TL;DR (July 2026): China now lets you fill out your arrival card online before you fly. No more scrambling for a pen on the plane. Use the NIA website, the NIA 12367 app, or the WeChat/Alipay mini-program. Takes 5 minutes. Do it before you board and you walk straight through immigration.
Since November 2025, China has let foreign travelers complete their entry registration online before arriving. This replaced the old paper arrival card system — the one where you’d get handed a tiny card on the plane, borrow a pen from a stranger, and try to remember your hotel address in Chinese characters at 4am after a 14-hour flight.
The new system is genuinely better. But because it’s new, most American travelers don’t know it exists. If you’re flying to China in 2026, here’s what to do.
What Changed About the Arrival Card?
Before November 2025, every foreigner entering China had to fill out a paper arrival card on the plane or at the airport. It asked for your name, passport number, flight number, visa type, and where you’re staying in China. Simple but annoying — especially if you didn’t have a pen, or your hotel address was in Chinese, or you were exhausted and just wanted to get through immigration.
The new system moves all of that online. You fill it out before you even get to the airport. When you land, immigration already has your information.
How Do I Fill Out the Online Arrival Card?
You have five options. Pick whichever one works for you:
- NIA official website — Go to the National Immigration Administration website. There’s an English version. Fill in the form, submit, done. You’ll get a confirmation you can screenshot or print.
- NIA 12367 app — Download the official app. The interface is available in English. Same form, same process.
- WeChat mini-program — Search “NIA 12367” inside WeChat. The mini-program opens, you fill the form, you submit. If you already have WeChat set up for your trip, this is probably the fastest option.
- Alipay mini-program — Same as WeChat. Search NIA 12367 in Alipay, fill the form, done.
- QR code at the airport — If you didn’t do it ahead of time, no problem. There are QR codes posted at Chinese airports. Scan with your phone, fill the form while waiting in the immigration line. Takes 5 minutes.
What Information Do I Need?
The form asks for:
- Full name (exactly as it appears on your passport)
- Passport number
- Nationality
- Date of birth
- Flight number and date of arrival
- Visa type or visa-free entry
- Address of where you’re staying in China (hotel name + city is fine)
- Contact phone number
- Basic health declaration
That’s it. Nothing complicated. Nothing you don’t already have on you.
When Should I Fill It Out?
Anytime before you reach the immigration counter. You can do it at home the night before your flight. You can do it at the departure gate. You can do it standing in the immigration line at the Chinese airport.
The only hard rule: have it done before you hand your passport to the immigration officer. If you haven’t filled it out, they’ll ask you to step aside and do it on your phone or fill a paper card. Not the end of the world — just a delay you don’t need after a long flight.
What If I Don’t Fill It Out Online?
You fill out a paper card instead. Same information, same process, just slower. The paper cards still exist — they haven’t been eliminated. The online system is an option, not a requirement.
Do I Need to Print Anything?
No. A screenshot on your phone is fine. Some people like to print a hard copy just in case their phone dies. I’ve never needed the printout — the immigration officer looked me up by passport number. But if you’re the type who likes paper backup, print the confirmation page. One page. Not a big deal.
What About the Health Declaration?
China dropped the separate health declaration form in 2024. The arrival card now includes a basic health question — “do you have symptoms of infectious disease” — but it’s one checkbox, not a separate form. You don’t need a COVID test. You don’t need proof of vaccination. You don’t need a health QR code. The pandemic-era requirements are gone and haven’t come back as of mid-2026.
Does This Apply to the 240-Hour Transit Policy Too?
Yes. Entering on the 240-hour visa-free transit still requires the same arrival card. Make sure your onward flight to a third country is booked and confirmed — the immigration officer will ask for proof. Have the booking ready on your phone.
If you’re sorting out all your pre-trip paperwork — visas, apps, and now the arrival card — I’ve put together a free resource pack with checklists and step-by-step guides. No sign-up, no email. And if you’d rather have the whole trip figured out: I build custom China itineraries. Day by day. $19.90/day. Built by someone who lives here.
About the author: Dylan lives in China and goes through immigration regularly. This guide reflects the actual process as of July 2026 — not outdated travel forum posts or pre-2025 information. For the full trip planning guide covering visas, routes, and costs, start here.