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China 12367 Immigration Service Hotline: Call or Go Online
Jason Chen
September 4, 2026· Updated September 5, 2026· 8 min read
China's 12367 immigration service hotline is the National Immigration Administration's round-the-clock line for questions, suggestions, or service requests on immigration administration and exit-entry matters: dial 12367 on a local line or +86-12367 on an international route. Prepare the jurisdiction, document type, current status, deadline, timeline, and one precise question before calling or using the official online channel; the service can route and explain, but it does not itself guarantee a visa, extension, admission, or case outcome.［1］［2］［4］
Key Takeaways
- Use 12367 for immigration-administration and exit-entry questions, not every government problem.
- Call emergency services first when life, safety, crime, fire, or urgent medical care is involved.
- Prepare a short factual case summary and remove irrelevant personal data.
- Distinguish the voice hotline from the official 12367 online service.［3］
- Current hotline language routing is broader than the Chinese-and-English online service.［4］
- Record the time, office, guidance, and any reference or transfer details.
- Confirm decision-critical instructions with the competent local office and complete the required formal application.
The China travel pillar covers general preparation. This guide focuses only on reaching the right immigration-service channel and creating a usable follow-up record.
Is 12367 the right service for your question?
The National Immigration Administration launched 12367 as a unified service platform for immigration-management policy inquiries, suggestions, and related service needs. It provides round-the-clock service. The latest official hotline notice describes direct English handling and interpreter-assisted French, Russian, Japanese, and Korean, while the online service remains Chinese and English. Confirm the current menu and availability for the route you use.［1］［2］［3］［4］
| Situation | First route | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Visa, stay, residence, border inspection, or exit-entry policy question | 12367 or competent exit-entry office | Immigration administration is the subject |
| General local government service | Local 12345 | The issue belongs to municipal service routing |
| Immediate crime or safety danger | Police or relevant emergency number | Urgent response comes before administrative inquiry |
| Fire or medical emergency | Fire or medical emergency service | 12367 is not an emergency dispatcher |
| Lost or expired passport | Police/consulate plus immigration as applicable | The consulate handles replacement nationality documents |
| Case decision or document submission | Named competent office | A hotline explanation does not replace the formal procedure |
Use the 12345 government-service guide for local non-emergency issues and save the China emergency numbers guide separately.
What should you prepare before contacting 12367?
Write a five-line summary before you call. It reduces translation problems and prevents the conversation from becoming a long travel history with no decision question.
- Location and jurisdiction: city, port, airport, or office responsible for the event.
- Identity document: passport or travel-document type and nationality; disclose the full number only when the official agent requires it.
- Current immigration basis: visa, residence permit, visa-free entry, stay document, or pending application.
- Timeline: entry date, expiry or appointment date, prior submission, and any deadline.
- Question: one action-focused sentence, such as which office accepts the application or which current document list applies.
Keep passport, visa or permit, entry record, application receipt, and any written notice nearby. Do not post full document images, payment credentials, passwords, or one-time codes in a public forum or unofficial chat.
How do you call the 12367 immigration service hotline?
Use 12367 where the local calling route supports the short number. The latest NIA notice also publishes +86-12367 for callers using an international route. English receives a direct voice response; French, Russian, Japanese, or Korean uses a channel connecting the caller, an interpreter, and an operator. Carrier, roaming, hotel-switchboard, and location restrictions can still affect connection, so keep the official online service and the competent office's published contact details as alternatives.［4］
- Move to a quiet place and have the five-line summary ready.
- State the city or port and whether the matter concerns entry, exit, visa, stay, residence, or another immigration service.
- Ask for the currently competent office before describing secondary details.
- Give factual dates and document types; do not guess an immigration category.
- Ask one precise question at a time and repeat the answer in your own words for confirmation.
- Request the office name, published channel, required next action, and any reference or transfer detail available.
- Record the call time and guidance without recording staff or the call unless law and service policy permit it.
- Verify high-impact instructions—especially deadlines, lawful stay, entry eligibility, or required originals—with the named competent office.
- Complete the formal application or in-person step; a call alone does not change status.
If the matter is a visa extension, use the separate application guide to distinguish an inquiry from a submitted and accepted application.
How does the official online 12367 service differ?
The National Immigration Administration also operates a 12367 online service for consultation and interaction. Its official announcement describes Chinese and English human and intelligent service available around the clock.［3］ Interface entry points, account requirements, identity fields, attachments, and response handling can change.
