Accommodation registration (mandatory): hotels register foreign guests in the system automatically; if you stay in a homestay or private home, you or the host must register at the local police station within 24 hours of check-in. Forgetting brings fines (usually 500-2,000 yuan).
Choosing a port: common entry points include Beijing Capital/Daxing, Shanghai Pudong/Hongqiao, Guangzhou Baiyun, Shenzhen (walk across the border from Hong Kong), Chengdu Tianfu and Xi'an Xianyang. Pick the one nearest your destination; for visa-free transit, only policy ports qualify.
Passport and visa checks: your passport should be valid 6+ months on entry; the visa page must be undamaged and unaltered.
Transit reminders: international-to-international at the same airport usually needs no entry; international-to-domestic requires entering and re-checking (allow 3+ hours); connecting across cities has visa implications.
If a flight delay makes your visa lapse, the airline can issue a certificate and entry officers usually accept an honest explanation - but deliberate overstaying is treated seriously.
