10d $4,160 丝绸之路精华之旅：从西安到喀什10日游 
4d $970 深度北京 — 长城与故宫，轻松游 
12d $3,120 真实中国：12日小团探险之旅 
18d $5,840 经典中国与云南：从北京到香格里拉和上海的18天之旅 
13d $3,640 免签中国之旅：13天，从北京到香港 China Arrival Card: Do You Need It and How to Fill It In 2026?
Yes — most foreign travelers entering mainland China must now complete the China arrival card, including visa-free arrivals, unless you fall into one of seven exempt categories. Since 20 November 2025 you can file it free online in advance, and paper forms remain available at the airport. This guide walks you through it.
China's National Immigration Administration (NIA) launched an online (digital) arrival card on 20 November 2025, replacing the old paper-only flow for most travelers. Because the system is only months old, a lot of the screenshots and walkthroughs floating around online are already out of date — so this page is built to be current: a dated, officially sourced walkthrough that answers the four things you actually need to know. (1) Whether you even need the card. (2) How to fill the free official form in advance. (3) What really happens when you land — yes, including fingerprints. (4) What you can bring through customs. One trust note up front: the official form is free. Any site charging a "service fee" to file it is a third-party look-alike.
Rules on a brand-new system change fast. Everything below reflects our check on 2026-07-03 — always confirm the current requirements on the official NIA portal before you fly.
Key Takeaways
- Most foreign visitors need the arrival card — visa-free included. There are seven exempt groups (permanent-resident ID holders, certain transit and group-visa travelers, and a few others). If you're a foreign tourist and not in one of them, you need it. - The official form is free. File it at the NIA site or the WeChat/Alipay mini-program within about 72 hours before arrival. Ignore paid "arrival card service" ads. - Filing in advance is encouraged, not mandatory. If your flight Wi-Fi fails, airport QR kiosks and paper forms are still available — you won't be turned away. - Fingerprints are collected at the border from travelers aged 14–70 (per the National Immigration Administration (NIA), verified 2026-07); children under 14 and travelers over 70 skip the kiosk. This is separate from any visa-application fingerprint rule. - Jet bridge to arrivals hall usually takes 30–60 minutes: arrival-card check, fingerprint kiosks, immigration counter with a face photo, baggage claim, then the green or red customs channel. - Most tourists walk the green customs channel with nothing to declare. Use the red channel if you exceed duty-free limits or carry cash over USD 5,000 / RMB 20,000. - The arrival card is not a visa. It's a declaration form; you still need a valid visa or to qualify for visa-free entry. - Verify before you travel. This page was last reviewed 2026-07-03; confirm every procedural detail on the official NIA and China Customs portals before departure.
—
Do You Need to Fill In the China Arrival Card?
Effective 20 November 2025, most foreign travelers entering mainland China must complete the arrival card — including visa-free arrivals — with seven exempt categories. If you're a foreign tourist and you're not in one of the seven, yes, you need it. That's the short answer; the table below shows exactly where you fall.
| Your situation | Do you need it? | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| Foreign tourist on a tourist or business visa | ✅ Yes | NIA notice — required for all except the seven exempt groups |
| Visa-free entry (unilateral or mutual visa-free schemes) | ✅ Yes (visa-free ≠ card-free) | NIA notice — visa-free travelers must still file |
| Holder of a China Foreign Permanent Resident ID Card | ❌ Exempt | One of the seven exempt categories |
| Holder of a Mainland Travel Permit (non-Chinese-national HK/Macau) | ❌ Exempt | One of the seven exempt categories |
| Entering on a group visa / qualifying group visa-free arrangement | ❌ Exempt | One of the seven exempt categories |
| Direct transit under 24 hours, staying inside the port-restricted zone | ❌ Exempt | One of the seven exempt categories (see transit caveat) |
| Cruise passenger arriving and leaving on the same ship | ❌ Exempt | One of the seven exempt categories |
| E-Channel / fast-track registered traveler | ❌ Exempt | One of the seven exempt categories |
| Foreign flight, ship or train crew | ❌ Exempt | One of the seven exempt categories |
To state the seven exempt categories plainly, per the NIA and Chinese embassy notices effective 20 November 2025 (last verified 2026-07-03): (1) foreign permanent-resident ID-card holders; (2) non-Chinese-national holders of the Mainland Travel Permit; (3) travelers entering on a group visa or qualifying group visa-free scheme; (4) direct-transit travelers who stay under 24 hours without leaving the port-restricted zone; (5) passengers arriving and departing on the same cruise ship; (6) E-Channel/fast-track registered travelers; and (7) foreign transport crew. Everyone else — including visa-free tourists — needs the card.
