How to read this page
Official first. Commercial last.
Official and primary-platform links are listed before sponsored resources. Affiliate: Yes means the link may pay us a commission; it does not mean the resource is official or required.
Action layer · Curated only
China travel readiness resources for foreign visitors
This is the action page: a short, checked set of official links, primary platforms, and ChinaReady tools for the moments that actually break before or right after entry. Sources is the audit page for how we verify and encode policy claims.
Best next step
Start with your entry path.
If your route is not legal, the rest of the setup cannot fix it. Run the checker first, then build counter proof and fill the arrival card with matching details.
Resources vs sources
This page is for opening the next link.
Use Resources when you need the official CDAC portal, a train platform, hotel address proof, or a pre-flight setup link. Use Sources when you want to audit our policy data, update cadence, and ambiguity handling.
Publication rule
No public submissions.
We keep this page small on purpose. A resource has to help a concrete China-entry task, disclose its risk, and point back to a core flow before it belongs here.
Policy and entry path
Official policy sources and the internal tools that turn those rules into a route decision.
3 checked resources · no public submissions
OfficialAffiliate: No
NIA 240-hour visa-free transit policy
Checking the official country, port, region, stay-time, and third-region basis behind a 240h route.
What can go wrong: The policy page is the source, but it does not explain every airline-counter edge case in plain language.
Last checked 2026-05-18 · Policy and entry path
ChinaReadyAffiliate: No
ChinaReady entry path checker
Choosing between 240h transit, ordinary visa-free entry, or a route that needs fixing.
What can go wrong: Use the result as an informational checklist; final boarding and entry decisions remain with the airline and immigration officers.
Last checked 2026-05-18 · Policy and entry path
OfficialAffiliate: No
State Council 240h policy summary
A government English summary to cross-check the headline 240h expansion and policy framing.
What can go wrong: Use NIA as the primary rule source when a detail differs or when a port/province list matters.
Last checked 2026-05-18 · Policy and entry path
Digital Arrival Card
Official CDAC entry points and scam warnings before a traveler enters passport details.
4 checked resources · no public submissions
OfficialAffiliate: No
Official CDAC portal
Submitting the free China Digital Arrival Card before arrival.
What can go wrong: Any paid website, ad result, or non-.gov.cn page asking for CDAC payment should be treated as unsafe.
Last checked 2026-05-18 · Digital Arrival Card
OfficialAffiliate: No
NIA Online Arrival Card notice
Confirming the official CDAC service, timing, and supported submission paths.
What can go wrong: The notice is policy-level. Use the walkthrough before typing passport data into the live form.
Last checked 2026-05-18 · Digital Arrival Card
OfficialAffiliate: No
Shanghai government CDAC scam warning
Confirming that lookalike CDAC payment sites are a real public-warning issue, not just a generic web-safety concern.
What can go wrong: Use it as a warning signal. The actual filing endpoint remains the NIA portal at s.nia.gov.cn.
Last checked 2026-05-18 · Digital Arrival Card
ChinaReadyAffiliate: No
ChinaReady CDAC walkthrough
Avoiding wrong CDAC fields, fake payment pages, and mismatched hotel or route details.
What can go wrong: We do not file the card for you and never ask for passport images; open the official portal yourself.
Last checked 2026-05-18 · Digital Arrival Card
Airline counter proof
Resources to help a traveler explain the route, third-region exit, and policy source at check-in.
2 checked resources · no public submissions
ChinaReadyAffiliate: No
Boarding Kit generator
Printing a one-page airline-counter proof packet with route facts and an NIA policy citation.
What can go wrong: It is not a visa, boarding pass, or guarantee. It is a clearer way to explain an eligible route.
Last checked 2026-05-18 · Airline counter proof
ChinaReadyAffiliate: No
240h vs ordinary visa-free comparison
Understanding when a 30-day ordinary visa-free path is simpler than forcing a 240h transit route.
What can go wrong: Do not carry 240h proof if the better path is ordinary visa-free entry; mismatched language creates confusion.
Last checked 2026-05-18 · Airline counter proof
First-night address
Hotel and address-proof resources that reduce CDAC, airline, and check-in friction.
3 checked resources · no public submissions
ChinaReadyAffiliate: No
Foreign-passport hotel check-in guide
Avoiding hotels that cannot or will not register a foreign passport.
What can go wrong: A paid booking is not enough if the property cannot handle foreign-passport registration.
Last checked 2026-05-18 · First-night address
ChinaReadyAffiliate: No
First-night address checklist
Keeping the hotel name and Chinese address consistent across CDAC, airline proof, and front-desk check-in.
What can go wrong: English-only addresses, apartment stays, or late-night self check-in can create avoidable arrival friction.
Last checked 2026-05-18 · First-night address
Third partyAffiliate: Yes
Trip.com hotel search
Finding a first-night hotel with clearer foreign-card booking and address details.
What can go wrong: Sponsored link. Still verify the property accepts foreign passports and save the Chinese address before flying.
Last checked 2026-05-18 · First-night address
Train and transfer
Primary rail and route-execution resources for foreign-passport travelers.
2 checked resources · no public submissions
Primary platformAffiliate: No
12306 official rail platform
Checking China's official passenger rail platform and passport-name requirements.
What can go wrong: Foreign-passport verification and exact name matching can block ticket purchase or station entry.
Last checked 2026-05-18 · Train and transfer
ChinaReadyAffiliate: No
Book China trains with a foreign passport
Choosing between 12306 and Trip.com and avoiding passport-name mismatch at the station.
What can go wrong: Do not book rail exits before the entry path itself is legal under the checker.
Last checked 2026-05-18 · Train and transfer
First-hour setup
Connectivity, payment, maps, and backup tools to prepare before landing.
3 checked resources · no public submissions
ChinaReadyAffiliate: No
China travel essentials
Preparing data, VPN, insurance, hotel, and payment backups before the flight.
What can go wrong: The page includes sponsored exits, but the first job is dependency planning, not product shopping.
Last checked 2026-05-18 · First-hour setup
Third partyAffiliate: Yes
China eSIM setup
Landing with mobile data already available for CDAC QR, maps, translation, and hotel messages.
What can go wrong: Sponsored link. Install before departure and keep a roaming or Wi-Fi fallback in case activation fails.
Last checked 2026-05-18 · First-hour setup
Third partyAffiliate: Yes
VPN setup before China
Installing a working VPN before provider sites become harder to reach inside mainland China.
What can go wrong: Sponsored link. Test it at home and keep a second connectivity path; no VPN is guaranteed to work every day.
Last checked 2026-05-18 · First-hour setup