If you already have Alipay set up for paying in China, the arrival card is inside it too. The passport page fills in most of the form, you check it, and you save the QR code at the end. Prefer a computer? Use the PC guide.
Quick answers
Do I have to show the QR code at the border?
In our own experience nobody asked us to show it, but it is better to have it. Save it as a PDF and send it to your email so it is on your phone either way.
Does the arrival card cost anything?
No. The official card on the National Immigration Administration site is free. If a site asks you to pay, it is not the official one.
Can I do it on my phone instead of a computer?
Yes. The same card is inside Alipay as a mini program. There is a separate guide and video for that version.
What do I need to have ready?
Your passport, your flight number, where you will stay in China and the reason for the trip. The passport page fills most of the form for you.
Step by step
- 1
What is the China arrival card and is it free?
China's arrival card is filled in online before you land. The official version also lives inside Alipay as a mini program, and it is free.
- 2
What do I need before I start?
Have your passport, your flight number, the address of where you are staying and your reason for travel next to you. Install Alipay first if you have not yet.
- 3
Where is the arrival card inside Alipay?
Open Alipay and search for the arrival card mini program. Open it and agree to the terms.
- 4
Agree, then photograph your passport page
Take a photo of the photo page of your passport. The app reads it and fills in your name, passport number, nationality and dates. Check each one.
- 5
Check the basic information
Confirm the basic details the passport page supplied.
- 6
Add the personal information
Add your contact details and anything the passport could not supply.
- 7
Fill in the travel information: flight, address, reason
Flight number, where you will stay, how long, and why you are travelling. Use the address exactly as your booking shows it.
- 8
Sign and confirm the card
Sign on the screen and confirm. Read the summary once more before you submit.
- 9
Save the QR code as a PDF and email
Save the QR code, download the PDF and send it to your email, so it is on your phone even without signal.
Rules change. Everything here was checked on 2026-10-15 against the sources below. Before you fly, open the official page once more.
