I just returned from a trip to Beijing. I set up both Alipay and Weixin Pay with US Credit Cards. I tested both in the US (at CVS and 99-Ranch Market... neither worked because I have the international version which only works in China, I believe). However, both Alipay and Weixin Pay worked perfectly in Beijing! Never had any issues during my trip.
Thank you very much for this video! Because of this video I were able to use the Alipay app, I would say 9/10 times when I were in China last week. I got the Wise card just to use with Alipay, and that was the best thing i did. The only real problems i faced were when I had to make a Visa security check, this never worked out for me. If that happened i just switched to pay with one of my other bank cards. After a payment with another card, I could switch back to pay with the wise card.
It helps to turn on your VPN *just* for the step wherein you are doing the security check-or, if you were able to add WeChat Pay, it tends to be easier for me to add foreign bank cards there, for some reason.
I went to China about 12 years ago and I can't believe how much more admin I have to do for this trip 😂 I think I've downloaded more apps this week than I have this year!
I added my Wise card to Alipay and it worked perfectly. I don't know why anyone would use Tourcard and pay the fees?? I also added an American Express card but didn't try it. I was also able to use Visa on WeChat Pay. I also have a Chinese bank account, but I'm a foreign national. In 2019 and prior, adding foreign bank cards was not possible, I'm fairly certain.
@ling9000 yes I added the card to Alipay in my home country. Alipay did a test transaction for $0 to make sure it worked. This was the first time I added a credit card to Alipay but yes it is the same process if it is a credit or debit card.
Thank you for your video! About the Wise card... We can use it like in any other place in the world? (insert on card machine). Does applepay works on China?
Hi, thank you so much for this very helpful video!! I am not being able to link my debit card to the "add card" section of the app though. I have an international debit Mastercard :((
Just a couple of clarifications if you don't mind so I understood properly, when you were adding a bankcard directly to Alipay then you did mean your UK bankcard? (I guess this can be a debit card). If one does this isn't there likely to be charge everytime one uses Alipay directly from one's UK account due to transfer fees? When you mentioned signing up for a Wise card then would it be possible (and potentially cheaper) to link the Wise balance/card (CNY) to Alipay? This should then, in theory, eliminate the need for a a 10K CNY limit on the tourcard and allow transactions without transfer fees? I really appreciate the work you have done on these videos.
Oh no! That can be very frustrating, it is always hit and miss with TourCard. I would suggest to try it in a short while until you get it. It is a very general advice but I really think it should work at some point.
Tourcard is essentially a Chinese bank account you can set up inside of Alipay. It has restrictions such as the ones mentioned in the video. Adding your bank card from the UK gives you freedom to spend whatever you want, without restrictions. The transaction will come directly from your bank (which could incur international fees). Both are viable solutions and have their pros and cons as we discussed :) Hope this helps.
@@LTLChinese Hi, I have problems with binding my tour card to my account. Im getting error: phone number doesnt match or contact ur chinese bank account. I tried lot of things but nothing seems to work.
Sadly we have received similar issue messages in the past. Seems like connecting phone number or bank card is a hit and miss. Although it sounds cliche but the only good option is to trying it over and over until it is accepted. Hope this helps :)@@IHateRainbowYT
Thank you very much for this valuable information! I just finished installing the Tour Card and linked it on both Alipay and Wechat app without problems. My question is: can I pay using the Alipay QR code without problems? It will work my Tour Card in this situation? Also, comment that on Wechat I cannot make transfers to my wallet (I suppose due to the limitation of not being able to make transfers with the Tour Card). So, can I pay on Wechat with the Tour Card configured? Do I have other alternatives?
Hi there, great to hear you set things up no problem. You are good to go. Alipay and Wechat are separate entities so TourCard has nothing to do with WeChat. For WeChat, just link a foreign bank card, set it as your default card, and you're good to go :)
@@LTLChinesequestion here is if you link your foreign bankcard, lets say visa debit, then what are the transaction fees on each wechatpay transaction? If you are not putting the money into a 'we chat tourcard' but rather purchasing directly from your foreign bank card everytime then surely the fees will add up?
