The arrival card is the one form every visitor fills in before landing in China. On a computer it takes a few minutes: the passport page does most of the typing, and at the end you save a QR code. This is the computer version; if you prefer your phone, use the Alipay guide.
Quick answers
Do I have to show the QR code at the border?
In our own experience nobody asked us to show it, but it is better to have it. Save it as a PDF and send it to your email so it is on your phone either way.
Does the arrival card cost anything?
No. The official card on the National Immigration Administration site is free. If a site asks you to pay, it is not the official one.
Can I do it on my phone instead of a computer?
Yes. The same card is inside Alipay as a mini program. There is a separate guide and video for that version.
What do I need to have ready?
Your passport, your flight number, where you will stay in China and the reason for the trip. The passport page fills most of the form for you.
Step by step
- 1
What is the China arrival card and is it free?
China's arrival card is filled in online before you land. The official page is on the National Immigration Administration site and it is free.
- 2
What do I need before I start?
Have your passport, your flight number, the address of where you are staying and your reason for travel next to you.
- 3
Where is the official arrival card website?
Go to the official page at s.nia.gov.cn. Use a computer with a camera or have a clear photo of your passport page ready to upload.
- 4
Upload your passport page and check what it filled in
Upload the photo page of your passport. The site reads it and fills in your name, passport number, nationality and dates. Check every field against your passport; type only what it did not recognise.
- 5
Fill in the basic and personal information
Confirm the basic details, then add the personal ones: contact details and anything the passport page could not supply.
- 6
Fill in the travel information: flight, address, reason
Flight number, where you will stay, how long, and why you are travelling. Use the address exactly as your booking shows it.
- 7
Sign and confirm the card
Sign on the screen and confirm. Read the summary once more before you submit.
- 8
Save the QR code as a PDF and email
The site offers a QR code, a PDF download and an email copy. Take all of them. Keep the PDF on your phone in case there is no signal at the airport.
Rules change. Everything here was checked on 2026-10-15 against the sources below. Before you fly, open the official page once more.
