Adjusting to daily life in China can be exhilarating yet challenging for expatriates and visitors alike. This guide is designed to ease your transition, providing step-by-step advice on how to secure essential services. From obtaining communication and banking cards to setting up mobile payments and managing foreign exchange, we cover all the critical details you'll need to comfortably and efficiently settle into your new surroundings in China.

SIM card

(I) Foreigners can bring your passports or Foreign Permanent Resident ID Cards to the service offices of telecom operators such as China Telecom, China Mobile, China Unicom, and China Broadnet, to apply for a SIM card and activate mobile communication services in China.

(II) The mobile communication service plans usually include call time and data. Different operators will provide different service plans according to customers' needs, and users can choose the appropriate one. 

Note: The plans often offer a limited amount of data. You can disable internet access when not using internet services if the data offered is little. Or, you are suggested to consult the telecom operator for an appropriate data plan if you need to use a large amount of data.

Bank card

(I)  Foreigners can bring your passports or Foreign Permanent Resident ID Cards, and mobile phone numbers in China to the business offices of commercial banks to apply for a bank card (please consult the customer manager of the business office for specific requirements).

(II) Foreigners shall fill in the account opening application form before applying for a bank card.

(III) After receiving the bank card, foreigners shall verify or modify the password on the ATM in time. It is recommended to download the mobile banking APP of the corresponding bank when applying for a bank card.

(IV) Foreigners shall keep the bank cards secure, to avoid loss or unauthorized use by others or criminals. In case of card loss, please report it to the corresponding bank in time.

Mobile payment

(I) Foreigners can download and install WeChat or Alipay APPs and follow the instructions to input foreign or Chinese mobile phone numbers for account registration.

(II) Foreigners can bind the APP with international bank cards with the Mastercard, Visa, JCB, Diners Club, and Discover logos or Chinese bank cards with the logo of UnionPay.

(III) Foreigners can scan the collection QR code or show the payment QR code when making payments. 

Notes for binding international bank cards:

1. When binding an international bank card to Alipay or WeChat,  it is necessary to obtain authorization from the foreign issuing bank. However, some issuing banks may reject the binding request due to their system's inability to recognize the connection information. In such cases, it is advisable to contact the issuing bank's customer service center or consider using a Chinese bank card instead.

2. When using Alipay or WeChat for QR code payments through the bound international bank card, users are not required to pay an additional service fee if the transaction amount does not exceed  RMB200; or, users need to pay a service fee at 3% of the transaction amount if the amount exceeds RMB200.

3. Alipay and WeChat have set transaction limits for bound international bank cards,  with an annual limit of USD 50,000 and a single transaction limit of USD 5,000. It is recommended that users who have bound international bank cards to the APPs consider your specific use cases before using mobile payment.

(IV) Users of AlipayHK, Wechatpay HK (HKSAR), mPay (Macao SAR), Kakao Pay (Republic of Korea), Touch'n Go eWallet (Malaysia), HiPay (Mongolia), Changi Pay (Singapore), OCBC (Singapore), Naver Pay (Republic of Korea), Toss Pay (Republic of Korea), and TrueMoney (Thailand) can make QR code payments through these e-wallets in the Chinese mainland.

Exchange of foreign currencies

(I) Overseas visitors to China can exchange foreign currencies for RMB cash in advance in relevant countries or regions before bringing it into China (each visitor is allowed to take up to RMB20,000 in cash in or out of the country).

(II) Overseas visitors to China can exchange foreign currencies for RMB cash at commercial bank branches,  money changers, and self-service currency exchange machines at international airports, land ports, ports, and other entry ports, or withdraw RMB cash using international bank cards at ATMs.

Source: National Immigration Administration

This article is updated on April 22, 2024.