China’s online arrival card for foreign travellers became available on 20 November 2025[1]. For a Malaysian visa-free tourist, the simple plan is to file it before you fly and keep the confirmation on your phone. This page walks through the steps in the order you will meet them.
After a flight, the immigration hall can feel overwhelming, especially when you cannot read the signs. A few minutes of preparation at home makes that moment calmer.
Where do you file it?
You have a choice of official channels. The card can be filed on the National Immigration Administration (NIA) website, the NIA 12367 app, or WeChat and Alipay mini programs[2]. The official web page is s.nia.gov.cn/ArrivalCardFillingPC/[3].
Type that address yourself. Do not follow a link from a message or an advert.
How do you avoid fake sites?
The NIA has warned that fraudulent websites impersonate the arrival card platform, and that the official service is free[4]. If a page asks for a fee, close it. Never enter passport details on a site you reached through an advert.
What if you did not file ahead?
You can still complete it at the port. Travellers who did not file ahead can use a QR code, an on-site smart device or a paper card at the immigration inspection site[5].
That works, but it adds time in a queue. Filing at home is calmer, particularly after a late-night flight (see our guide on late arrivals and early flights).
Who is exempt?
Group visa holders, 24-hour direct transit passengers within the port area, E-channel users and foreign crew are exempt from filing[6]. A Malaysian tourist entering visa-free is not on that list. Confirm the latest rule on the official page, because arrangements can change.
What should you have ready?
Keep these within reach before you leave the plane.
- Your passport, the same one you used for the form.
- The confirmation of your arrival card, as a screenshot.
- Your first address in China, written in Chinese as well as English.
- Your onward or return ticket details.
Data on your phone may be slow at the border. Read our mobile data guide so you can show the screenshot without searching for signal.
What comes next?
At the counter, an officer checks your passport and your entry, so make sure your document is in order (see our passport validity guide). Afterwards your hotel will register you with the local police, as explained in our hotel passport checks guide. Browse the from Malaysia topic page for more steps before you fly.