China Arrival Card: How to Fill It In Online or on Paper

01Official website and fees

Official online form: Open the NIA Arrival Card service. Choose English, then Entry Declaration. Before uploading your passport, check that the address belongs to s.nia.gov.cn.

Want help? HONGKONGGO provides complimentary arrival-card assistance for customers who book a car with us. For other customers, the fee is US$10 per traveler, per entry. This is an optional assistance fee; the official arrival card itself is free.

02The essentials at a glance

The official form and paper alternative are confirmed by the NIA; the receipt options are shown in its illustrated filling guide, republished by Beijing.

03Who needs a China Arrival Card?

An ordinary foreign visitor entering mainland China should expect to complete an arrival card unless an exemption applies. Traveling visa-free does not, by itself, mean you are exempt from the arrival card. The current NIA form lists these exemptions:

1. Holders of a valid Foreign Permanent Resident ID Card of the People's Republic of China.
2. Holders of a valid Mainland Travel Permit for Hong Kong and Macao Residents (Non-Chinese).
3. Travelers in direct transit within 24 hours who remain inside the restricted area of the port.
4. Members of qualifying visa-free foreign tourist groups or groups holding a group visa.
5. Foreign crew, drivers and other employees of international transport vehicles.
6. Cruise passengers entering and returning on the same cruise ship.
7. Individuals eligible for the special arrangement for centralized submission of entry and exit documents.
8. Foreigners entering through an eligible E-channel.

These are specific eligibility categories. Traveling with family, sharing a car, holding a Hong Kong identity card, or seeing an automated gate at the airport does not automatically place you in one of them. Read the instructions on the live NIA form and ask immigration staff if your situation is unclear. The seven commonly listed exemptions also appear in the official illustrated guide.

Families and children

The NIA guide includes an option to help accompanying travelers fill in their information. Prepare each traveler's own passport and check each person's details and resulting record. A family holiday is not the same as entry under a qualifying group visa or group visa-free arrangement. Follow the system's instructions for the accompanying person and any signature or guardian requirements. Official filling guide

04Hong Kong, Macao and mainland China: choose the right process

The mainland application scope is set out by the MFA Commissioner's Office in Hong Kong. The separate local arrangements are explained by Hong Kong Immigration and Macao Public Security Police.

For a cross-border car booking: ask your operator to confirm the actual mainland entry checkpoint before completing the form. A final destination such as Guangzhou does not necessarily mean your immigration entry city is Guangzhou. Do not guess the checkpoint from the destination of the car journey.

05What to have ready

• Your travel document: use the passport or other eligible document with which you will enter China. Keep its data page clear and readable.
• Arrival details: date of mainland entry, transport mode, arrival flight/train/vessel number where applicable, entry city and entry port.
• Your entry basis: the applicable visa, entry permit or visa-free arrangement. Check eligibility separately before traveling.
• Your itinerary: cities you intend to visit and any requested transit-city information.
• Your address in China: the actual hotel or other accommodation, including the relevant province/city and address. Keep the booking confirmation available.
• Contact details: a working telephone number with the correct country code and an accessible email address.
• Inviter and departure details: provide these when they apply and when the form asks for them.
• Companions' documents: if using the accompanying-person option, prepare and check every person's information individually.

These correspond to the fields shown in the NIA's official illustrated guide, also available through the Shenzhen Port Office.

06How to fill in the China Arrival Card online

The steps below follow the live desktop entry screen and the NIA's illustrated mobile guide. The layout and conditional questions can differ between devices and entry categories. Use the labels and required fields shown during your own session.

Step 1 — Open the official service and choose Entry Declaration

Open the NIA Arrival Card service, select your language and choose Entry Declaration. The separate border-area-resident option is not the ordinary tourist route. Read the eligibility and accuracy instructions before agreeing to continue.

Other official channels include the NIA 12367 app and its WeChat and Alipay mini-programs. You do not need to buy a paid arrival card from a website that presents itself as the government service. NIA official-channel notice

Step 2 — Select your document type and upload its data page

For a standard ordinary passport, select the corresponding document type. Upload a clear image of the passport data page, with its edges and printed details visible. The desktop upload control checked for this guide accepts JPEG and PNG images; follow any additional file requirements displayed during your session.

