Before You Go to China
Visas, paying, mobile data, trains and customs: what to sort out before you fly.
Most visitors can now enter China without a visa, but which rule applies depends on your passport and on where you fly next. Start with the visa-free checker, then read the guide for your situation. Every rule here comes from China’s official notices and shows the date we last checked it.
Many small shops want a QR-code payment, so set up Alipay or WeChat Pay with your foreign card before you fly and keep some cash as a back-up. Install your apps at home, and sort out mobile data so maps, translation and ride-hailing work from the moment you land.
Visas and entry
Check these first. Many passports no longer need a visa.
Money, phones and apps
Set up payment apps, a back-up card and mobile data before you fly.
Trains, customs and parcels
Language and safety
Phrases that work anywhere in China. Safety: our Guangzhou guide for now.
