Here’s how to fill up a China digital arrival card step by step. Open s.nia.gov.cn, the NIA 12367 app, or the Alipay or WeChat mini-program, enter passport, flight and hotel details, and submit the free China Digital Arrival Card (CDAC). Then save the QR code offline.
This guide is for US travelers who fly to China soon and want to finish the form in one sitting. We’re an independent guide, not a government site. We don’t charge fees or file the form for you, so check current rules on the s.nia.gov.cn portal before you travel. For a broader overview of entry declaration rules and border procedures, see our China Digital Arrival Card guide.
What the Arrival Card Is and Who Files
Almost all foreign travellers file this online entry declaration, including visa-free entrants. It’s issued under the National Immigration Administration (NIA) and isn’t a visa. You may still need a visa, so check the requirements on the Chinese consulate’s visa page.
You may also see it called the China Entry Card or Digital Arrival Card. Online filing has been available nationwide since 20 November 2025. The paper slip now survives mainly as a fallback at counters. You file one card per entry.
Seven groups do not need to file:
- Foreign Permanent Resident ID Card holders
- Non-Chinese holders of the Mainland Travel Permit for HK/Macao residents
- Travelers on a group visa or group visa-free entry
- 24-hour direct transit inside the restricted area
- Cruise passengers on the same ship in and out
- Fast-track or e-channel travelers
- Foreign crew of cross-border transport vehicles
Not sure whether you’re on the list? Read our breakdown of exemptions and rules for children, and confirm on s.nia.gov.cn first.
Cost, Timing, and Fake Filing Sites
Filing on the government channels is free of charge. You can file any time before travel, and some sources suggest filing close to your arrival — see our guide to the submission window and QR code validity. Save a copy of the QR code so you can show it offline.
Pages that ask for payment are a warning sign, because the NIA channels are free. Some travel agencies charge a service fee for filling in the form for you, but that is a commercial service, not a fake portal. Learn more about broker fees and how to file directly. Look out for:
- A payment screen or credit-card fields
- “Processing” or “expedited” fees
The genuine portal has no payment step. The 12367 hotline answers questions. Seen a page asking for money? Close it, and type the portal address by hand next time instead of clicking an ad.
What to Have Ready Before You Start
Have these items ready before you start, so the form goes faster. Staying with a host? Get their full address and phone number first. For a detailed look at every field, see our article on the information needed for the China Arrival Card.
- Your passport data page, photographed for upload.
- The passport’s expiry date, which the form asks for.
- A phone number with international dialling code that works while you travel.
- Your email address
- Your arrival flight, train or vessel number.
- Your port of entry
- Hotel name, street, number, district, city and phone
- Your purpose of visit
- Your recent travel history and health declaration answers.
- Your visa number, or the visa-free policy you’ll choose
Copy the hotel address straight from your booking confirmation.
Web, NIA 12367, Alipay or WeChat: Which Channel?
If you don’t use Chinese apps, a browser at s.nia.gov.cn is your easiest route. The phone options work too.
| Channel | Device | Language | What you need |
|---|---|---|---|
| Browser portal | Computer or phone browser | Check the language on screen. | Nothing to install |
| NIA 12367 app | iOS or Android phone | Check the language on screen. | Download the app first |
| Alipay mini-program | Phone with Alipay | Check the language on screen. | Search inside Alipay |
| WeChat mini-program | Phone with WeChat | Check the language on screen. | Search inside WeChat |
- Browser: go to s.nia.gov.cn/ArrivalCardFillingPC/ on a computer, or s.nia.gov.cn/ArrivalCardFillingPhone/ on a phone.
- NIA 12367 app: download it, then open the foreign passenger entry declaration section.
- Alipay or WeChat: search for “Immigration Bureau 12367” inside the app.
Already pay with Alipay or chat on WeChat? Try that one first, and check the language on screen. Some guides also mention airport QR posters and self-service kiosks, so verify those on the portal.
Fill Out the China Arrival Card, Step by Step
These steps follow the order of the form. Work through them in order.
- Upload your passport data page photo.
- Compare the scanned fields with your physical passport and correct any errors.
- Enter your full name exactly as it appears on your passport.
- Enter your date of birth exactly as on your passport.
- Check the expiry date, and pick the country that issued your passport as nationality.
- Add your email and a phone number with dialling code.
- Choose air as transport, then enter your flight number and arrival date.
- Pick your port of entry, for example PVG, PEK, CAN or SZX.
