Knowing how to fill China arrival card step by step comes down to four blocks: passport biodata, travel details, address and purpose of visit, then submission. Get them right and the form generates your border clearance QR code. Start at https://s.nia.gov.cn/ArrivalCardFillingPC/.
This is an independent guide for travellers heading to mainland China, including those flying from Singapore. It isn’t a government site, and it doesn’t submit anything for you. Check details and dates on the portal and in the visaforchina.cn notice before you travel. Both are external sources.
Who Needs the China Arrival Card?
Most foreign travellers entering mainland China fill in an arrival card, unless they fall under one of seven exemption groups.
The National Immigration Administration (NIA) issues the card. Online filling launched on 20 November 2025, according to the visaforchina.cn notice. A paper form is handed out on planes or on arrival, and the 2025 notice describes it as temporary during the initial rollout, so check its current status.
Wondering whether you’re exempt? Look for yourself in this list:
- Holders of a Foreign Permanent Resident ID Card of the PRC
- Non-Chinese holders of a Mainland Travel Permit for HK/Macao Residents
- Group visa holders, or those eligible for group visa-free entry
- Direct transit within 24 hours without leaving the restricted area
- Cruise passengers entering and exiting on the same ship
- Fast-track or fast-lane entry
- Foreign employees or crew of cross-border transport vehicles
Where and When to Submit
You can fill it in before you arrive or at the port. If you want to fill China arrival card step by step without queue pressure, do it at home before you fly — our guide on when to submit the card explains the filing window for Singapore travellers.
On arrival, the notice lists self-service kiosks or smart devices, a QR scan at the port, and the paper form. These are the online channels:
- PC browser: s.nia.gov.cn/ArrivalCardFillingPC/
- The NIA 12367 app (also known as Immigration Bureau 12367)
- The WeChat mini-program
- The Alipay mini-program
- A QR code scan on your phone
- The Government Service Platform
Some third-party sites charge for help with the form. The NIA channels are listed in the notice — if you’re unsure, read how to avoid paying for the China arrival card online.
What to Prepare Before You Start
Have these things ready before you open the form:
- Your passport, with its identity page ready to photograph
- Your visa number if you hold a visa, or your entry policy if you enter under a waiver
- Your hotel or apartment name, district and city, copied from the booking confirmation
- Your flight, train or vessel number, arrival date and port of entry
- Your own phone number with country code (+65 for Singapore) and your email
Keep the booking confirmation and e-ticket open in a second tab. The final submission still happens on the NIA form.
Step 1: Passport Upload and Biodata
How to fill China arrival card step by step starts with the passport upload: you photograph the identity page and the form reads it for you. If the scan won’t upload or the OCR misreads your data, see the passport biodata page upload specifications.
Upload your passport page
Upload a clear photo of your passport’s identity page.
Check the auto-filled fields
Compare every auto-filled field with your passport.
Choose the ID type
Choose Ordinary Passport under Type of ID Document if you hold a standard passport.
Add contact details
Enter your Contact Number with its international calling code, then your email.
The form asks for Last Name, First Name, Gender, Date of Birth, Country/Region of Citizenship, Type of ID Document and ID Number. Chinese Name is optional. The form also asks for your Country/Region of Birth and City of Birth. Type your name as the MRZ shows it.
The system fills part of your passport data automatically. Check every field against your passport and correct it.
Step 2: Travel Details, Address and Itinerary
This step ties the card to your actual arrival, so type each item from your ticket.
Choose the Entry Transportation Mode
Plane, train, vessel, car, on foot, or car and on foot.
Enter the Arrival Flight/Train/Vessel Number
Type it exactly as your ticket shows it.
Enter your expected date of entry
Match the format shown and check it against your ticket.
Pick the City of Entry
Such as Beijing, Shanghai or Guangzhou.
Pick the Port of Entry
Airport, railway station or port.
Fill the Address in China
From province or municipality, city, district, then the detailed address.
Booking sites show one flat address line, so split it up. Enter each address level as your booking shows it, from province or municipality down to the detailed address. For hotel, host and multi-city examples, see our China arrival card hotel address format guide.