One trap worth flagging: transit does not automatically mean exempt. Only a genuine direct transit — under 24 hours, without leaving the port-restricted zone — skips the card. The moment you clear immigration to spend a night in the city, or use a longer transit-visa-free window to sightsee, you are no longer in that exempt category and the card applies. If your trip involves transit, confirm how it interacts with the arrival card, and see our China transit visa guide for the 24/72/144-hour rules. As always, the exempt list can be revised — reconfirm your specific category on the official NIA portal before you fly.
How Do You Fill In the China Arrival Card Online?
Fill the free official form within about 72 hours before arrival at the NIA website or its WeChat/Alipay mini-program: upload your passport data page, enter your trip and accommodation details, submit, and save the QR code that immigration scans on landing. Here's where, when, and how.
Where and when to file (last verified 2026-07-03):
- The only official, free channels: the NIA online arrival-card page at s.nia.gov.cn (a desktop version and a mobile version), the "NIA 12367" app, or the WeChat / Alipay mini-program — you can also scan the official QR code at the airport. - Timing window: file within about 72 hours (3 days) before arrival. - Advance filing is encouraged, not mandatory: anyone who can't file ahead can complete it at the port using an online kiosk, a scan point, or a paper form. - It's free: the official arrival card costs nothing. Any website charging a fee is a third-party service that simply fills in the free official form for you.
Then follow these steps:
1. Open the official NIA arrival-card page (desktop or mobile) or the WeChat/Alipay mini-program. Confirm you are on the official nia.gov.cn domain before entering anything — the URL path can change, so cross-check it against the NIA portal. 2. Photograph and upload your passport data page. OCR auto-fills your name, passport number, nationality, and date of birth — verify each field character by character, because OCR frequently mis-reads names and passport numbers. 3. Enter your trip details: purpose of visit (tourism, business, family, or transit), flight number, arrival date, and your first destination city plus your address in China (usually your hotel). 4. Review every field and submit. There is no separate health/quarantine form to fill: China abolished the routine entry health declaration on 1 November 2023 (per China Customs), so in normal periods the arrival card's immigration fields are all you complete. 5. Save and screenshot the generated QR code. The immigration counter scans this when you land, so keep it in your photo album, not just in the browser tab. 6. If your flight Wi-Fi fails, use the airport QR kiosks or a paper form on arrival. You are not locked out — you'll just spend a little longer in line.
A practical tip from recent client arrivals: screenshot, don't just submit. A "submission successful" page is not the same as having the code in your hand at the counter. Save both the QR code and your passport data page to your phone so you can show them even with no signal. And remember that each traveler needs their own card, including children — a parent can complete a child's card, but one card does not cover a whole family (one card per traveler, per the NIA).
What Happens When You Land: China Arrival Walkthrough
From the jet bridge to the arrivals hall usually takes 30–60 minutes: (1) an arrival-card check, (2) fingerprint kiosks, (3) the immigration counter with a face photo, (4) baggage claim, (5) the green or red customs channel, and (6) out to the arrivals hall. Screenshot your arrival-card QR code before you land — plane Wi-Fi is unreliable. Here is the full sequence.
1. Off the plane → arrival-card check. Follow the "Arrivals / International" signs. China abolished the routine entry health declaration on 1 November 2023 (per China Customs), so there is no health/quarantine form to fill in normal periods — most travelers walk straight toward immigration. Have your arrival-card QR code ready (screenshotted if you pre-filed, or prepare to fill it on the spot if not) and your passport in hand. Customs may still run necessary quarantine spot-checks, but there is no routine health declaration. 2. Fingerprint kiosks (before the counters). You scan your passport, place your fingers on the reader, and it's done in a few seconds. This is the border biometric collection, and it is separate from whether you were exempt from fingerprinting during your visa application. The border fingerprint band is 14–70 (per the NIA), so children under 14 and travelers over 70 skip this step. Common mistake: assuming a visa-application fingerprint waiver means you skip the kiosk on landing — it doesn't. 3. Immigration counter (Foreigners channel). The officer scans your passport and your arrival-card QR code, takes a face photo, occasionally re-checks a fingerprint, and may ask your purpose of visit or where you're staying. Keep your hotel address or itinerary handy. Common mistakes: joining the "Chinese citizens" line by accident, or not being able to say where you're spending your first night. 4. Baggage claim. Find your flight's carousel and collect checked bags. Keep any customs-relevant items — declarable goods, large amounts of cash — accessible rather than buried, in case you use the red channel. 5. Customs: green vs red channel. Nothing to declare → the green channel ("Nothing to Declare"). Carrying goods over the duty-free limits, or cash over the threshold → the red channel ("Goods to Declare"). Bags may be X-rayed. Full allowances are in the next section. Common mistake: walking the green channel while carrying cash over USD 5,000 / RMB 20,000. 6. Exit to the arrivals hall. You're through. From here you'll head to transport, a SIM card, currency, or accommodation registration.
