Jun 7, 2023, 10:09 am
Last edit by: gudugan
China has largely moved to a cashless system with two widely accepted payment apps, AliPay and WeChat Pay. Both require extensive identity verification. Assuming you do not live in China (i.e. you are visiting for tourism/short term business, do NOT have a residence permit):
If you are coming for multiple visits:
Go to a China Mobile or China Unicom store and get a cell phone number (estimated time 2.5 hours). Ideally go to the largest branch with most representatives as they will have the best chance of figuring it out. All you need is your passport and cash to pay the initial deposit (I brought Y200). Tourist visa is fine. You want to open this in the area that you will spend the most time in, as they may give you data locked to your province. I am paying Y40 for 12GB data (you need to keep the plan active in some form, even when you are outside of China). More details in https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/35217727-post24.html
If you are coming for a one time visit (maximum 10,000 CNY in 180 day period). This method is not currently recommended as the fees are higher than the above method and ID verification is still required.
Currently it is not recommended to open a bank account.
If you are coming for multiple visits:
- July 2023 update: A phone number does not seem to be required any more.
- [Optional but recommended] Open a new AliPay account (even if you have an existing one) because your old one could be in a weird state.
- Verify your passport with AliPay. If you have one, use your Chinese (+86) phone number over a foreign phone number. Many apps act differently if you use foreign phone numbers.
- Your account should be fully active and you can have a friend top up your balance on AliPay and pay with the balance.
- Add a Visa, MasterCard, Diners Club or Discover card to your account. For small purchases you can pay with your foreign credit card with no fee. A purchase of Y271 triggered a 3% fee.
Go to a China Mobile or China Unicom store and get a cell phone number (estimated time 2.5 hours). Ideally go to the largest branch with most representatives as they will have the best chance of figuring it out. All you need is your passport and cash to pay the initial deposit (I brought Y200). Tourist visa is fine. You want to open this in the area that you will spend the most time in, as they may give you data locked to your province. I am paying Y40 for 12GB data (you need to keep the plan active in some form, even when you are outside of China). More details in https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/35217727-post24.html
If you are coming for a one time visit (maximum 10,000 CNY in 180 day period). This method is not currently recommended as the fees are higher than the above method and ID verification is still required.
- Download AliPay from the App Store
- In the search box at the top, type "TourCard"
- Verify your information and load money onto it. You will be charged a 5% fee for adding money. If the money is not used fully after 180 days, it will be refunded to your card. The current limit is 10,000 CNY. If you want to top up more than that, you can cancel the card after it expires and reopen a new card. The remaining amount of chargeable balance (max 10,000 CNY) will not be reset if you apply for a refund. My understanding is that since this is linked to your passport, if you need more than 10,000 CNY, you have to use another solution. Restrictions: You cannot transfer money to another account. Does not support wealth management, red envelope, etc.
Currently it is not recommended to open a bank account.
Opinion: without Alipay and Wechat Pay, you are screwed in Shanghai
Jul 6, 2019, 10:19 am
#106
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Dec 2000
Location: Shanghai
Posts: 42,031
I should know more about this stuff because I've been working closely with tencent for the past five years, but I must admit that foreign users are an exceptionally low priority.
A few more thoughts:
1. The only advantage foreign wx accounts have over PRC accounts is the ability to view a handful of foreign official accounts, which falls into the "whoopty do" category
2. PRC accounts may be required for features like payment and WiFi, but this is something you should research in more focused forums, like thebeijinger (while it's true that most of us are heavy wx users, we typically only set things up once or twice)
3. Getting (and registering) a SIM is much more of a pita now than it was in years' past, but consider the following:
-many WiFi networks only send registration codes to local numbers
-didi, mobike, elema, etc require local numbers
-there are now ridiculously cheap plans available; I think I pay y20 per month, and simply buy minutes/data using WeChat Pay
A few more thoughts:
1. The only advantage foreign wx accounts have over PRC accounts is the ability to view a handful of foreign official accounts, which falls into the "whoopty do" category
2. PRC accounts may be required for features like payment and WiFi, but this is something you should research in more focused forums, like thebeijinger (while it's true that most of us are heavy wx users, we typically only set things up once or twice)
3. Getting (and registering) a SIM is much more of a pita now than it was in years' past, but consider the following:
-many WiFi networks only send registration codes to local numbers
-didi, mobike, elema, etc require local numbers
-there are now ridiculously cheap plans available; I think I pay y20 per month, and simply buy minutes/data using WeChat Pay
Last edited by moondog; Jul 6, 2019 at 10:27 am
Jul 6, 2019, 12:32 pm
#108
Join Date: Dec 2016
Programs: CX MPC DM
Posts: 416
Not sure about this. I've been using DiDi and Mobike just fine with my HK number. One added benefit of using DiDi with HK number is drivers hardly ever call. With local number, the drivers will always call to verify. HK number I get called very rarely and the drivers use the app to communicate so I get some built-in translation.
