Payments · Starter guide
Can Foreigners Use Alipay in China?
Yes — completely. Alipay now fully supports overseas users linking international bank cards. You do not need a Chinese bank account or a Chinese phone number for everyday spending.
Registration and card setup
- Download and register. Get Alipay from your phone's app store. You can sign up with an overseas mobile number, which also receives the verification code.
- Verify your identity. Open the Me tab, find the identity-verification option, choose passport verification, and follow the prompts to complete face recognition.
- Add your bank card. On the Bank Cards page, add your overseas card. Alipay currently supports the major international networks: Visa, Mastercard, JCB, Diners Club, and Discover.
What you can use it for — and what you can't
Supported scenarios: Once your card is linked, you can pay by scanning QR codes in physical stores, hail rides (for example with DiDi), take public transport, order food delivery (for example on Ele.me), and shop on some online platforms.
Limitations: An Alipay account backed by an overseas card does not currently support peer-to-peer transfers, sending or receiving red packets, or financial services such as wealth management and insurance. It is designed for everyday spending — food, transport, shopping, and daily life.
Fees, limits, and exchange rates
- Fees: Single transactions under RMB 200 are free of charge. Above RMB 200, a fee of around 3% usually applies.
- Limits: Overseas-card payments are subject to caps — typically RMB 3,000 to 5,000 per transaction, with monthly and annual cumulative limits as well. The exact figures shown on the payment screen are authoritative.
- Exchange rates: Payments are settled in RMB. The exchange rate and the amount charged to your card are determined by your card network and issuing bank.
Tap to pay
Alipay also offers a "Tap!" contactless feature: unlock your phone and simply tap it against the merchant's terminal — no need to open the app at all. It is especially convenient for visitors to China.
Frequently asked questions
Foreign users do run into occasional friction with Alipay. Drawing on real user experience, here are the most common questions and what actually works.
Why does my passport identity verification keep failing?
Make sure the passport photo is sharp and glare-free, with the MRZ code (the character strip at the bottom of the passport) fully visible. If automatic recognition fails, try entering the details manually. If that still does not work, contact Alipay’s human customer service — go to Me → Settings → Help & Feedback and repeatedly type “human agent” until you are transferred. An agent can send you a dedicated link for manual review.
Why won’t my overseas bank card link to Alipay?
First confirm the card belongs to a supported network (Visa, Mastercard, JCB, and so on) and that online or cross-border transactions are enabled — some banks disable these by default, and you may need to call your issuer to switch them on. Also make sure the name you enter in Alipay matches the back of your card exactly, including the order of romanized names.
How can I avoid the 3% fee on payments over RMB 200?
For larger purchases, you can politely ask the merchant to split the bill — for example, paying RMB 600 as three payments of RMB 200. Alternatively, keep some cash on hand for the portion above the threshold. And if your Alipay wallet holds a balance (for instance from money someone transferred to you), paying from the balance incurs no fee at all.
What should I do when a payment is blocked by risk control?
A sudden “abnormal transaction” warning, a verification code that never arrives, or an outright decline is usually the bank’s or Alipay’s fraud-prevention system at work. Wait about ten minutes and try again, or switch networks (from Wi-Fi to mobile data). If your bank is doing the blocking, call the issuer and ask whether an overseas card-not-present payment was flagged by mistake. If it is Alipay’s risk control, appeal through customer service in the Help Center.
My passport expired or was renewed and my account is frozen. What now?
A new passport means a new passport number, which can invalidate your identity verification. Do not simply delete the account. Contact a human agent inside Alipay, explain that your passport was renewed, and follow their instructions to upload the new passport photo and any supporting documents (such as proof of nationality change or deregistration). The back office will update your record manually, and your membership level and transaction history are preserved.
Why does face recognition say “not supported in your current region” abroad?
When verifying by face outside China, try turning off your phone’s location services, deleting and reinstalling the Alipay app, and connecting through a Chinese SIM card with international roaming data before attempting face verification again.
What backup options should I have besides Alipay?
Link your card to WeChat Pay as well — in some situations, such as certain mini-programs, particular merchants, or transfers from friends, WeChat can be the smoother option. Keep around RMB 500 in cash for remote areas, older taxis, and the occasional system outage. And with a Visa- or Mastercard-branded bank card, you can withdraw RMB directly from most ATMs in China that accept foreign cards.