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2026 China Arrival Checklist
Free printable checklist
2026 China Arrival Checklist
Work through this before you fly, then keep the arrival section on your phone.
Not legal advice. Visa-free rules and payment limits change. Confirm your nationality, transit routing and travel dates with China's National Immigration Administration and your airline before booking non-refundable travel. Policy checked 19 October 2026.
1. Before you book
- ☐Passport valid for at least six months beyond your return date, with blank pages.
- ☐Check your entry route. Use the 30-day / 240-hour visa checker. If you rely on 240-hour transit, your itinerary must be A → mainland China → C, and C must be a different country or region (Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan count).
- ☐Confirm your hotel accepts foreign guests. Ask in writing that they can complete police registration for your passport. This matters most for small homestays.
- ☐Check the visa-free policy end date. Most 30-day policies currently run through 31 December 2026. Do not assume they will be extended.
- ☐Travel insurance that covers China, including medical care and evacuation.
- ☐Book flights and hotels. Compare flights and Chengdu hotels; read the cancellation terms before paying.
2. Two weeks before departure
- ☐Buy a China travel eSIM and install it while you have home Wi-Fi. Compare Airalo, Trip.com and Klook. Read the hotspot and fair-use terms.
- ☐Install a VPN if you will use hotel Wi-Fi or a laptop. Read our China VPN guide, and keep the eSIM as a backup.
- ☐Set up Alipay and WeChat Pay with your home number, complete passport verification and link at least two cards. Follow the payment guide.
- ☐Tell your bank you are travelling to reduce the chance of a fraud block on your first payment.
- ☐Download apps: Alipay, WeChat, Trip.com, your eSIM app, a VPN (if using), Google Translate or Apple Translate, and Amap (Gaode Maps) if you want local mapping.
- ☐Download offline language packs and maps before you leave home.
- ☐Pack a universal power adapter (China uses Type A/C/I, 220V) and a compliant power bank in your carry-on.
- ☐Carry essential medication in original packaging with a copy of your prescription.
3. 48 hours before departure
- ☐Keep the eSIM installed but switched off until you land. Check the provider's activation rule; most start validity on first connection in China.
- ☐Open your VPN and confirm it launches before you leave. VPN provider sites are often blocked inside China.
- ☐Save your hotel name and address in Chinese characters, plus a screenshot of the booking confirmation.
- ☐If using 240-hour transit: save your confirmed onward ticket to a third country or region, and check that your entry port and route are within the permitted area.
- ☐Book time-sensitive trains and attractions. Use Trip.com trains and Klook attractions when booking windows open.
- ☐Carry ¥200–¥300 in cash as a backup for vendors that cannot accept foreign cards.
4. On arrival
- ☐Turn on the eSIM as your data line. Keep your home SIM active for SMS codes if your bank needs 3-D Secure.
- ☐Test data before leaving the airport: open a map, load a webpage and send a message.
- ☐Test Alipay: buy a small item or scan a merchant QR to confirm your card works.
- ☐Use the official taxi queue or Didi inside Alipay. Avoid unlicensed drivers approaching you inside the terminal.
- ☐Check in with your passport. The hotel should register you with the local police; confirm that it has done so.
- ☐Save emergency numbers: police 110, ambulance 120, fire 119. Save your embassy or consulate contact too.
Useful phrase to show a driver
请带我去这个地址
“Please take me to this address.” Show the Chinese address on your phone.
可以分两次付款吗？
“Can I pay in two transactions?” Ask before splitting a bill; the merchant may not agree.
Next steps
Sources checked 19 October 2026: China National Immigration Administration, Civil Aviation Administration of China, Alipay/WeChat Pay public fee notices, and provider plan terms. Some outbound links may become affiliate links; where an affiliate link is active, it may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. See our disclosure and privacy policy.