- Choose your purpose of visit (tourism, business or study) so it matches your visa or entry basis.
- Write the full hotel address with street, number, district, city and phone, not just the hotel name.
- Enter your visa number, or choose the visa-free entry policy that applies to your passport. Pick the entry policy that matches your passport and your ticket.
- Complete the health declaration and recent travel history.
- Compare every field with your passport and booking, then submit. Your QR code appears.
Saving the QR Code and Using It at the Border
Airport Wi-Fi may require a login, so save the QR code before you fly.
Keep a screenshot
Keep a high-resolution screenshot in your photo roll.
Save a copy in your phone’s files
Keep the QR code available offline on your device.
Email the code to yourself
Send the QR code to your own email address.
At the border, show your passport and QR code to the immigration officer. Fingerprint collection may apply, especially to first-time visitors. Then come the ID check, your luggage and the customs channel.
If the code fails or your phone dies, tell the officer. The paper arrival card is the counter fallback, and 12367 is the government’s support number. If you lose your QR code, see our tips on how to retrieve the China Arrival Card.
Land Crossings and Transit Travelers
Other situations change one or two fields:
| Your situation | What you do |
|---|---|
| Walking across a land crossing | Choose the walking or land transport option |
| Entering at Luohu or Futian | Select Shenzhen as the entry city. |
| 240-hour visa-free transit | Have an onward ticket to a third country or region, and leave within 240 hours |
Check whether your nationality qualifies for 240-hour transit on the NIA portal. For airside versus landside rules, see our article on arrival card requirements for China transit.
Fixing Errors and Related Entry Requirements
A submitted card cannot be changed, so file a new one. Check on the NIA portal how the new record is handled.
If you spot a mistake in a submitted card, file a new one.
The card sits alongside other requirements:
- A passport that’s valid for your stay, since the form asks for its expiry date
- A Chinese visa or visa-free basis, because the card isn’t a visa
- An onward ticket if you use 240-hour transit
- Honest answers in the form’s health section
- Hotels usually register foreign guests at check-in. If you stay in a private home, ask your host about local police registration.
- The paper arrival card, a counter fallback if you haven’t filed online — see our comparison of the digital arrival card vs the paper form
Confirm everything once more on s.nia.gov.cn before you fly.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
How to fill up a China digital arrival card step by step on a mobile phone?
On a phone, open the NIA 12367 app, search “Immigration Bureau 12367” in Alipay or WeChat, or use s.nia.gov.cn/ArrivalCardFillingPhone/ in a mobile browser. Work through the form in order: passport details, entry policy, travel and hotel details, then review and submit. The QR code appears after you submit.
Where can US travelers find the link to the China arrival card web portal?
Go to s.nia.gov.cn, the NIA’s government web portal. The desktop page is s.nia.gov.cn/ArrivalCardFillingPC/ and the phone page is s.nia.gov.cn/ArrivalCardFillingPhone/. Pick the one that matches your device. Type the address into your browser yourself.
Do I have to pay for a China digital arrival card?
No, the form is free. Filing is free on the government channels, so a page that asks for payment is not one of them. If you’re unsure whether a page is genuine, call the 12367 immigration hotline before entering any details.
How early can I fill out the China arrival card?
You can file once your flight and hotel are confirmed, before you travel. Filing time does not change the card, but your details must match your trip.
Can I edit my China arrival card after submitting it?
No, a submitted card can’t be changed online. File a new one instead, and check the passport number first. Check on the NIA portal how the new record is handled.
Do children need their own China digital arrival card?
Each entry requires its own card, so check on the NIA portal how children and minors are filed. If a separate card is needed for your child, save their QR code as well before boarding.
What should I do if airport Wi-Fi won’t open my QR code?
Open the screenshot from your photo roll instead. Airport Wi-Fi may require a login, so a saved copy is the reliable option. Without one, tell the immigration officer, because the paper arrival card is a fallback at counters.
How to fill up a China digital arrival card step by step without Chinese apps?
Use a browser at s.nia.gov.cn, and you don’t need to install anything. Work through the same steps: passport data, travel details, hotel, entry basis, health and review. Submit, then save the QR code to your phone.
Sources and Further Reading
- s.nia.gov.cn: the NIA’s government web portal, where you file the declaration and check current rules.
- Chinese Consulate General in New York: requirements and procedures for a Chinese visa application.
Rules can change, so check the NIA portal before you travel.
