Quick answer
- Short answer: Since 20 November 2025, foreigners can fill in China's arrival card online before they travel. It is free. Use only the National Immigration Administration's (NIA) own channels:
- - the website https://s.nia.gov.cn/ArrivalCardFillingPC/ - the "NIA 12367" (移民局12367) app - the NIA 12367 WeChat or Alipay mini-program - the official QR code
- The NIA warns that fake websites are charging travellers fees (NIA, English; NIA, Chinese). If a site asks you to pay, it isn't the official one.
The official channels
| Channel | How to open it | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Website (computer) | https://s.nia.gov.cn/ArrivalCardFillingPC/ | NIA fraud warning |
| NIA government service platform | The arrival card section on s.nia.gov.cn | NIA form page |
| App | "NIA 12367" (移民局12367) | NIA |
| Mini-program | Search "移民局12367" in WeChat or Alipay | NIA |
| QR code | Printed on NIA and embassy notices and at ports | Chinese Embassy in Antigua and Barbuda |
| On arrival | Scan the QR code with your phone, use a smart device at the port, or fill in a paper card | NIA |
Shanghai's government FAQ lists the same channels (Shanghai gov). The NIA's own wording: online filling "is free of charge. Please access the service only through the aforementioned official channels or by scanning the QR code."
How to fill it in, step by step
NIA material, reposted by the Guangzhou Public Security Bureau, sums it up as "Select an option → Fill in the information → Submit". Then show the record to border control when you arrive (Guangzhou PSB). In more detail:
- Open an official channel. Type the address yourself, or use the app or mini-program. Don't click ads or search results that "look right".
- Pick your language. When we opened the site on 12 November 2026, it offered Chinese, English, Russian, French, Spanish, Arabic, Japanese, Korean, Lao, Mongolian, Burmese, Thai and Vietnamese.
- Choose "Entry Declaration" (入境填报). Read the filing notice and tick that you agree. Citizens of 7 neighbouring countries who hold border-resident certificates use a separate "border area residents" option (NIA form).
- Photograph your passport's data page when prompted. The form's notice says it uses this photo to fill in your document details (NIA form).
- Fill in your entry and trip details and check that everything matches your passport. The notice warns that leaving out or hiding information, or giving false information, can get you refused entry or transit.
- Submit and keep the record on your phone, then show it at the border.
The NIA has also published a video walkthrough (NIA, 22 Dec 2025).
When to fill it in: the NIA notices we read don't give a deadline or the earliest date you can submit. Fill it in once your flight and first address are fixed, and check the form for any date limits (check with embassy).
Who doesn't need to fill it in
Chinese embassies and the Beijing government list 7 exempt groups (Embassy in Antigua and Barbuda; Beijing gov):
- Holders of a valid Chinese Foreign Permanent Resident ID Card
- Non-Chinese holders of a valid Mainland Travel Permit for Hong Kong and Macao Residents
- Holders of a group visa, or people eligible for group visa-free entry
- Passengers in 24-hour direct transit who stay inside the port's restricted area
- Cruise passengers who enter and leave on the same ship
- Travellers using fast-track (e-channel) lanes
- Foreign crew of exit-entry transport
The form on s.nia.gov.cn lists an eighth group: people entitled to courtesy document checks (集中交验出入境证件礼遇) (NIA form).
The form also says that people on 24-hour or 240-hour transit who need to leave the port can use it. For transit, see our 240-hour visa-free transit guide.
How to recognise the official site (and spot fakes)
The NIA gives one official web address: https://s.nia.gov.cn/ArrivalCardFillingPC/ (NIA). Here's how to check you're on it.
| Check | Official | Warning sign |
|---|---|---|
| Domain | Ends in nia.gov.cn, here s.nia.gov.cn | Anything else, such as extra words before ".com" or a domain that only contains "nia" or "china" |
| Read the domain right to left | …nia.gov.cn/ then the path | "nia.gov.cn" followed by another dot and more text (e.g. nia.gov.cn.something.xyz). That is a different site |
| Price | Free | Any "service fee", "processing fee" or "express fee" |
| Payment page | None | Card form, PayPal or crypto |
| Where you found it | Typed by you, NIA app/mini-program, NIA or embassy QR code | A sponsored search ad or a link in an unsolicited message |
The NIA has not named specific fake sites on the pages we read, so neither do we.
If you've already paid a fake site: contact your card issuer about the charge, then fill in the real form on an official channel. A payment to a third party doesn't file anything with the NIA.
After you arrive
- Show your record at the border.
- Read the card's "Important Notes" about accommodation registration. The NIA points visitors there (NIA Q&A). Hotels register you; elsewhere, you or your host must do it within 24 hours. See hotel registration for foreigners.
- For the rest of your landing day, see the China arrival checklist.
FAQ
Is China's online arrival card free?
Yes. The NIA says online filling is free of charge and warns about fake websites that charge fees.
What is the official website for China's arrival card?
https://s.nia.gov.cn/ArrivalCardFillingPC/. You can also use the NIA 12367 app, the WeChat or Alipay mini-programs, or the official QR code.
Do I have to fill it in online before I fly?
No. If you can't do it in advance, you can fill it in at the port with your phone or a smart device there, or use a paper card.
Do visa-free and 240-hour transit travellers need an arrival card?
Yes, unless you're in an exempt group. The official form says transit travellers who leave the port can use it. 24-hour direct transit passengers who stay airside are exempt.
I paid a website for my China arrival card. Is it valid?
The official service is free, so a site that charged you isn't an official channel. Fill in the form on an official channel and talk to your card issuer about the charge.
Sources
- National Immigration Administration — c191530/content.html
- National Immigration Administration — c1755806/content.html
- s.nia.gov.cn — ArrivalCardFillingPC
- s.nia.gov.cn — arrival card/apply
- National Immigration Administration — c195170/content.html
- ag.china-embassy.gov.cn — 202512/t20251219 11776296.htm
- Beijing Municipal Government — 202511/t20251105 4259688.html
- Shanghai Municipal People's Government — 20261009/02af002d15e44c5a871fbbff6027e7d4.html
- gaj.gz.gov.cn — content/post 10726641.html
- National Immigration Administration — c183401/content.html
Last checked 12 November 2026. Rules and app menus change; if something's outdated, let us know.
Do you need a visa for China?
Pick your passport, entry city and dates. We check the 30-day visa-free list, 240-hour transit, mutual agreements and Hainan rules, using official data verified on 12 November 2026.