Updated 11 October 2026 · LocalKey consultant team
When you land in China, you reach border inspection at the port; the arrival card is free to fill in online through official National Immigration Administration channels before you fly, or by QR code, smart device or paper card at the port. After that, we suggest collecting your bags and heading to your hotel by a pickup booked in advance or transport you have planned yourself.
What should you do before you fly to China?
The main thing to do before you fly is fill in the arrival card online, which is free. We suggest doing it once your flights and first hotel are fixed, then putting together a short checklist for the day you land.
Since 20 November 2025, foreigners can fill in the arrival card online before travelling to China, through the NIA website, the government service platform, the "NIA 12367" app, WeChat and Alipay mini programs, or by scanning the arrival-card QR code. Online filling is free of charge. The NIA has warned about overseas counterfeit websites that charge fees, so use only the official channels, such as the NIA online arrival card page.
Beyond the card, we suggest this short checklist before you leave home:
- Save your hotel's name and address exactly as the hotel sent them, on your phone and on paper, so you can show them to a driver or staff member without relying on a signal.
- Save your onward ticket the same way, on your phone and on paper, especially if you are using a transit policy.
- If you filled in the arrival card online, keep a screenshot of the confirmation with your other documents.
- Keep your passport, onward ticket and hotel booking together in one easy-to-reach place in your cabin bag, not in checked luggage.
- Tell your hotel your flight number so they know roughly when to expect you, and ask what they advise for getting in from the airport.
- Set up your phone data and payment before you fly. Our independent first-day guide covers that, so we keep this page to the airport itself.
None of this is an official requirement. It is the routine we suggest because it makes the hour after landing quieter.
What happens at the border when you land?
We suggest having your passport and arrival card ready for border inspection. Foreigners who cannot fill in the card online beforehand can complete it at the port, as the table shows.
| Option | When | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Online arrival card | Before you travel, through the official NIA channels listed above | National Immigration Administration — Announcement No. 4 of 2025, 3 November 2025 (online arrival card from 20 November 2025) |
| QR code or on-site smart device | At the border inspection area of the port, if you cannot fill it in online beforehand | National Immigration Administration — Announcement No. 4 of 2025, 3 November 2025 (online arrival card from 20 November 2025) |
| Paper arrival card | At the port, where paper cards remain available | National Immigration Administration — Beware of Fraudulent Websites for Arrival Card Filling, 5 December 2025 |
We suggest thinking of landing as three short stages: border inspection, baggage, then the way out to your hotel. At border inspection, we suggest having your passport open and your documents in your hand before you reach the front of the queue. If you filled in the card online, have your confirmation ready on your phone. If you did not, follow the instructions at the port for the QR code, the on-site devices or the paper card. If you are unsure which to use, ask a member of staff rather than guessing.
For the field-by-field details of the form, see our China arrival card online guide.
How do visa-free transit travellers clear arrival?
Transit rules depend on how long you stay and on your nationality. The two policies below come from the NIA's visa-free transit page of 20 August 2026.
Under the 24-hour visa-free transit policy, which applies at all open ports for all nationalities transiting to a third country, you need a confirmed onward ticket and must stay in the port restricted area. Leaving that area requires a temporary entry permit from port immigration.
Under the 240-hour visa-free transit policy, nationals of 57 countries transiting to a third country or region may enter through any of 65 designated ports in 24 provincial-level areas. They may stay in the permitted areas for up to 10 days. You need an ordinary passport and an onward ticket with a confirmed seat and date. For the full 240-hour rules, read our 240-hour visa-free transit guide.
We suggest three habits if you are relying on either policy:
- Check your own nationality and your planned port against the NIA page close to departure, because policies can be updated.
- For 240-hour transit, make sure your onward ticket shows a confirmed seat and date; for 24-hour transit, have your confirmed onward ticket. Keep it where you can reach it at border inspection.
- Keep your route simple. A transit plan with fewer moving parts leaves less to explain at the border.
What should you do between baggage claim and the exit?
Treat this stretch as a reset point before the ride to your hotel. We suggest a few small checks here, none of which is an official requirement.
- Count your bags and make sure nothing has been left behind.
- Check that your passport, phone and wallet are back in the pocket where you keep them.
- Send a short message to your hotel, or to your pickup contact if you have one, to say that you have landed and are heading out.
- Find a calm spot to open your maps and payment apps, and confirm that your saved hotel address is still on screen.
- Decide how you are travelling to the hotel before you walk out, not after you are surrounded by offers.
If something looks wrong, such as a missing bag or a connection that will not load, ask airport staff before you leave the baggage area. Sorting it out there is easier than sorting it out later from the hotel. If you are travelling with LocalKey, you can message your specialist at this point as well.
How do you get from the airport to your hotel?
After immigration and baggage, you reach your hotel by whichever ground transport you choose, either one you arrange yourself or a pickup arranged in advance. We suggest deciding which before you board, so you are not choosing while tired from a long flight.
If you arrange it yourself, we suggest showing the driver or staff member your hotel's address in Chinese as well as English, saved on your phone and on paper, and confirming the destination before you set off. Keep your bags with you and your valuables close, and tell your hotel when you are on your way. A pre-booked pickup or private car is an optional add-on if you prefer not to work this out on arrival.
A pickup can be added to either style of trip. If you plan to travel on your own, you can choose Independent, with the LocalKey app and 24/7 backup. There is no full-time guide on this style of trip, and an airport pickup, a private car and driver, or a local guide are optional add-ons you can ask for when you want them. If you want an English-speaking private guide and a private car throughout, see Private Guided within our private China tours.
Whichever style you choose, we suggest telling us your flight details early. Then your arrival plan, your hotel's check-in expectations and your first-day route can be thought through together rather than one by one.
Plan your trip with LocalKey
Your arrival day is easier when the rest of the trip is planned too. LocalKey can arrange your own China trip — planned, booked and backed by a 1:1 specialist, with 7×24 WeChat/WhatsApp support from the moment you land. Contact us on WeChat or WhatsApp to talk through your flights, transit plans and hotel pickup.
Sources
- National Immigration Administration — Announcement No. 4 of 2025, 3 November 2025 (online arrival card from 20 November 2025) — verified_on 2026-10-11
- National Immigration Administration — Beware of Fraudulent Websites for Arrival Card Filling, 5 December 2025 — verified_on 2026-10-11
- National Immigration Administration — Visa-Free Transit Policies, 20 August 2026 — verified_on 2026-10-11
