent resident ID holders, group-visa holders, direct transit within 24 hours, same-vessel cruise passengers and foreign crew.
When did the online arrival card start?
20 November 2025.
Does the arrival card replace a visa?
No. The notices cover the arrival card only. Visa and visa-free rules are on our entry-rules pages.
Sources
Facts on this page were checked on 9 November 2026 against these sources, from official pages where they exist and from the Wikipedia articles named in the list. Hours, prices and access change; we confirm them again before every trip.
- Chinese Embassy: Notice on the Online Filling of China’s Arrival Card, 29 Nov 2025 (read 2026-11-09)
- Chinese Embassy: Guidelines for Online Completion of the Arrival Card, 28 Nov 2025 (read 2026-11-09)
- Commissioner’s Office of China’s Foreign Ministry in Hong Kong: Notice on online filling of arrival cards, 3 Dec 2025 (read 2026-11-09)
- National Immigration Administration: Announcement on implementing 10 new measures, 3 Nov 2025 (read 2026-11-09)