Use only an official NIA page, app, or mini-program entry identified by the authority. Before submitting:
- remove unrelated personal data;
- state the competent city or port;
- separate facts from your requested outcome;
- attach only the evidence requested through the official channel;
- save the submitted text, timestamp, and reference;
- avoid sending the same case repeatedly through multiple accounts.
An online response can help identify a policy or office, but a written reply is not automatically a visa, permit, border decision, or extension of lawful stay.
How should you follow up on the answer?
Turn the conversation into a short action record.
| Record | Example of what to capture |
|---|---|
| Channel | Hotline or official online service |
| Time and jurisdiction | Shanghai time and the named city, port, or office |
| Question | The exact action or requirement you asked about |
| Guidance | Office, document, deadline, or published page identified |
| Reference | Ticket, transfer, or response number if supplied |
| Verification | Competent-office page, call, appointment, or submission result |
If two channels give different answers, do not choose the more convenient one silently. Ask which authority owns the decision, explain the discrepancy, and request current written guidance where available.
What if 12367 cannot resolve the issue?
| Problem | Next action |
|---|---|
| Call will not connect | Use the official online service or published local-office contact |
| Language support is unavailable at that moment | Call again, use the official online route, or arrange a trusted interpreter without sharing unnecessary data |
| Agent refers you to a local office | Confirm the office name, address, hours, appointment route, and documents |
| Deadline is close | Contact the competent office immediately; do not assume an inquiry pauses the deadline |
| Passport is lost | Contact police and your embassy or consulate, then ask immigration about the applicable exit-entry step |
| Immediate danger exists | End the administrative inquiry and contact the appropriate emergency service |
| Answer conflicts with a written notice | Follow up with the issuing authority and preserve both records |
Be polite and concise, but do not conceal facts to obtain a preferred answer. Different facts, jurisdictions, and document categories can legitimately produce different routes.
Summary
- Use 12367 for immigration-management and exit-entry service questions.
- Route emergencies, local government matters, and consular document replacement elsewhere.
- Prepare jurisdiction, document type, status, dates, and one precise question.
- Record the answer and any office or reference details.
- Verify decision-critical instructions with the competent authority.
- Complete the formal procedure before the deadline; an inquiry does not change legal status.
FAQ
Is 12367 an emergency number?
No. Use the appropriate police, fire, or medical emergency service when urgent safety or medical response is needed.
Is 12367 the same as 12345?
No. 12367 focuses on immigration administration and exit-entry services, while 12345 is a broader local government-service routing channel.［1］
Can 12367 extend my visa over the phone?
No. It can explain or route the relevant procedure, but a formal application and the competent authority's decision are still required.
Is the hotline available 24 hours?
The official NIA description states that 12367 provides round-the-clock service. Its latest hotline notice lists English direct handling and interpreter-assisted French, Russian, Japanese, and Korean. Confirm the current menu and connection for your route.［1］［2］［4］
Can I contact 12367 online?
Yes, NIA provides an official 12367 online service. Use a current official entry point and treat its response as guidance unless it explicitly forms part of a formal procedure.［3］
What information should I avoid sharing?
Do not provide passwords, payment credentials, one-time codes, or unrelated full-document images. Share identity data only through an official channel and only when needed for the service.
Does a 12367 answer override a border officer or local office?
No. The competent authority decides the case under the current rules and facts. Use the service to identify that authority and understand the next step.
Does calling 12367 pause my visa or stay deadline?
Do not assume so. Contact the competent office and complete any required formal application before the deadline unless an official rule or document expressly says otherwise.
Disclaimer: This guide provides general service-navigation information, not immigration or legal advice. Channels, language support, document requirements, jurisdiction, and decisions can change; verify high-impact instructions with the competent authority.
Sources
- National Immigration Administration, 12367 Service Platform Launch Announcement — https://www.nia.gov.cn/n897453/c1402161/content.html
- National Immigration Administration, Contact Information — https://www.nia.gov.cn/n1439376/c1439348/content.html
- National Immigration Administration, 12367 Online Service Platform Announcement — https://s.nia.gov.cn/mps/tztgEn/202312/t20231212_1201.html
- National Immigration Administration, 12367 Hotline Multilingual Service Notice — https://en.nia.gov.cn/n147418/n147468/c194788/content.html
Sources checked 4 October 2026.
