Your first 24 hours in China
Updated September 2026 · Verified against NIA & official sources
Most guides tell you what to do before you fly. This one starts where it gets hard — the moment you land.
Filling the arrival card online before landing
Before you land — arrival card & visa
1 · Arrival card (入境卡)
Since 2025-11-20 the arrival card is filled online — free, about 5 minutes.
- Who is exempt (7 categories): permanent resident ID, non-Chinese HK/Macau permit, group-visa, 24h direct transit in port area, cruise passengers, e-channel users, transport crew.
- Before filling: passport, flight/train number, visa number or visa-free name, first city & port, first-night address, purpose.
- Official channels only: s.nia.gov.cn, NIA 12367 app, or the WeChat/Alipay mini-program.
The arrival card is FREE. Beware look-alike paid websites.
- At the border: scan the hall QR, use a smart terminal, or fill the paper card.
- The arrival card is not the customs declaration — two different forms.
- Children are not exempt; submit the whole family at the last step.
Online first. Paper is only the backup if the network fails.
2 · Visa & visa-free (签证与免签)
China has opened up fast — about 75 countries visa-free / mutually exempt (NIA, July 2025).
75 countries
Visa-free or mutual exemption (NIA, 2025-07)
47 countries
Unilateral visa-free, 30 days, growing
240h / 55
Transit visa-free: 55 countries, up to 10 days
24 regions
60 ports across 24 provincial areas
- 240h transit: confirmed onward ticket to a third country/region; clock starts 00:00 the day after arrival.
- Six areas are city-restricted.
- Not sure? Use the official lookup or your embassy — we only summarise the static list.
One question, two paths. Your answer picks the road.
Four fallbacks at the border — you are never stuck on one.
3 · Get online before you land (eSIM / roaming)
You need data the moment you land. Sort it before you fly.
Data-only
No China number, calls or SMS
Hotspot OK
Most eSIM plans allow tethering
No VPN
WhatsApp / Gmail / Maps still work
Before you fly
Buy + activate on home Wi-Fi
Good news: your overseas apps keep working on eSIM / roaming.
Buy and activate before you land — you need data the moment you arrive.
4 · Apps you will need
A quick map of which app does what. Install them before you fly.
Honest warning: food delivery stays awkward for newcomers.
Pay
Alipay · WeChat Pay
Navigate
Amap (Gaode) · Baidu Maps
Ride-hail
DiDi
Trains
12306 · Trip.com
Translate
Google Translate · Pleco
Read the menu
Dianping · translate app
Hotels
Trip.com · Amap · Booking.com
Emergencies
110 / 120 + show-them cards
Your first 24 hours — 6 steps
1
Before you fly
▶
- Get visa-free / 240h sorted or a tourist visa (L) in hand.
- Fill the arrival card online (s.nia.gov.cn) before boarding.
- Install your eSIM / turn on roaming BEFORE you land — you will need data the moment you arrive (ride-hailing, maps, the arrival card).
Install the eSIM while still on Wi-Fi at home. Many eSIMs must be activated before you lose your home network.
2
Through immigration
▶
- Have the arrival card (digital QR or paper) and passport ready.
- Show them to the officer; answer where you stay and why you came.
The arrival card is free. If the QR will not load, ask for the paper card or a smart terminal.
3
Get online & get cash
▶
- Activate eSIM / roaming, or buy a local SIM at the airport.
- Exchange a little cash at the airport bank for places that do not take cards.
Your overseas apps (WhatsApp, Gmail, Google Maps) keep working on eSIM/roaming — no VPN needed for those.
4
Set up payments
▶
- Bind your foreign card to Alipay / WeChat Pay (passport verification).
- Carry cash as backup — some large purchases reject foreign cards.
See the full payment guide for the 15+ things that actually go wrong.
5
Get around
▶
- DiDi for ride-hailing; 12306 / Amap for trains and maps.
- Train tickets open only 15 days ahead — book early.
Trains sell out fast and the window is short. Do not assume you can buy on the day.
6
Check in & register
▶
- Hotels register you, but if you stay with friends, you must do the temporary residence registration at the local police station within 24h.
- Save the emergency numbers and the show-them cards before you need them.
Missing the 24h registration is a common, fixable slip — do it the same day you arrive.
⚠ Things people actually get stuck on
▶
- Arrived with no data — could not call a ride or open the arrival card
- Foreign card declined at the payment step
- Assumed they could buy a train ticket the same day
- Missed the 24h police registration while staying with friends
- Did not know the arrival card was free and almost paid a look-alike site
The full kit covers the long tail.
Everything on this page stays free.
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