Very typically after being assigned a DiDi driver, I'll get the automated message - Is your GPS location accurate? (or whatever the canned message is). Then I quickly reply with canned message - My GPS location is accurate, please pick me up according to the GPS location. That seems to satisfy their need to know that the pickup will happen. When I used to have a local number, I'd always get the call right after the driver is assigned and since I can't speak drivers would sometimes cancel on me. Although that's before I knew the trick of not answering the call and then responding with canned message - I can't answer the phone right now, please send me a message. On the rare occasion the driver tries calling on my HK number, I just do that or send the "My location is accurate ..." message.
Very typically after being assigned a DiDi driver, I'll get the automated message - Is your GPS location accurate? (or whatever the canned message is). Then I quickly reply with canned message - My GPS location is accurate, please pick me up according to the GPS location. That seems to satisfy their need to know that the pickup will happen. When I used to have a local number, I'd always get the call right after the driver is assigned and since I can't speak drivers would sometimes cancel on me. Although that's before I knew the trick of not answering the call and then responding with canned message - I can't answer the phone right now, please send me a message. On the rare occasion the driver tries calling on my HK number, I just do that or send the "My location is accurate ..." message.
Jul 6, 2019, 1:10 pm
#110
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Dec 2000
Location: Shanghai
Posts: 42,031
Not sure about this. I've been using DiDi and Mobike just fine with my HK number. One added benefit of using DiDi with HK number is drivers hardly ever call. With local number, the drivers will always call to verify. HK number I get called very rarely and the drivers use the app to communicate so I get some built-in translation.
Very typically after being assigned a DiDi driver, I'll get the automated message - Is your GPS location accurate? (or whatever the canned message is). Then I quickly reply with canned message - My GPS location is accurate, please pick me up according to the GPS location. That seems to satisfy their need to know that the pickup will happen. When I used to have a local number, I'd always get the call right after the driver is assigned and since I can't speak drivers would sometimes cancel on me. Although that's before I knew the trick of not answering the call and then responding with canned message - I can't answer the phone right now, please send me a message. On the rare occasion the driver tries calling on my HK number, I just do that or send the "My location is accurate ..." message.
Very typically after being assigned a DiDi driver, I'll get the automated message - Is your GPS location accurate? (or whatever the canned message is). Then I quickly reply with canned message - My GPS location is accurate, please pick me up according to the GPS location. That seems to satisfy their need to know that the pickup will happen. When I used to have a local number, I'd always get the call right after the driver is assigned and since I can't speak drivers would sometimes cancel on me. Although that's before I knew the trick of not answering the call and then responding with canned message - I can't answer the phone right now, please send me a message. On the rare occasion the driver tries calling on my HK number, I just do that or send the "My location is accurate ..." message.
On a slightly tangential note, I try to avoid pickups in crowded areas whenever possible. For example, when I need a ride from the Jing'an Sogo (久光), I typically walk one block north or south.
Jul 6, 2019, 6:05 pm
#111
Join Date: Aug 2012
Posts: 6,752
Regarding Alipay & WeChat (have neither), I had a restaurant in Shanghai (one of the malls, so many not sure which one it was) unable to accept cash for an order of "siu lung bau," because they couldn't change a $100 bill. It'd be great if there's a way for foreigners to use these mobile pay things when in China.
Jul 6, 2019, 7:50 pm
#112
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: LAX
Programs: UA Plat MM, CM Plat, Amex Plat, Hertz CP, Hyatt Globalist, SPG Gold, Vons Club
Posts: 6,851
Friend of mine just sent me 100 RMB as a test, WeChat asked for my credit card information so I loaded in all my details for my American card with home address phone numbers email etc. I thought it was going to take but then another pop-up screen came up and said that due to regulations I need to register a China-based card to use the WeChat pay. I refunded the money back to the sender and let him know. So that workaround is not actually working… Any other thoughts?
