Arriving in China: your first 48 hours

Before you leave the plane

Cabin crew hand out arrival cards on most international flights. Have a pen. You will need:

• Your passport details — copy them exactly, including the extra letters at the bottom
• Your flight number and the address of your first night in China
• Your purpose of visit: write "sightseeing" / "tourism" — not "business" unless it is

Health declarations have been relaxed since 2023 and there is normally nothing to fill in, but rules return quickly when they need to. Follow crew instructions.

At immigration — the real process

If you are using the 240-hour transit, look for thetransit / visa-free signs or ask staff; do not join the ordinary foreigner queue. Most large airports have a dedicated desk.

1. Documents

   Passport, arrival card, onward ticket. Sometimes a hotel booking.

2. Biometrics

   Photo and fingerprints of all ten fingers. Routine, quick.

3. Questions

   Usually two or three: why are you here, how long, where are you going next. Answer shortly and consistently with your ticket.

4. The stamp

   You receive a temporary entry permit with an expiry date.Look at it before you walk away — a wrong date is much harder to fix later.

Baggage, customs and cash

• Declare cash above roughly US$5,000 equivalent, professional filming equipment, and anything you are unsure about. Declaring is free; being caught is not.
• Duty-free: reasonable personal alcohol and tobacco allowances apply on arrival.
• Do not bring: drones you intend to fly without registration (they are legal but controlled), fresh food and meat products, pornography, or religious or political material intended for distribution.
• Medicine: personal quantities in original packaging with a prescription are fine. Anything containing controlled substances is a serious problem — check first.
• Red and green channels: if you have nothing to declare, walk through green. If in doubt, red.

Getting from the airport into the city

Every major Chinese airport has three sane options and one insane one:

• Airport express train or metro — cheapest and fastest at rush hour. Beijing Capital, Shanghai Pudong, Guangzhou and Chengdu Tianfu are all directly connected.
• Official taxi queue — follow the signs inside the terminal. Insist on the meter. Airport-to-centre runs are typically ¥80–200 depending on city.
• Ride-hailing (Didi) — order inside Alipay; the app gives you the plate number and the driver calls through a masked number.
• The people who approach you in the arrivals hall — "taxi? taxi? hotel?" They are unlicensed and will charge several times the metered fare.

Your first 48 hours, in order

1. Get data working

   Activate the eSIM or roaming at the airport, before you need a map.

2. Check in and get registered

   Hotels file the accommodation registration for you at the front desk — hand over your passport and wait two minutes. This is the24-hour registration requirement and it is not optional.

3. Make one small QR payment

   Buy a bottle of water from a convenience store using Alipay. Prove the setup works on day one, not in an emergency.

4. Get a transport card or metro code

   Alipay can generate a metro QR code for most cities; otherwise buy a physical card at any station.

5. Change some cash

   A bank branch or airport exchange counter. You may never use it, but it is peace of mind.

6. Eat something simple

   A noodle shop, a dumpling chain, a mall food court. Low stakes, high reward.

The culture-shock list (so nothing surprises you)

• Nobody queues rigidly — stand close and hold your ground politely
• Personal space in crowds is smaller than in Europe
• Shop staff may follow you around; it is attentiveness, not suspicion
• Staring is not rude in the way you think
• People will ask to take a photo with you, especially outside big cities
• Toilets are often squat-style; carry tissues
• Service is brisk, not warm — efficiency is the compliment
• Spitting and loud phone calls are common and unremarkable

None of this is a judgement. China is simply a different default setting, and knowing that in advance removes about 80% of the friction.