Landing in China: arrival card, fingerprints, customs order

You fill in one free online form before you land, you give fingerprints at the immigration counter unless you are under 14 or over 70, and you choose between the green and red customs channels. That is the whole arrival process at a Chinese airport.

The arrival card comes first

Since 20 November 2025, foreign nationals entering mainland China complete the Digital Arrival Card online rather than the paper slip handed out on the plane. It is free, and it is not a visa: travellers entering visa-free need it too. Submit it within the 72 hours before arrival, through the National Immigration Administration website, the NIA 12367 app, or the WeChat or Alipay mini-program. Have your passport, flight number and first night's address in China ready. You get a QR code back — screenshot it, because you will not have data while queuing at the counter. Once submitted it cannot be edited; if your flight or hotel changes, submit a new one.

Seven groups are exempt: permanent residence card holders, holders of a Mainland Travel Permit for Hong Kong and Macao Residents (non-Chinese citizens), group visa or group visa-free travellers, airside transit under 24 hours that stays in the restricted area, cruise passengers arriving and leaving on the same ship, anyone entering through the e-channel, and foreign crew of exit-entry transport vehicles.

If you did not do it in advance, the immigration hall has QR codes, self-service kiosks and paper forms. It costs you time, not entry.

Delays and mislaid bags are the two arrival problems that actually cost money here, which is what a policy covering trip delay is for — compare all.

After you land, in order

1. Follow the signs for Arrivals and Border Inspection (入境). Do not take the domestic transfer corridor unless you are connecting.
2. Join the foreign passports queue. The officer scans your passport, compares your face, takes fingerprints and a photo, and may ask your purpose of visit and where you are staying.
3. Collect checked baggage.
4. Choose a customs channel: green if you have nothing to declare, red if you are carrying 20,000 yuan or more in cash, foreign currency worth the equivalent of 5,000 US dollars or more, or goods beyond the duty-free allowances. When in doubt, take the red one.
5. In the arrivals hall: SIM card counters, ATMs and the official taxi rank.

Two things worth knowing

Fingerprints are collected from foreigners aged 14 to 70 inclusive. Diplomatic passport holders, passengers staying airside in transit, and people already registered for the automated gates are exempt.

The pandemic-era health declaration QR code was abolished on 1 November 2023 — there is no health form to fill in. If you arrive with a fever, cough, vomiting or diarrhoea, declare it to customs yourself and cooperate with the health check.

Last checked: 2026-09-14