Jul 6, 2019, 8:10 pm
#113
Join Date: Oct 2014
Posts: 3,097
I've said it time and again here but the message never seems to get through: you are wasting your time trying that approach.
I don't know whether the other, "Friends and Family" approach I suggested will work, but you can try it. If it works your friend's card will show as a payment source option on your WeChat.
I don't know whether the other, "Friends and Family" approach I suggested will work, but you can try it. If it works your friend's card will show as a payment source option on your WeChat.
Jul 6, 2019, 8:28 pm
#114
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Dec 2000
Location: Shanghai
Posts: 42,031
It appears that we've come full circle back to the "get a bank account" strategy. Sure, there are horror stories about some banks that create ridiculous hurdles for foreigners, but it's worth spending the better part of a morning getting completely set up (phone, bank, tenpay, alipay).
Jul 6, 2019, 8:46 pm
#115
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: LAX
Programs: UA Plat MM, CM Plat, Amex Plat, Hertz CP, Hyatt Globalist, SPG Gold, Vons Club
Posts: 6,851
I've said it time and again here but the message never seems to get through: you are wasting your time trying that approach.
I don't know whether the other, "Friends and Family" approach I suggested will work, but you can try it. If it works your friend's card will show as a payment source option on your WeChat.
I don't know whether the other, "Friends and Family" approach I suggested will work, but you can try it. If it works your friend's card will show as a payment source option on your WeChat.
Jul 12, 2019, 1:54 am
#116
Join Date: Dec 2014
Location: Bangkok
Programs: Marriott Bonvoy Titanium, BAEC Silver, TK Miles & Smiles Elite
Posts: 2,209
Both Alipay and WeChat now have options to let a relative or friend directly use your bank card for payments, including payments with QR codes. You attach them to your account and then set a monthly spending limit. On Alipay this is called 亲密付. On WeChat it's called Relative Cards (on WeChat look under Me > WeChat Pay > Wallet).
This may -- may -- be a way of allowing trustworthy friends visiting China to use QR codes on their phones for payments, if it doesn't require the attached friend or relative to be name verified. But I don't whether this is the case. I also don't know whether it works with Alipay or WeChat accounts opened with non-Mainland mobile numbers.
Perhaps some guinea pigs will try this out and report back.
This may -- may -- be a way of allowing trustworthy friends visiting China to use QR codes on their phones for payments, if it doesn't require the attached friend or relative to be name verified. But I don't whether this is the case. I also don't know whether it works with Alipay or WeChat accounts opened with non-Mainland mobile numbers.
Perhaps some guinea pigs will try this out and report back.
Anyway, I looked in WeChat after reading your post and there it is. I will attempt to create this for him when he arrives in two weeks so I can see what happens in both accounts.
I'll report back.
Jul 12, 2019, 12:29 pm
#118
Join Date: May 2009
Location: MAD/LAX/MNL/PIT
Programs: DL DM, PR, TG, UA, CX (Asia Miles), BT, AY, AA
Posts: 906
One thing that I noticed in Shanghai: if you want to get incense at the Jing'an Temple, you have to use a machine that only accepts WeChat Pay. Given my predicament, another foreigner offered to share their incense with me.
That was most definitely a bummer.
That was most definitely a bummer.
Jul 30, 2019, 2:39 am
#119
Join Date: Oct 2014
Posts: 3,097
I see the Alipay Android app now has two options to confirm your identity: one, the bank card method, the other, submit passport photo.
Perhaps a guinea pig will tell us, if you go the passport route do you get full Alipay functionality same as confirming with a bank card?
Perhaps a guinea pig will tell us, if you go the passport route do you get full Alipay functionality same as confirming with a bank card?
Jul 30, 2019, 6:55 am
#120
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: Manchester, United Kingdom
Programs: Hilton Gold, Priority Club Blue, SPG Gold, Sofitel Gold, FB Ivory, BA Blue
Posts: 8,479
When my passport arrives back from the China Visa Service Centre, I will give it a try. Alipay is in the UK Google Play store (though setting up while still in the UK might present problems of its own).
Edit: Ahh, I see from above that UK phone numbers aren't supported.
Edit: Ahh, I see from above that UK phone numbers aren't supported.