The paper arrival-card—China’s last remaining immigration form for foreigners—has been consigned to history. From 20 November travellers can file the new electronic Arrival Card on a multilingual web portal, a WeChat mini-programme, Alipay or via an airline QR code. Border officers at Shanghai Hongqiao, the pilot site, told reporters on 28 November that more than 60 % of passengers are already using the system, cutting processing times for large tour groups from 45 to under 20 minutes.
The e-card is part of ten ‘high-quality-development’ measures introduced this month by the NIA to raise border efficiency as volumes climb. Seven traveller categories—including 24-hour direct-transit passengers, cruise visitors and Chinese permanent-residence ID holders—remain exempt, while everyone else receives a confirmation QR that is scanned alongside their passport.
![China Rolls Out Nationwide e-Arrival Card, Halving Airport Queues]()
For corporate mobility teams the digital card removes the headache of collecting paper receipts and offers real-time visibility of staff entries. Companies are urging travellers to submit the form at least 24 hours before departure to avoid in-flight Wi-Fi glitches. Hotels have been instructed to accept the QR code as proof of lawful entry, ensuring a fully paperless process from gate to check-in.
China’s upgrade mirrors Singapore’s Digital SGAC and South Korea’s K-ETA, underscoring the region’s push toward contact-less borders. Beijing Daxing and Guangzhou Baiyun airports are next in line for deployment, followed by major land ports in Guangdong and Yunnan ahead of the Lunar New Year peak. Technology vendors are positioning to supply biometric kiosks and data-analytics dashboards that will make the e-card a springboard for further automation.
The e-card is part of ten ‘high-quality-development’ measures introduced this month by the NIA to raise border efficiency as volumes climb. Seven traveller categories—including 24-hour direct-transit passengers, cruise visitors and Chinese permanent-residence ID holders—remain exempt, while everyone else receives a confirmation QR that is scanned alongside their passport.
For corporate mobility teams the digital card removes the headache of collecting paper receipts and offers real-time visibility of staff entries. Companies are urging travellers to submit the form at least 24 hours before departure to avoid in-flight Wi-Fi glitches. Hotels have been instructed to accept the QR code as proof of lawful entry, ensuring a fully paperless process from gate to check-in.
China’s upgrade mirrors Singapore’s Digital SGAC and South Korea’s K-ETA, underscoring the region’s push toward contact-less borders. Beijing Daxing and Guangzhou Baiyun airports are next in line for deployment, followed by major land ports in Guangdong and Yunnan ahead of the Lunar New Year peak. Technology vendors are positioning to supply biometric kiosks and data-analytics dashboards that will make the e-card a springboard for further automation.
