China’s National Immigration Administration (NIA) has announced that, from 20 November, all foreign travellers – including those heading to or transiting through Hong Kong – will be able to complete an electronic arrival card before departure. The move, confirmed on 8 November, replaces the paper-based health and immigration declaration still required at many airports and land crossings.
The new system is accessible via a dedicated website, mobile app and WeChat/Alipay mini-programs in English and Chinese. Travellers input passport details, itinerary, health status and previous travel history, then receive a QR code to show on arrival. According to the NIA, automated validation at e-gates will reduce inspection times by up to three minutes per person and cut queuing at busy points such as Guangzhou Baiyun Airport and West Kowloon Station.
![China confirms 20 November roll-out of digital arrival card and expands 240-hour visa-free transit to Hong Kong-linked ports]()
Simultaneously, the NIA is widening the 240-hour (10-day) visa-free transit policy to five additional ports in Guangdong: Guangzhou Pazhou Ferry Terminal, Hengqin Port, Zhongshan Passenger Port, the Hong Kong–Zhuhai–Macao Bridge Port and West Kowloon high-speed-rail station. Eligible nationals from 54 countries can now enter via these gateways without a visa provided they hold a confirmed onward ticket to a third destination.
For Hong Kong-based multinationals, the changes have tangible benefits. Executives flying into Hong Kong can connect directly to mainland meetings without advance visas, making last-minute client visits easier to arrange. Event organisers expect the visa-free window to stimulate attendance at trade fairs in Guangzhou and Hengqin, while leisure operators anticipate more stop-over traffic combining Hong Kong with Greater Bay itineraries.
Companies should update travel-management systems to capture the electronic arrival-card QR code alongside traditional travel documents and brief travellers on the 10-day transit limit, which cannot be extended once inside China. Failure to depart within the permitted timeframe may result in penalties or future visa restrictions. Nevertheless, mobility professionals describe the twin measures as the most significant facilitation step since China reopened its borders in early 2023.
The new system is accessible via a dedicated website, mobile app and WeChat/Alipay mini-programs in English and Chinese. Travellers input passport details, itinerary, health status and previous travel history, then receive a QR code to show on arrival. According to the NIA, automated validation at e-gates will reduce inspection times by up to three minutes per person and cut queuing at busy points such as Guangzhou Baiyun Airport and West Kowloon Station.
Simultaneously, the NIA is widening the 240-hour (10-day) visa-free transit policy to five additional ports in Guangdong: Guangzhou Pazhou Ferry Terminal, Hengqin Port, Zhongshan Passenger Port, the Hong Kong–Zhuhai–Macao Bridge Port and West Kowloon high-speed-rail station. Eligible nationals from 54 countries can now enter via these gateways without a visa provided they hold a confirmed onward ticket to a third destination.
For Hong Kong-based multinationals, the changes have tangible benefits. Executives flying into Hong Kong can connect directly to mainland meetings without advance visas, making last-minute client visits easier to arrange. Event organisers expect the visa-free window to stimulate attendance at trade fairs in Guangzhou and Hengqin, while leisure operators anticipate more stop-over traffic combining Hong Kong with Greater Bay itineraries.
Companies should update travel-management systems to capture the electronic arrival-card QR code alongside traditional travel documents and brief travellers on the 10-day transit limit, which cannot be extended once inside China. Failure to depart within the permitted timeframe may result in penalties or future visa restrictions. Nevertheless, mobility professionals describe the twin measures as the most significant facilitation step since China reopened its borders in early 2023.
