Your First 72 Hours in China: Pay, Connect, Register

China Field Notes · by Daona · 9 min read

Every week we meet foreign visitors who arrive in China well prepared for their meetings and badly prepared for the airport taxi queue. It is not their fault. Most guides were written for a China that no longer exists — one where you needed a local bank card to pay for anything, or one where you could ignore registration because a hotel handled it.

Here is the order we recommend: what to do before you fly, on the day you land, and in the following two days.

Set up Alipay and WeChat Pay with your foreign card

WhereDownload Alipay (支付宝) and WeChat (微信) from your home app store. Register with your foreign mobile number. In Alipay, go to "Bank Cards" and add a Visa, Mastercard, JCB, Diners Club or Discover card. In WeChat, go to "Me → Services → Wallet" and add a card the same way.

Verify your identity. Both apps ask for your passport details. Do it now, at home, while you still have reliable access to your email and your bank's verification messages. Verified accounts get higher limits.

What it costs. Payments of ¥200 or less are free. Above ¥200, the platforms charge a 3% service fee on payments made with a foreign card. Your home bank may add its own foreign transaction fee.

What the limits are. The regulator has said the per-transaction cap for overseas visitors was raised to US$5,000 and the annual cap to US$50,000. In practice, the limit shown inside each app can be lower and depends on verification. Our advice: before a large payment — a hotel deposit, a long train journey for a group — check the limit shown in the app, and do not rely on one card.

What still does not work. With a foreign card you cannot send personal transfers or red packets (红包) to friends. You cannot "split the bill" by transferring money to a colleague. You pay the merchant directly instead.

Tell your bank you are travelling

Many foreign banks block the first payment from China as suspected fraud. A two-minute call or app notification avoids a declined card at the hotel desk.

Bring some cash — and a second card

Refusing cash is not allowed under People's Bank of China rules, and large hotels, airports and train stations all take it. Small amounts of renminbi (人民币) are useful for the occasional shop whose card terminal is down. Bring a second card from a different network in case one is declined.

Download the essentials

Plan for your work tools

Some international websites, email services and messaging apps may not be accessible on mainland Chinese networks. If your work depends on them, talk to your IT team before you travel. Companies that need stable international connections use compliant cross-border services from licensed telecom operators. Do not assume your usual tools will work on hotel Wi-Fi.

Get a Chinese phone number

A local number makes life easier: delivery drivers call you, hotels send verification codes, and some services only accept Chinese numbers.

WhereThe three state carriers — China Mobile (中国移动), China Unicom (中国联通) and China Telecom (中国电信) — have counters at major international airports. Their high-street stores also sell SIM cards to foreigners.

BringYour passport. SIM registration in China is real-name (实名制), so the card is tied to your identity. Staff will photograph your passport and may take a photo of your face.

What to choose. For a short business trip, a prepaid plan with 20–50 GB of data is plenty. Ask the staff to enable it before you leave the counter and test it by opening Amap.

Alternatives. Roaming on your home number works but can be expensive. Travel eSIMs are convenient for data, but usually do not give you a Chinese number for verification codes.

Pay for your first ride

At the airport, use the official taxi queue or book DiDi. Pay with Alipay or WeChat Pay at the end of the ride. Show the driver your hotel's Chinese name and address on your phone — not the English name.

This is the step most foreign visitors miss.

The rule

Under Article 39 of the Exit and Entry Administration Law, a foreigner staying in China must complete accommodation registration (住宿登记):

The 24-hour clock starts when you arrive at the accommodation, not when you enter China. If you move from a hotel to an apartment on day four, the clock starts on day four.

Where to register

Online (where available). Since 20 March 2026, the National Immigration Administration has offered online registration through its website, the "NIA 12367" app, and NIA 12367 mini programs in WeChat and Alipay. It started in seven provinces and regions — Hebei, Liaoning, Zhejiang, Hubei, Guangxi, Chongqing and Sichuan — and is being rolled out nationwide. The first registration at a given address needs the host's help.

In person. Otherwise, go to the local police station (派出所) that covers the address. Bring:

You will receive a registration form (境外人员临时住宿登记单). Keep a photo of it. Banks, employers and the exit-entry bureau ask for it later, especially when you apply for a residence permit.

What happens if you skip it

Article 76 of the same law allows a warning and a fine of up to ¥2,000 for failing to register. The bigger problem comes later: when you apply to extend your stay or convert to a residence permit, the exit-entry bureau will check your registration history. Gaps slow you down.

An illustration

Illustrative. Does not refer to any real person.

Each new non-hotel address is a new registration. Serviced apartments are a grey zone: some register you like a hotel, some do not. Ask.

Trains

High-speed rail (高铁) is often faster than flying between cities up to around 1,000 km apart. Book on Railway 12306 or Trip.com with your passport. At the station, use the manual gate if the automatic gates do not read your passport, and carry the same passport you booked with — a new passport number means a new booking.

Carry your passport, every day

Article 38 of the Exit and Entry Administration Law requires foreigners over 16 to carry their passport or residence permit and show it when police ask. Hotels, trains, some office buildings and many government offices check it too. A photo on your phone is not a substitute.

Save the emergency numbers

Practicalities

· Power: 220V, 50Hz. Common sockets accept Type A, Type C and Type I plugs.

· Time zone: all of China uses Beijing time (UTC+8).

· Tipping: not expected in most places.

· Water: drink bottled or boiled water.

"My hotel handles registration, so my apartment will too." Only hotels register you automatically. For any other accommodation, ask on arrival who will register, and confirm it is done.

"I'll split the bill on WeChat." Not with a foreign card. Pay separately at the counter, or let one person pay and settle in cash.

"I'll pay the ¥3,000 deposit on my phone." Check the in-app limit first, and remember the 3% fee above ¥200. For larger amounts, a card at the hotel desk may be cheaper.

"I'll get a SIM card later." Without a Chinese number, you will miss delivery calls and some verification codes. Do it at the airport.

"I'll leave my passport in the room safe." You are required to carry it, and you will need it for trains, check-ins and some buildings.

Rules as of October 2026. This column provides general information, not legal or tax advice.

China Field Notes · by Daona