China’s National Immigration Administration (NIA) has quietly switched on a new digital arrival-card platform that allows foreign nationals to submit their entry details online before they board a flight to the mainland. The bilingual system—accessible through the NIA website, the government service platform, the “NIA 12367” app, and WeChat/Alipay mini-programs—went live on November 20 but was formally promoted by Shanghai’s Foreign Affairs Office on November 24.
The digital card replaces the paper “Foreigners Arrival Card” that every international passenger has had to complete since the 1990s. Travelers can now scan a QR code, enter passport, flight and accommodation information, and receive a confirmation barcode that is presented to border officers on arrival. If passengers are unable to pre-fill the form, they can still complete it at smart kiosks in the immigration hall or revert to the paper card.
Seven categories of passengers are exempt, including holders of Chinese permanent-resident ID cards, Hong Kong/Macau Travel Permits (non-Chinese citizens), cruise passengers re-boarding the same vessel, crew members, and transit passengers who remain airside for less than 24 hours. The online card is the headline item in the NIA’s latest package of ten “high-quality opening-up” measures unveiled earlier in November, which also expanded visa-free transit ports and streamlined permits for Taiwan residents.
![China launches nationwide online arrival-card system for foreign travelers]()
For multinational companies the change removes an administrative pain-point: HR teams can now send staff a link to complete the card while still overseas, avoiding errors that often occur when forms are filled in bleary-eyed on the plane. Immigration brokers say the move should cut average processing time at major airports by two to three minutes per passenger and reduce the need for airlines to stock paper cards.
The digitalisation also gives authorities pre-arrival data, allowing risk assessments to be run before the passenger lands—similar to systems already used in Singapore and Australia. Compliance is important: travelers who input false information are still liable for fines or refused entry under Articles 16 and 100 of China’s Exit-Entry Administration Law.
In practical terms, business travelers should save the QR code or take a screenshot of the confirmation page, as some airports have patchy Wi-Fi inside the immigration hall. First-time users report that the form takes about three minutes to complete, and the system currently supports English and Chinese with additional language packs planned for 2026.
The digital card replaces the paper “Foreigners Arrival Card” that every international passenger has had to complete since the 1990s. Travelers can now scan a QR code, enter passport, flight and accommodation information, and receive a confirmation barcode that is presented to border officers on arrival. If passengers are unable to pre-fill the form, they can still complete it at smart kiosks in the immigration hall or revert to the paper card.
Seven categories of passengers are exempt, including holders of Chinese permanent-resident ID cards, Hong Kong/Macau Travel Permits (non-Chinese citizens), cruise passengers re-boarding the same vessel, crew members, and transit passengers who remain airside for less than 24 hours. The online card is the headline item in the NIA’s latest package of ten “high-quality opening-up” measures unveiled earlier in November, which also expanded visa-free transit ports and streamlined permits for Taiwan residents.
For multinational companies the change removes an administrative pain-point: HR teams can now send staff a link to complete the card while still overseas, avoiding errors that often occur when forms are filled in bleary-eyed on the plane. Immigration brokers say the move should cut average processing time at major airports by two to three minutes per passenger and reduce the need for airlines to stock paper cards.
The digitalisation also gives authorities pre-arrival data, allowing risk assessments to be run before the passenger lands—similar to systems already used in Singapore and Australia. Compliance is important: travelers who input false information are still liable for fines or refused entry under Articles 16 and 100 of China’s Exit-Entry Administration Law.
In practical terms, business travelers should save the QR code or take a screenshot of the confirmation page, as some airports have patchy Wi-Fi inside the immigration hall. First-time users report that the form takes about three minutes to complete, and the system currently supports English and Chinese with additional language packs planned for 2026.