Hi There, I am planning a visit in the middle of this month in Guangzhou. Is it possible to top up CNY to Alipay/ Wechat from any Money Exchangers? I want to use the USD that I shall be carrying with me. TIA
I wonder dose Alipay ask foreigners to provide ID numbers/passport numbers? Really curious about that! I'm from Taiwan, and Aplipay needs Taiwanese to provide ID numbers.
Hello guys, thanks for the amazing explanation. BUT, I am trying to start my Tour Card, and its asking for my phone number (International number) to send me a Verification Code. I am adding my number correctly, but the Verification code is never arriving to my SMS. So I am stuck without the Tour card. I checked if other people are having the same issue, and indeed many are, and there seems to be no solution other than having a Chinese phone number , to get the Verification Code. Do you have a solution for this issue given that I have no access to buy a Chinese number before I arrive to China,?
Yes it seems this is becoming an issue for more people. Unfortunately we don't have a solution aside from the others mentioned in the video. These include: -- Linking your bank card so you can make payments directly from your card -- Bring cash Also link your card to your Wechat as well so you have as many options as possible. At the airport in China you'll be able to buy a SIM card. Once you've done that maybe hang around at the airport to try and connect your Tourcard then, you can ask the staff to help you if needed :)
Seems like a lot of people are having trouble receiving verification SMS when they are attempting to sign up. Is it better to buy a Chinese sim, if possible, at the airport on arrival? Or is this only for expat residents?
It seems to be becoming more of an issue yes. You can buy a Chinese SIM at the airport yes. We'd advise you getting the SIM and maybe hanging around at the airport to verify there whilst you are on Wifi and have staff handy who will for sure help you if needed :)
@@LTLChinese thank you for the video and your comments... is there a SIM card you would recommend? read on some comments there is just data vs number SIM card?
Hello I also facing the trouble receiving verification SMS when I'm attempting to sign up. You advice to get a Chinese SIM for data only or one with a Chinese number?
Alipay worked much better for me than Wechat because wechat required additional validation whick was prone to rejection by visa, but alipay didn't have this issue
Following your video I was able to add my mastercard , but when I got to the TourCard I was asked to upload a photo of my passport and It has being a nightmare! It does not work. Keeps telling me that my photo is not ok according to guidance, but I tried every way to take the photo... agg!
We understand the emotions but try not to worry too much. Whilst things can feel taxing at first in China, there always seems to be a way. Have you tried adding your card to Wechat too? That's another good solution.@@canual10
Hi !!@@LTLChinese Thank you. Just wanted to update, in case it helps other people: Still not able to top the TourCard bc my passport photo is "not correct", but it is !! I tried everything to take the photo, I see it fine but no, the app won´t accept it and the customer service don´t know how to fix it either. BUT the good news is that I have being able to pay with the Mastercard linked to the Alipay and Wechat everywhere. I can scan the codes on the store and pay, or scan to put in the amount and pay. What I can´t do is transfering money to another personal account I think.
It entirely depends on the merchant Jonathan. I know it's a vague answer, but sadly that's the way in China. It could work just fine at Walmart, but fail you at 7/11! There isn't really any correlation. However, having the physical Wise card (it's free) and adding it to your phone's wallet at least gives you the option.
Hi! @@LTLChinese, would appreciate your help on the below: 1) Can I check if YouTrip or Amaze cards work the same way as Wise? Or is Wise specifically different from these two that I mentioned (meaning Wise is not VISA/MASTER/DINERS/JCB...?) 2) And on Tour Card, if I choose NOT TO use Tour Card, does this mean I may be more likely to face payment issues when using a direct Alipay payment (i.e. scanning the Alipay QR code) Thank you for helping with clarifications
Hi, thank you for asking: 1. There is very limited information on YouTrip or Amaze cards. However, it is very much case to case basis. 2. Not using Tour Card is less likely to affect your experience with AliPay. Hope this helps!@@stonezrz
Very buggy app. Never been able to receive verification code for tour card setup. Tried a couple phone numbers and Google number. This turns app useless for travelers without a Chinese phone (SIM) num and/or bank account.
