How to fill in the China arrival card online: official link, five steps and every field

Official link and channels

The arrival card is free. Use only these official channels:

Open the official arrival card form

The National Immigration Administration has warned about look-alike websites that charge for the arrival card. If a site asks for payment, close it. The official page starts with s.nia.gov.cn.

Who must fill it in and who is exempt

Most foreigners entering mainland China fill it in, including visa-free travellers and visa holders. Travellers on 24-hour or 240-hour visa-free transit who leave the port also fill it in. The form notice lists eight groups who are exempt:

1. Holders of a valid Foreign Permanent Resident ID Card.
2. Holders of a valid Mainland Travel Permit for Hong Kong and Macao Residents (non-Chinese).
3. Passengers in 24-hour direct transit who stay inside the port restricted area.
4. Members of foreign tour groups entering visa-free as a group or on a group visa.
5. Foreign crew members, drivers and other staff of the transport vehicle.
6. Cruise passengers who enter and leave on the same ship.
7. People eligible for courtesy treatment with centralised document submission.
8. Foreigners entering through the e-channel (fast-track lanes).

Chinese citizens, including those with a Chinese passport, do not use this form. Holders of border resident certificates from the DPRK, Mongolia, Pakistan, Nepal, Myanmar, Laos and Vietnam use the separate “Entry Declaration for Border Area Residents” option on the same site.

How early can you fill it in?

On 2026-10-20 the Date of Entry picker on the official form accepted dates from today up to about three months ahead. The official notices do not set a minimum, so you can fill it in any time in that window, including on the day you travel.

• Best time: after your flight and first address in China are confirmed, usually a few days before departure.
• Departure date: once you choose an entry category such as visa-free transit, the form limits the departure date to the stay allowed by that policy.
• Not filled in before landing: scan the QR code in the arrival hall, use a self-service terminal or ask for a paper card. This can add time at the border.

Step-by-step: the five steps of the form

Open the form, choose Entry Declaration, read the instructions and select I AGREE. The form then shows five steps:

After you submit, the form shows the Entry Declaration Receipt for Foreigner. Download it or send it to your email and keep it on your phone.

What to have ready before you start

Passport (valid, the one you will travel with)
Visa page, if you hold a visa: visa type and visa number
Arrival flight / train / ship number and date
City and port of entry (for example Shanghai Pudong International Airport)
Cities you will visit, and the city where you stay longest
Hotel name and address, or host's address in China
Departure date and flight number (if known)
Inviting company or person in China, with contact details (if any)
Countries visited in the past two years
Phone number and an email you can open on arrival
Companions' passports, if you will file for them

Common mistakes

• Using a paid look-alike site instead of the free official form.
• Swapping Last Name and First Name, or adding names that are not on the passport.
• Choosing a visa-free entry category when your nationality or trip does not qualify, or choosing transit without an onward ticket to a third country.
• Purpose of Entry that does not match the visa, for example Work on an L tourist visa.
• Leaving the address blank or giving a city that is not on your itinerary.
• Departure date beyond the stay allowed by the policy you selected.
• Not saving the receipt, then filling the whole form again at the port.