Step 3: Purpose, Entry Policy and Declaration
The form asks whether you hold a valid visa or entry permit, and your answer decides the next field. Match your situation here:
| Your situation | What you enter |
|---|---|
| You hold a valid visa | Select Yes, then type the Visa Number. |
| You enter under a visa waiver or visa-free transit | Select No, then pick the matching policy under Entry Policy Selection. |
Choose the policy that matches your nationality and entry, and confirm eligibility on the NIA or embassy page first.
Then complete these fields:
- Purpose of entry: Tourism/Leisure, Conference/Business, or Visiting friends/family.
- Inviting Entity: if no person or organisation in China is inviting you, select No.
- Destination City: the city where you will stay the longest, not the first transit airport.
- Cities of Transit and Confirmed Departure Itinerary: answer as they apply, with Yes or No for the itinerary.
Finally, press the “One-click Input” button, sign, and select Confirm.
Submitting and Saving the QR Code
Review every entry, then submit. The form produces a card with a border clearance QR code that you show at immigration, and you can use Download to Local or Send to Email. For storage and offline options, see how to generate, screenshot and store your China arrival card QR code.
The sources don’t state how long a generated code stays valid, so check the NIA portal before you travel.
| When | What you do |
|---|---|
| At home | Save the card with Download to Local, plus a screenshot. |
| At home | Check the card details against your passport. |
| Before you fly | Airport Wi-Fi may require a login, so save the QR code before you fly. |
| On landing | Show the QR code at immigration. |
After landing, show your passport and the QR code at immigration.
Common Mistakes and How to Fix Them
Common issues include mismatched passport data and a missing phone country code.
- Your name differs from the MRZ. Copy it as printed.
- The passport number was misread. Compare it digit by digit.
- You typed a visa number under a waiver. Leave it empty and pick the policy.
- Entry Policy Selection stayed blank. Choose the one that matches your entry.
- You entered the transit airport as Destination City. Use the city of longest stay.
- Your phone number has no calling code. Add the international calling code to your phone number.
- The arrival date or date format is off. Match the format shown and check it against your ticket.
Did your flight change after you submitted? The sources don’t describe changing a submitted card. Check the NIA portal for how to handle a changed flight — our article on correcting typos, hotel and flight changes covers what to do.
If the QR code won’t generate, check the passport-derived fields and submit again. Still no code? Ask staff or use a kiosk on arrival.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
How to fill China arrival card step by step on my phone?
Use the NIA 12367 app, or the WeChat or Alipay mini-program. Upload your passport page, check your biodata, add transport, address, purpose and entry policy, then confirm and submit. Save the QR code with Download to Local before you leave home.
Where can I fill in the China arrival card online?
On a computer, go to https://s.nia.gov.cn/ArrivalCardFillingPC/. The visaforchina.cn notice also names the app and mini-programs as channels.
Do I have to fill the China arrival card before flying, or can I do it on arrival?
You can do either. You can fill it in before you fly, and kiosks, a QR scan or the paper form are available on arrival.
What should I do if my China border clearance QR code fails to generate?
Check the passport-derived fields and correct any mistakes. If the code still doesn’t appear, use a self-service kiosk or the paper form on arrival.
Do children and infants need their own China arrival card QR code?
The sources don’t address children separately; check the NIA portal.
Can I change my flight details after submitting the China arrival card?
The sources don’t describe changing a submitted card. Check the NIA portal for the current process before you rely on any workaround.
What do I select for Inviting Entity if I’m travelling alone as a tourist?
If no person or organisation in China is inviting you, select No. The Yes option is for trips where a person or organisation in China has actually invited you.
How to fill China arrival card step by step if I hold a Singapore passport?
Follow the same steps, with a few choices of your own. Under Entry Policy Selection, pick the policy that matches your nationality and entry, and don’t leave it blank. Use +65 on your phone number. Confirm current eligibility on the NIA or embassy page.
Sources and Further Reading
- Notification on implement online filling of Arrival Card: the launch date, exemption groups and online channels.
- NIA arrival card portal (PC): the form itself, where you fill in and submit your card.
We compared the facts in this guide with these sources. Rules can change, so check the portal before you travel.