Question: If I added a US credit card to Alipay, then, purchases with Alipay in China is just like using my credit card back in the US, am I right? Will the purchases with my Alipay in China show up on the same credit statement we see in the US, in US$ and not in RMB? According to your experience, do banks/credit cards deliberately used exchange rates favorable to themselves?
Hi Guys!! I'm going to China again next October for Canton Fair. Do you know if we can send our money from wise to the Alipay without using the TourCard? 5% for the transactions it's too much...
Hi! Greetings from Mexican living in Lithuania, I can't receive the Phone Verification Code, is not received, I tried with my Lithuanian and Mexican Sim, but it is not working, has to be done in China? Or should it be working? 😅
Hi, thank you for reaching out. The code is sometimes a little tricky, I would say try couple more times and 1 of those attempts can go through. It is a bit of a hassle but works sometimes. Hope this helps :)
Hello Sir,nice work in explanation..I just wanted to know if I can successfuly operate Alipay Account in Kenya..like receiving money from alipay users and withdrawing it to my Kenyan bank account?
Hi. Thank you for sharing this. It is very helpful. Please I have questions regarding Wise. Is it safe to deposit money to Wise account and leave it there? I don't think I will receive the card on time before going to China. So, I am trying my luck to use the digital version of Wise card. But my knowledge regarding Wise is very little. If you have already talked about it, please kindly share the link here. Thank you.
In terms of how safe Wise is, I can say that Wise has a good track record of being reliable and efficient. However, usage of digital wise account when in China can have issues sometimes. It always is a hit and miss.
Hello, I found your video extremely helpful, thank you. I have a question: when I try to verify my identity for the tour card, I receive a message stating that registration is limited to once every 90 days. However, this is my first time registering. Could you explain why this might be happening? Thank you
Hmm that's odd. Are you going to China soon? Maybe try again when inside of China with a local SIM card. It should work with a foreign number though. Perhaps also turn your phone and restart, or disconnect from WiFi and Bluetooth... sometimes these things seem to help.
I have a few questions, is the wise card only usable from the UK? I am from the US so that part I was really confused about. Also how often do merchants actually accept apple pay in China? I heard they usually only allow alipay or wechat pay. Would you recommend just directly linking to alipay or using the tour card more?
Wise can be used worldwide :) For Apple Pay, it will really depend on the vendor but typically they wouldn't. Try and stick to Wechat Pay or Alipay. You can link your Wise card to your Wechat.
Today I tried serveral time to activate my tourcard: sms verification, passport, photo, tax no, adress and so on. But in the end I got the message that my card is not successfully activated. What did I do wrong?
During verification process they ask me about residental adress, and when I am trying to fill in, it is always inncorrect and I can go further… :(. Maybe now this app is more complicated...
i have added my international debit card sucessfully and i asked my friend in mainland china to trnafer me money he said its showing unable because im not authorised to receive money im using it in india
So I tried signing up for the Tourcard but when it came to verify my US phone number I never received the verification code. I tried several times but nothing. Did anyone have a similar problem and did you figure away to fix it?
We've heard this happen a few times. Best thing to do (if you are coming to China) is get a SIM card at the airport and verify it using that number. Get the staff to help you.
My tour card account had expired in middle of Oct 2023, and I try to re-apply a new one, but fail to do so, as the system keeps repeating a message "Your prepaid card is cancelling. Please wait and try to register a new card later......". Question is: Is Tour card not working anymore?
Hmm that's a new one. TourCard is working but I'm not sure what the issue is there. Best to content their in-app support. Otherwise link your foreign card to the app (and WeChat) and use it this way instead.
Hello friend, Respectfully! I wanna ask you a question concerning adding my sister credit card to my Alipay if it is possible Because we share the same last name. