Entry Documents for China: A Source-Backed Arrival Checklist

What to prepare for China immigration: passport and entry basis, onward proof, accommodation details, the free arrival card, and private-stay registration.

By Founder and editor Last updated Editorial policy

Entry check path

China Entry Check

Use this order before you rely on a visa-free rule, book a tight itinerary, pack restricted items, or assume your documents are enough.

Check entry in order
  1. 1 Understand visa-free schemes If visa-free may apply
  2. 2 Prepare entry documents Before departure
  3. 3 Avoid stay-length mistakes Before finalizing dates

For an ordinary visit, prepare a small evidence set that matches the exact entry rule:

  • original valid passport
  • valid visa, or the current official visa-free rule covering the passport, purpose, route, and dates
  • confirmed onward or departure booking when required by the scheme
  • first accommodation name, address, and contact details
  • arrival-card information, completed through a free official channel or at the port

For 240-hour visa-free transit, the onward ticket to a third country or region, eligible port, and permitted stay area are central conditions. For unilateral visa-free entry, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs recommends carrying bookings or invitations that support the stated purpose.

Document 1: The Passport You Will Actually Use

Carry the original document used for the booking and entry decision. Make sure the name, passport number, nationality, birth date, and expiry date match across the flight or train booking, hotel reservation, visa, and arrival card.

For China’s unilateral visa-free policy, the MFA FAQ says the traveler needs a valid ordinary passport whose validity covers the intended stay. It also says temporary, emergency, or other travel documents are not automatically eligible for that policy.

Do not replace that rule with a universal “six months” claim. Airlines, transit countries, visa categories, or other destinations on the itinerary may impose additional validity requirements, so check the whole route.

Document 2: One Clear Entry Basis

Your folder should show one of the following:

  • a valid Chinese visa matching the trip purpose
  • current unilateral or mutual visa exemption covering the passport and trip
  • a 24-hour direct-transit plan
  • a 240-hour visa-free-transit plan meeting nationality, route, port, and stay-area conditions
  • another official regional or group program whose conditions you actually meet

Save the official page supporting that basis, including the page title and URL. A screenshot helps when connectivity is poor, but reopen the live official source close to departure to catch changes.

Use China Visa-Free Entry to separate the schemes.

Document 3: Departure or Onward Proof

For 240-hour visa-free transit, the NIA requires confirmed onward travel to a third country or region within the permitted period. Keep the complete booking—not only a calendar entry—available offline.

For unilateral visa-free entry, the MFA recommends air tickets and accommodation reservations as evidence corresponding to the visit purpose. A fixed tourist route is easier to explain when the arrival date, accommodation, and departure date agree.

Check:

  • passenger name and passport number, where shown
  • confirmed date and destination
  • whether the destination forms a valid third-country or region pattern for transit
  • whether the departure port and date fit the chosen policy

Document 4: Accommodation Details

Prepare the first stay in a format usable by both immigration officers and local transport staff:

  • property name in English
  • property name in Chinese, if available
  • full address in Chinese
  • telephone number
  • reservation number
  • check-in and check-out dates

If staying with a person rather than a hotel, save the host’s name, phone number, and full address. Agree before arrival who will complete accommodation registration.

The Arrival Card Is Free

Since November 20, 2025, foreign travelers have been able to submit entry information online through official NIA channels. The NIA’s arrival-card notice says:

  • the official online service is free
  • the web address is s.nia.gov.cn/ArrivalCardFillingPC
  • official government, NIA 12367, WeChat, and Alipay channels are available
  • travelers unable to submit in advance can use port devices
  • paper arrival cards remain available

The NIA warns about counterfeit sites charging fees. Do not pay an “arrival-card agent” merely to access a supposedly mandatory form.

For a focused walkthrough of the current process, see China Arrival Card Online. It explains the official channels, the information to prepare, the fallback at the port, and the boundaries between an arrival card, a visa, customs, and accommodation registration.

The November 2025 NIA announcement lists several exemptions, including certain permanent residents, some group-visa or group-visa-free travelers, eligible direct-transit passengers who remain in the restricted port area, and some fast-lane users. If uncertain, follow the instruction shown by the official system or immigration officer rather than assuming an exemption.

After Entry: Accommodation Registration

Hotels register foreign guests and submit the accommodation information to the local public-security authority. Confirm that the front desk uses the passport carried at entry.

For accommodation outside a hotel, Article 39 rules require the traveler or host to complete registration with the public-security authority within 24 hours after check-in. The NIA’s registration guidance describes police stations and foreigner-service points.

An online-registration pilot began on March 20, 2026 in Hebei, Liaoning, Zhejiang, Hubei, Guangxi, Chongqing, and Sichuan, using NIA website, app, WeChat, and Alipay channels. It was not announced as nationwide at launch. Ask the host which official channel covers the address and keep the resulting confirmation.

Build a Ten-Second Offline Folder

Use filenames that can be recognized under pressure:

  1. 01-passport
  2. 02-visa-or-official-rule
  3. 03-departure-or-onward-ticket
  4. 04-first-hotel-confirmation
  5. 05-hotel-address-chinese
  6. 06-host-and-registration-plan if staying privately
  7. 07-emergency-contact

Do not store only a link to an email or cloud drive. Save the actual document or screenshot offline, protect sensitive files with the phone’s security features, and avoid sending passport images to unnecessary third parties.

Consistency Check Before Departure

Read the documents as if you were the person checking them:

  • Does the passport name match every booking?
  • Does the entry purpose match the visa or visa-free rule?
  • Do arrival and departure dates fit the permitted stay?
  • For transit, is the onward destination a third country or region?
  • Is the first address specific and reachable?
  • Can every essential item be opened without mobile data?

Resolve a mismatch before reaching the airport. Extra unrelated paperwork does not repair a route that fails the actual eligibility rule.

Checklist

  • Original passport is valid for the trip and matches all bookings.
  • Visa or visa-free basis is confirmed on an official page.
  • Onward or departure proof meets the chosen entry scheme.
  • First accommodation details are saved in English and Chinese.
  • Arrival card will be completed through a free official channel or at the port.
  • Essential documents open without internet access.
  • Host and registration method are confirmed for a private stay.
  • Time-sensitive rules will be checked again shortly before travel.

Source review

Last verified:

Sources

Related guides