Verified July 2026

Alipay Setup for Foreigners

Alipay allows foreigners to link international cards from Visa, Mastercard, JCB, Diners Club, and Discover directly — no Chinese bank account needed.

Setup Time
~10 min
Cards
Visa/MC/JCB/Diners/Discover
Single Txn Limit
~¥6,500
Step 1
1

Download Alipay

Search "Alipay" in App Store or Google Play. Register with your international phone number. You will receive an SMS verification code.

Use your home country number — Chinese number NOT required.
Step 2
2

Verify Your Identity

Go to Me > Settings > Account and Security > Real-name Authentication. Select "Passport" and scan the photo page.

Verification can take 1-24 hours. Do this BEFORE arriving in China.
Step 3
3

Link Your International Card

Go to Me > Bank Cards > Add Bank Card. Select your card network. Enter details and complete 3D Secure verification.

Link 2 cards as backup. Visa and Mastercard have the highest acceptance.
Step 4
4

Start Paying

Tap "Pay/Collect" at the top to show your QR code to the merchant, OR tap "Scan" to scan the merchant's QR code.

Both methods work. Most shops display their QR code on the counter.
5

Optional: Tour Card

Search "Tour Card" in Alipay search bar to pre-load yuan with your foreign card for smoother small payments.

Load ¥200-500 at a time for daily use.

Small-Amount Transactions

For low-value purchases, Alipay typically does not require additional identity verification. This means you can start making small payments right after linking your card, even before full verification completes.

Alipay English Hotline

International: +86-571-2688-6000

From within China: 0571-2688-6000

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