Two honest notes on that last step. First, accommodation registration: hotels register your stay automatically, but if you're staying in a private home or rental you must register with the local police station within 24 hours of arrival (per the NIA, verified 2026-07). Second, once you're in the hall you'll want connectivity and cash: buy an eSIM before you land for the smoothest start (there are also carrier counters in the arrivals hall — see our China eSIM and SIM card guide), use an airport ATM for renminbi, and note that mobile payment (Alipay / WeChat Pay, both of which now support linking foreign cards) is the everyday default. If you're landing at Shanghai Pudong, our Shanghai Pudong Airport arrival guide covers the terminal-specific walk from gate to ground transport.
Is Fingerprinting Required at Chinese Airports?
Yes — Chinese border control collects fingerprints from arriving foreign travelers aged 14–70, with children under 14 and travelers over 70 exempt (per the NIA, verified 2026-07). The kiosks sit just before the immigration counters: you scan your passport, place your fingers on the reader, and it takes a few seconds. At the counter itself the officer also takes a face photo and may re-scan a fingerprint.
Two clarifications matter here, because they're easy to conflate. First, this border fingerprinting is a long-standing practice for entry, and is different from any temporary waiver of fingerprints at the visa-application stage — the two happen at completely different points in your journey, and a visa-application waiver does not exempt you at the border. Second, the border-fingerprint age band is 14–70 (per the NIA, verified 2026-07): children under 14 and travelers over 70 are not fingerprinted. For families and multi-generational groups, it helps to explain in advance who will and won't be fingerprinted so no one is caught off guard at the kiosk.
What Do You Need to Declare at China Customs?
Most tourists walk the green channel with nothing to declare. Use the red channel only if you exceed the duty-free limits or carry cash over USD 5,000 / RMB 20,000. The table below shows the headline allowances, per adult, per entry.
| Item | Duty-free allowance (per adult, per entry) | Declare if over |
|---|---|---|
| Cigarettes / tobacco | 400 cigarettes (or 100 cigars / 500g tobacco) | above the limit → red channel |
| Alcohol (≥12% ABV) | 1,500 ml | above the limit → red channel |
| Cash / currency | — | foreign currency over USD 5,000 equivalent, or RMB 20,000 → red channel |
| Personal electronics / valuables | reasonable personal-use quantity | commercial quantities / high-value new goods → red channel |
Two cash thresholds to get right (per China Customs, verified 2026-07): foreign currency over the USD 5,000 equivalent must be declared, and carrying more than RMB 20,000 in cash must be declared as well. Note that RMB 20,000 is a declaration threshold, not a hard cap on how much renminbi you may bring in — but very large sums may require you to show proof of a legitimate source, so keep documentation handy.
Beyond the allowances, some categories are prohibited or restricted — fresh produce, meat products, certain medicines, and in some cases drones or GPS equipment. The figures here reflect China Customs rules (per the General Administration of Customs, verified 2026-07); because allowances can change, reconfirm them on english.customs.gov.cn before you fly. And when you're genuinely unsure about cash, a watch, or high-value electronics, take the red channel — voluntarily declaring is quick and almost never penalized, whereas being caught over the limit in the green channel is the problem you want to avoid.
When Should You Fill It Out — and Is Paper Still Accepted?
File online within about 72 hours before arrival for the smoothest entry, but advance filing is encouraged, not legally mandatory — paper forms and airport QR kiosks remain available for anyone who can't file ahead or whose flight Wi-Fi fails. In other words, don't panic if you didn't do it before boarding.
A few common worries, answered:
- Didn't file at all? Complete it at the port — there are online kiosks and scan points before you reach the immigration counter, and paper forms remain available during the rollout. You'll just add roughly 20–30 minutes of queueing. - Filed too early (more than 72 hours out)? Filing again closer to arrival is the safer move; confirm the current re-filing guidance on the NIA portal. - Traveling as a family? Each traveler needs their own card, including children, and a parent can complete a child's. - Worried it's replacing your visa? It isn't. The arrival card is a declaration form — it does not grant entry on its own, and you still need a valid visa or to qualify for visa-free entry.
