China’s National Immigration Administration is quietly accelerating its move away from paper forms. Over the past 24 hours, scores of passengers landing at Beijing Capital (PEK) and Shanghai Pudong (PVG) have posted that officers are now directing all foreign travellers to complete an electronic “Arrival Card” by scanning a large QR code displayed before the booths. The form—hosted on an nia.gov.cn sub-domain—collects the same information that was previously written by hand but generates a scannable code that appears on the officer’s screen as soon as the passport is swiped. Early adopters report that the change is shaving 10–15 minutes off a typical arrival. A user who landed in Beijing on an Italian passport yesterday said immigration took “less than 15 minutes” because the QR code had been filled in the night before the flight. At Pudong, another traveller on Japan Airlines noted that the airport has removed paper desks altogether and now funnels everyone past a bank of free Wi-Fi kiosks for those who still need to complete the form. The electronic card also accommodates China’s expanding short-stay schemes. Travellers transiting under the 24- and 144-hour visa-free options—as well as the newer 240-hour Transit Without Visa (TWOV) programme—can select the relevant option from a drop-down menu and receive a colour-coded confirmation. Immigration officers appear familiar with the new codes, although supervisors are still randomly pulling some passports for manual inspection. For employers and mobility managers the practical advice is clear: tell assignees and business visitors to complete the form online before take-off and to keep a screenshot handy. Those who forget can still use airport kiosks, but several posters warned of long lines at peak times. Mobile data or airport Wi-Fi is required, so reminding staff to enable roaming or download a Chinese eSIM can avoid last-minute stress. The move is part of a broader digital-border strategy announced by the NIA last year. While no formal press release accompanied this week’s changes, the live feedback indicates that the electronic arrival card is now operational at China’s two busiest international gateways and could be mandated nationwide ahead of the May holiday surge.
