China Trip Preparation Checklist 2026: Entry Card, eSIM, Apps and Documents Before You Fly

The 30-Minute Rule That Saves You Hours

Most first-time China problems are not the ones you meet at immigration. They are the ones you could have solved before boarding: a passport that doesn't have enough blank pages, an app that needs to be installed while you still have Wi-Fi, an entry card that expires while you wait in line. Set aside half an hour the day before you fly, work through this checklist, and the arrival side of the trip runs itself.

The Electronic Entry Card: Fill It on Departure Day

Since November 2025, China requires an electronic Entry Card for all arriving visitors — tourists, business travelers and private visitors alike (the main exceptions are sterile-area transit passengers and diplomatic delegations). The form is free, and you can fill it in through any of these official channels:

• PC website: s.nia.gov.cn/ArrivalCardFillingPC/
• Mobile site: s.nia.gov.cn/ArrivalCardFillingPhone/
• The National Immigration Administration 12367 app
• WeChat or Alipay mini-programs

You'll enter passport details, your flight number, the address where you're staying (hotel name works), your departure date and reason for entry. One thing to remember: the QR code is valid for only 24 hours, so fill the card on the day you fly, not a week ahead. Save a screenshot in your phone gallery — showing it at passport control along with your passport is all you need. You fill a new card on every entry.

Register Your Address Within 24 Hours

After entering China, you're required to register where you're staying within 24 hours. At a hotel this happens automatically when you check in with your passport. If you're staying at an Airbnb, a homestay or a friend's place, either you or your host must go to the nearest police station to register. Move to another city for more than a day and you register again. Penalties for missing it range from a warning to fines up to 500 RMB per day (10,000 RMB maximum) or detention of 5-15 days for serious cases — so it's worth treating this as part of the itinerary, not an afterthought.

Passport, Visa and Documents

• Validity: China formally requires a passport valid for your entire stay, but most consulates and travel platforms recommend at least 6 months of validity left, especially if you transit via Hong Kong, Korea or Japan, which have their own rules. Two blank pages is the usual minimum.
• Visa or visa-free: check whether your nationality is covered by a visa-free arrangement (240-hour transit or unilateral exemption) or needs a visa. See our China visa guides before booking anything.
• Copies: take two paper copies of your passport photo page (one in carry-on, one in luggage) and email yourself a scan. It saves you in lost-document situations.
• Return ticket and hotel booking: not always asked, but border officers may request them — keep both handy.

eSIM and Staying Online

China runs its own internet ecosystem: Google, Gmail, YouTube, WhatsApp, Telegram, Instagram and Facebook are blocked on local networks. The easiest fix is an international eSIM with global routing — it connects to Chinese carrier towers but routes data through an overseas server, so your usual apps keep working without configuring a VPN. Prices run roughly $5-15 per week depending on provider and data amount.

A local China SIM card is the alternative, but it means a carrier store visit, passport registration and setting up a VPN yourself. Whatever you choose, install and test it before you fly — downloading a VPN app from inside China is not an option. Keep one offline map app (Amap or Baidu Maps) and an offline translation pack downloaded as backup.

Apps to Install Before You Leave

Set up and test every account before you fly — verification takes time and you need Wi-Fi for the setup.

Cash: Carry a Small Backup

Mobile payment (Alipay and WeChat Pay) works almost everywhere in China, but keep a small cash reserve — around 200-500 RMB — for small street vendors, rural areas or any moment your phone dies. You can exchange currency before arrival or at banks and exchange counters in China. Your home bank cards with UnionPay, Visa or Mastercard logos also work at most POS terminals, but don't rely on them as your primary method.

Travel Insurance: Not Required, Recommended

Insurance is not mandatory for entry, but a doctor visit starts around 500 RMB and hospital stays cost more. Most travelers get coverage of at least $30,000 for medical expenses. Read the policy to confirm it covers China (some policies exclude it).

More China travel guides: China Visa Guide for US Travelers · China eSIM for Travelers · China High-Speed Rail Ticket Guide · China Digital Payment Guide · 240-Hour Visa-Free Transit Guide