Do not upload a visa page in place of the passport data page. If recognition fails, retake the image with less glare and ensure the text is readable. Live NIA service · Official illustrated guide

Step 3 — Check your identity and arrival details

Review the recognized name, passport number, nationality and date of birth against the document. Correct recognition errors before continuing. Pay particular attention to similar-looking characters such as O/0 and I/1, and keep the surname and given-name fields consistent with your passport.

Enter the transport and port for the journey on which you actually enter mainland China. If you fly to Hong Kong and then travel by car to Shenzhen, your mainland entry is the land crossing; the flight to Hong Kong is not your mainland arrival flight. If you clear immigration in Shanghai before a domestic connection to Guangzhou, use the Shanghai entry details. These examples illustrate how to interpret the official arrival fields; use your confirmed route. Official field guide

Step 4 — Complete personal and visa or entry-policy information

Enter the requested birthplace and contact details. Where the form asks about a valid visa or other entry permit, answer according to the document or entry basis you actually hold. Visa-free travelers should use the applicable visa-free option offered by the form; they should not invent a visa number.

Do not create a Chinese name or an inviter simply to fill a field. If a field does not apply, follow the available option and validation instructions. If you cannot resolve a required field truthfully, seek help from NIA or port staff. Official field guide

Step 5 — Enter your travel plans and accommodation

Select your actual purpose of entry, entry date, destination cities and accommodation details. Use a specific address or hotel identifiable from your reservation, rather than only a city name. Answer the questions about inviting entities or individuals according to your actual arrangements.

The official example shows a No option for a confirmed departure itinerary. This does not waive immigration conditions: if you are relying on a transit policy that requires a confirmed onward ticket, you must still meet that requirement. Official form example · NIA transit conditions

Step 6 — Add accompanying travelers if needed

Use the accompanying-person option when appropriate. Check each person's document, name, nationality and relationship information. Do not assume that adding one companion automatically covers everyone in your group. Review the individual information displayed before submission. Official filling guide

Step 7 — Review, sign and save the receipt

Read the declaration, check the information and complete the signature or confirmation requested by the system. The NIA guide shows a signature stage followed by a QR-code receipt, with options to download a PDF or send it by email.

Save a readable copy for use without mobile data and keep it with your travel documents. At immigration, present your passport and the arrival record when requested. A submitted record or QR code confirms the information submission; admission remains subject to immigration checks. Official illustrated guide · NIA form instructions

07Field-by-field help

Field names are taken from the official illustrated form. Not every field appears for every traveler; follow the live form's conditional questions.

08How to fill in a paper China Arrival Card

If you cannot use the online service, ask for a paper arrival card or assistance at the mainland arrival port. The NIA explicitly confirms that paper cards remain available. Do not rely on an unofficial claim that paper cards have been universally abolished. NIA notice

Use the version issued at your port and read both sides. Paper layouts can change. Common printed fields include your name, nationality, passport number, date of birth, visa details where applicable, arrival transport information, purpose of visit and address in China. The reverse may ask for further travel, inviter, departure or contact information.

Write clearly, copy document details carefully and sign where required. Do not force a visa number into a field if you are entering under a valid visa-free arrangement; ask the officer how to mark an inapplicable paper field. If you make a material error, request help or a fresh card instead of leaving conflicting information.

A paper card for temporary entry can look different from the ordinary arrival card. Historical photos of either version are useful for recognizing the document, but the form supplied by immigration staff and current instructions take precedence.

The scans below show a historical ordinary card. Its reverse includes departure arrangements, an inviter or contact, countries and regions visited during the previous two years, and a signature. Read the questions on the actual version issued to you; these scans are examples, not forms to submit.