Because this is a new system, the interface and screenshots you see in older guides may not match what you'll actually see — trust the current official NIA page over any third-party walkthrough, including this one, and reconfirm before departure.
What Are China's Entry Requirements for 2026?
For a 2026 trip you generally need three things: a passport valid for your stay, a valid Chinese visa or eligibility under a visa-free or transit-visa-free scheme, and — for most travelers — a completed arrival card. The arrival card sits on top of your visa status; it doesn't replace it.
Put simply, the order of operations is: confirm your visa or visa-free eligibility first (this is what actually authorizes entry), then handle the arrival card as the declaration step, then clear immigration and customs as walked through above. Which visa route applies depends on your nationality, trip length, and whether you're transiting — the transit-visa-free schemes in particular have specific city, duration, and onward-ticket conditions, which we cover in the China transit visa guide. Entry policy is exactly the kind of thing that shifts, and this is a YMYL topic where getting it wrong has real consequences, so treat this section as orientation and confirm your specific requirements with an official source — the NIA portal and your nearest Chinese embassy or consulate — before you book and again before you fly.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to fill in the China arrival card? Most foreign travelers do, including visa-free arrivals, effective 20 November 2025. Seven groups are exempt — such as permanent-resident ID holders and genuine under-24-hour direct-transit passengers. If you're a foreign tourist and not in an exempt group, you need it. Confirm your category on the official NIA portal.
How do I fill out the China arrival card online? Open the free official NIA page at s.nia.gov.cn or the WeChat/Alipay mini-program within about 72 hours of arrival. Upload your passport data page, verify the auto-filled details, add your trip and hotel information, submit, and save the QR code. Screenshot it — immigration scans it on landing.
Is the China arrival card free? Yes. The official arrival card costs nothing through the NIA website, app, or the WeChat/Alipay mini-program. Any website charging a "service" or "expedite" fee is a third-party look-alike that simply fills in the free official form for you. Use only the official NIA channels.
Is fingerprinting required at Chinese airports? Yes, for most arriving foreign travelers. Kiosks just before the immigration counters scan your passport and fingerprints in seconds, and the counter also takes a face photo. Children under 14 and travelers over 70 skip fingerprinting — the border fingerprint band is 14–70 (per the NIA, verified 2026-07).
What do I need to declare at China customs? Declare anything over the duty-free limits — 400 cigarettes, 1,500 ml of alcohol at 12% ABV or higher — and foreign currency over the USD 5,000 equivalent or RMB 20,000. If you're within the limits, walk the green channel; if not, use the red channel. Verify current allowances on english.customs.gov.cn.
What are China's entry requirements for tourists in 2026? Generally a passport valid for your stay, a valid visa or eligibility under a visa-free or transit-visa-free scheme, and a completed arrival card for most travelers. The card doesn't replace your visa. Confirm your specific requirements with the NIA portal and your nearest Chinese embassy before you travel.
Can I still fill it out at the airport or on paper? Yes. Advance online filing is encouraged but not mandatory. If you can't file ahead or your flight Wi-Fi fails, airport online kiosks, scan points, and paper forms remain available before the immigration counter. You won't be turned away — expect only a little extra queueing time.
Does the arrival card replace my visa? No. The arrival card is a declaration form, not an entry permit. It does not grant you the right to enter China on its own. You still need a valid Chinese visa or must qualify for a visa-free or transit-visa-free scheme; the card is completed in addition to that.
Arriving With Confidence
Two things make China's new arrival process straightforward. First, fill the free official form in advance — within about 72 hours of arrival, on the NIA site or the WeChat/Alipay mini-program, and screenshot the QR code. Second, know the plane-to-exit steps: arrival-card check, fingerprints, the immigration counter and face photo, baggage, then the green or red customs channel, in 30–60 minutes. And remember the one rule that protects you: the official form is free, so ignore any site that charges for it.
Because the digital arrival card only went live on 20 November 2025, details are still settling. Everything here reflects our check on 2026-07-03 — confirm the current requirements on the official NIA and China Customs portals before you fly. If you'd rather not manage the details alone, LyrikTrip's private, family-focused China trips include a one-designer arrival briefing, so families traveling with children and older parents — the groups most likely to be fingerprint-exempt — know exactly what to expect the moment they step off the plane.
