practical · 5 May 2026
Entering China in 2026: A Step-by-Step Walkthrough
From your flight landing to clearing customs and reaching your hotel, here is exactly what happens at a Chinese international airport — and what to have ready at each stage.
By Jamie Wu · Editorial writer, China Visit Guide
Arriving at a Chinese international airport for the first time can feel daunting. The process moves quickly, signage is bilingual at all major airports, and staff are generally efficient — but knowing the order of events and what each stage requires removes most of the uncertainty.
Before you land: what to have ready
Prepare these before reaching the immigration counters:
- Passport valid for at least six months beyond your intended departure date from China
- Visa or visa-exempt evidence: your visa label in your passport, or documentation of your visa-exempt status (nationality, duration, and entry point must qualify)
- Arrival card: distributed by many airlines during the flight. You need your Chinese accommodation address — have this written down or saved on your phone before takeoff. Immigration officers sometimes ask for the address at the counter even if you have a card.
- Return or onward ticket: not always checked at immigration, but officers may ask for evidence you intend to depart within the visa validity
Visa-exempt entry for many nationalities was expanded significantly in 2023–2024. Check the current list with the Chinese embassy in your country, as eligibility and duration vary by nationality.
Step 1: immigration hall
Follow signs for Passport Control (入境, rùjìng) or Immigration. Separate queues for Chinese citizens (中国公民) and foreign passport holders (外国人). Wait in the foreign passport queue.
At the immigration counter, an officer will: scan your passport, compare your face to the photo, take fingerprints (both index fingers, then all ten — procedures vary by airport), review your visa and arrival card, and occasionally ask brief questions about your purpose of visit and accommodation.
Questions are uncommon for leisure visitors and are usually limited to "What is the purpose of your visit?" and "Where are you staying?" Answer briefly and factually.
Processing time at the counter is typically 2–5 minutes. At peak arrival times (morning waves from Europe and North America, afternoon from Southeast Asia), the queue may take 30–60 minutes.
Step 2: baggage reclaim
Follow signs for Baggage Claim (行李提取, xíngli tíqǔ). Flight carousel assignments are displayed on screens in the baggage hall. If your bag does not arrive within 30 minutes of other bags from your flight, report to the airline's baggage services desk in the arrivals hall with your baggage receipt (the sticker portion of your boarding pass packet).
Step 3: customs
China uses a two-channel customs declaration system:
Green Channel (无申报, nothing to declare): for visitors with no taxable goods, cash below USD 5,000 equivalent, and no prohibited items.
Red Channel (申报, to declare): for cash exceeding USD 5,000 equivalent in total (all currencies combined), alcohol beyond duty-free allowances, commercial goods, or prescription medications in quantities beyond personal use.
Prohibited items: fresh fruit and vegetables from many countries, certain meat products, publications deemed politically sensitive, and any items on the general Chinese customs prohibited list. The agricultural biosecurity inspection desk between baggage reclaim and customs checks items for plant and animal materials.
Customs officers conduct random checks of passengers in the Green Channel. Baggage X-ray is standard at the customs exit point at some airports.
Step 4: the arrivals hall
Once through customs, you will find:
- SIM card kiosks: China Mobile, China Unicom, and China Telecom all offer tourist SIM cards at the arrivals counter. Buying one here sets you up with payment app functionality from the airport.
- Currency exchange: banks of exchange counters at all major airports. Rates are reasonable at major airports; avoid the first counter nearest the exit (typically poorest rates).
- ATMs: UnionPay, Visa, and Mastercard machines throughout the arrivals hall.
- Airport express signage: clear bilingual signs lead to the rail link or metro connection.
- Pre-arranged driver signs: if a transfer has been arranged, drivers wait in a designated meeting area beyond the arrivals hall.
Step 5: getting into the city
Beijing Capital (PEK): Airport Express Line to Dongzhimen (25 minutes,). Connects to Metro Lines 2 and 13. Taxi queue outside Arrivals; official metered taxis only — avoid unsolicited offers inside the terminal.
Beijing Daxing (PKX): Daxing Airport Express to Caoqiao on Line 10 (20 minutes) or direct to Tongzhou (longer). New airport serving an increasing share of Beijing capacity.
Shanghai Pudong (PVG): Maglev train to Longyang Road Station (8 minutes,). Metro Line 2 reaches central Shanghai in 60–70 minutes with no change. Taxi queue outside Arrivals.
Guangzhou Baiyun (CAN): Metro Line 3 connects directly to the city, reaching Tianhe District in approximately 40 minutes.
Chengdu Tianfu (TFU): the newer of Chengdu's two airports, served by the Tianfu Airport Line metro.
In all cases: use the official taxi queue outside the terminal. Drivers approaching inside the terminal offering a ride at a fixed price are operating informally — the price is typically higher than the metered rate and accountability in case of problems is zero.
Tags
arrival, airport, customs, immigration, practical, visa
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