09Transit passengers: an arrival card is not a transit permit

If you are in direct transit for no more than 24 hours and remain in the designated restricted area, the NIA lists an arrival-card exemption. If you need to leave that area, the NIA says a temporary entry permit must be obtained. The current online arrival-card instructions allow travelers using the relevant 24-hour or 240-hour transit arrangements to fill in information when they need to leave the port. NIA transit policy · NIA form instructions

For 240-hour visa-free transit, nationality, passport, entry port, onward journey, permitted area and length of stay all matter. The NIA requires an onward journey to a third country or region with a confirmed seat and departure date. Completing this arrival card does not replace that eligibility check or guarantee temporary entry. Check the current NIA transit policy against your complete route before booking.

10Mistakes, changes and technical problems

The record-management options appear in the official illustrated guide. The paper fallback and free official service are confirmed by NIA. For immigration questions, call 12367 in China; an official embassy notice gives +86-10-12367 for callers overseas.

11Other formalities the arrival card does not replace

Customs declarations. The arrival card is an immigration record. Goods requiring customs declaration must be handled under the separate customs rules and declaration channels. General Administration of Customs guide

Accommodation registration. Hotels handle the relevant accommodation registration for their foreign guests. Foreigners staying outside hotels must arrange registration themselves or through the host within 24 hours of arrival at the accommodation, as explained by the official guidance. Entering an address on the arrival card does not replace this requirement. State Council policy explanation

Visa and entry permission. An arrival-card QR code is not a visa, an approved extension of stay or a guaranteed right of admission. Your actual entry conditions still apply. NIA form instructions

12Frequently asked questions

Is the China Arrival Card free?

Yes. The NIA service is free. HONGKONGGO's optional assistance is complimentary for car-booking customers and costs US$10 per traveler, per entry for other customers. You can always complete the official form yourself. NIA fee notice

Do visa-free tourists still need it?

Usually yes, unless a specific arrival-card exemption applies. Individual visa-free travel is not, on its own, one of the listed exemptions. Official exemption list

How far in advance should I fill it in?

Complete it before travel once your entry details are sufficiently settled, using the dates accepted by the current form. The official sources checked for this guide do not establish a universal “within 72 hours” rule. If you cannot complete it in advance, the NIA describes on-site options. NIA notice

Must I print the QR code?

The official guide shows a digital receipt with PDF and email options; it does not state a universal requirement to print it. A readable offline copy is useful. Follow any instructions given by your carrier or port. Official guide

Can someone help me complete it?

The official guide includes an option to help accompanying travelers. HONGKONGGO also offers optional filling assistance. The traveler must still check the details and complete any declaration, signature or confirmation required by the official system. Official guide

Can I use one card for my whole family?

Do not assume so. The accompanying-person function collects individual details. Check that each traveler who needs a card has the appropriate record. A family traveling together does not automatically qualify for the group-visa exemption. Official guide

I am flying into Hong Kong, then taking a car to Shenzhen. What should I enter?

Use the details of your actual mainland land entry, including the confirmed checkpoint. Do not substitute Hong Kong International Airport for the mainland entry port. Hong Kong and mainland immigration procedures are separate. Mainland arrival-card notice from the MFA Commissioner's Office in Hong Kong

Can I reuse an old QR code on my next visit?

Do not assume a receipt from an earlier journey covers a new entry. The official guide describes reusing or editing information through an account. Check and complete the record for the new journey using current dates, route and passport details. Official guide

Does the card replace hotel registration or customs paperwork?

No. These are separate processes. Follow the relevant accommodation-registration guidance and customs guidance.

What if I arrive without completing it?

The NIA says you can use port-provided devices, scan the official QR code at the port or complete a paper arrival card. Allow time for this before joining the appropriate immigration queue. NIA notice

13China Arrival Card assistance from HONGKONGGO

We can help you understand the fields, organize the information for your journey and check the form with you before submission. You remain responsible for providing accurate information and completing any required declaration or signature.

For example, two non-booking travelers requesting help for one entry pay US$20. If one non-booking traveler requests assistance for two separate entries, the total is US$20.

The official NIA arrival card is free. Our fee covers optional assistance and is not a government charge. HONGKONGGO is an independent travel-service provider. Assistance does not include a visa, priority immigration clearance or a guarantee of admission.

Prefer to do it yourself? Use the free official NIA Arrival Card service.