The China Arrival Card asks for your address in China: province, city, district and detailed address. Enter the province, city, district and detailed address from your booking confirmation. Start at s.nia.gov.cn.
This is an independent guide, not a government site or the National Immigration Administration (NIA). Check details on the NIA portal before you travel.
Who Fills In the Address Field
Foreign travellers to mainland china complete the card unless they belong to one of the groups below. If you’re unsure whether the card applies to your passport, see who needs to fill the China Arrival Card.
Seven groups skip the card:
- holders of a Foreign Permanent Resident ID Card
- foreigners with a Mainland Travel Permit for Hong Kong/Macau
- group travellers on a group visa or group visa-free entry
- transit passengers in a designated port zone
- cruise passengers entering and leaving on the same ship
- travellers in fast-track lanes
- foreign staff of entry-exit transport vehicles
File on the NIA portal from a PC (s.nia.gov.cn/ArrivalCardFillingPC) or phone (s.nia.gov.cn/ArrivalCardFillingPhone), in the “NIA 12367” app, or through WeChat and Alipay mini-programs.
Complete the card only on s.nia.gov.cn, in the NIA 12367 app, or in the WeChat and Alipay mini-programs. Once the card is generated, download it with “Download to Local” or send it to your email with “Send to Email”.
China Arrival Card Hotel Address Format Explained
Write the address from the largest unit to the smallest. A hotel name alone isn’t enough, so copy the full address from your booking voucher. The address sits in one of the later steps of the form, so it helps to review how to fill the China Arrival Card step by step before you begin.
Enter province, city and district
Start with the largest units
Enter the detailed address
Copy it from your booking voucher
China Arrival Card Hotel Address Format: Dropdown
Enter the province, city, district and detailed address from your booking confirmation.
Multi-City Trips, Hosts and Inviting Party
The card has one address field, and longer stays and stops have their own fields.
| Field | What you enter |
|---|---|
| Address in China | Province, city, district and detailed address. |
| Destination Cities in China | The city where you’ll stay longest |
| Cities of Transit in China | Planned transit cities. |
Answer the question “Do you have any inviting entities or inviters in China?” with Yes or No, depending on whether someone in China invites you.
Common Mistakes and Police Registration
- Enter the province first, then the city, district and detailed address.
False information in visa and border procedures may lead to an entry ban of up to five years.
Police registration must be completed within 24 hours; the fine for missing it can reach 2000 RMB. Writing your hotel address on the arrival card does not replace this, and you can read more in our comparison of China Arrival Card vs police PSB registration.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
What is the postal code for an address in China on the arrival card?
The 100006 code that appears online is the postcode of the NIA headquarters in Beijing, not an example for a hotel, so don’t copy it into your entry.
What if my hotel is not in the dropdown list?
Enter the province, city, district and detailed address from your booking confirmation.
Which hotel do I use for the china arrival card hotel address format on a multi-city trip?
Enter your accommodation’s province, city, district and detailed address in the address field. Enter your longest-stay city under Destination Cities in China, and planned transit cities under Cities of Transit in China.
Where can I fill in the China arrival card online?
Start at s.nia.gov.cn, the NIA site, which lists arrival card filing, accommodation registration and visa information. The form has five steps, starting with a photo of your passport’s identity page, and a sixth step where you receive the card with a QR code.
Should I answer Yes to inviting entities as an independent tourist?
Answer the question “Do you have any inviting entities or inviters in China?” with Yes or No, depending on whether someone in China invites you.
Can I enter a friend’s flat or private apartment instead of a hotel?
You can enter a private address instead of a hotel. Enter the province, city, district and detailed address of where you will stay.
Does writing the hotel address on the card replace hotel registration with the police?
Police registration must be completed within 24 hours. The NIA portal also lists an accommodation registration service (住宿登记).
What is the correct china arrival card hotel address format for visa-free transit?
Enter your accommodation’s province, city, district and detailed address. Without a visa, choose the matching entry policy on the form, such as the 30-day visa waiver or 24/240-hour visa-free transit. Check the permitted stay on the NIA portal.
Sources and Further Reading
- National Immigration Administration, 国家移民管理局政务服务平台 (s.nia.gov.cn): arrival card filing pages and the services menu.
- VisasNews, 20.11.2025: arrival card form fields and filing steps.
- China Neighbor (2026 update): accommodation registration and fines.
Rules may change, so check the portal before you travel.
