Guides
Alipay for foreign visitors: sign-up, passport verification, and card binding
Prepare Alipay for a visit to China: phone registration, passport verification, international-card fees, merchant payments and city transport.
By MedicCN, Editorial research · Official policy and payment sources verified · published 2026-09-07 · sources checked 2026-09-26
Sign-up steps, verification rules and fee limits are Alipay's published policies as quoted in the article; the app's own prompts govern in case of change.
Start with your overseas number and your own card
Visitors can register Alipay with an overseas phone number and link an eligible international bank card for purchases. This route does not require a mainland phone number or bank account.
Download the official Alipay app and register or sign in with a number that receives verification texts. Open Me → Bank Cards → Add Bank Card and enter the requested details. Complete passport verification when requested, using identity and cardholder details that belong to you.
Phone registration, identity verification, card linking and issuer authorization are separate stages. A verified number does not finish payment setup, and a listed card does not guarantee authorization. Complete the available steps before departure, retain access to your banking app and verification number, and test an ordinary small purchase after arrival.
Learn merchant payments before adding other services
At checkout, scan the merchant’s QR code or show your payment code to the cashier. A linked international card supports eligible merchant purchases; it does not automatically enable personal transfers.
After scanning, review the merchant, amount, selected card and any fee. Open your payment code only for a purchase rather than sending screenshots to strangers. Keep the transaction record for tests, medicines or deposits.
Services inside Alipay may be provided by separate businesses. Transport, appointments or ride bookings can require their own terms and passenger or patient details. Wallet verification does not establish that every mini-program accepts a passport for registration.
RMB 200 is a fee threshold, not a deductible
International-card purchases normally have no platform fee up to RMB 200, then a 3% fee on the full amount above that threshold. These calculations exclude issuer charges and promotional waivers.
Currency conversion follows the relevant card network and issuer arrangements. An issuer’s foreign-transaction fee may appear on the card statement rather than Alipay’s RMB payment screen.
For a decline, distinguish insufficient credit or limits, issuer authorization and merchant eligibility. Moving the same restricted card to another wallet may not solve the problem; a separate card or cash provides a different payment route.
| Purchase | Standard platform fee | Total RMB amount |
|---|---|---|
| RMB 200 | RMB 0 | RMB 200 |
| RMB 300 | RMB 9 | RMB 309 |
| RMB 1,000 | RMB 30 | RMB 1,030 |
Activate the city’s transport code before reaching the gate
A transport code records journeys and calculates fares; it is different from a shop payment code. Open the transport service, select the city and activate the relevant metro or bus option.
Shanghai’s official guide lists metro services inside Alipay or WeChat as well as the Metro Daduhui app. Use the activated transport credential for entry and exit so that the service can record a complete journey.
If activation fails, use another ticketing route instead of repeatedly trying at the gate. Shanghai metro service centers accept supported international cards for ticket purchases, and eligible contactless cards can also be used under its Tap to Ride service. Acceptance differs between cities; learn the physical-ticket alternative for your destination.
Keep the original transaction available for refunds
A merchant refund should refer back to the original order. Retain the Alipay transaction and card statement so you can distinguish an accepted refund from a credit that has reached the card.
For a hospital deposit, reconcile the final hospital bill before using its refund procedure. Keep the reference, amount, request date and contact, and retain the account and linked number while processing continues. Reconcile any refunded platform fee against the applicable refund terms and transaction record.
Alipay and Alipay+ are not the same wallet name. Alipay+ connects participating wallets with merchants, allowing some visitors to use their home wallet. Follow the exchange rates, charges and refund records for the route actually used rather than applying Alipay’s international-card rules to every wallet.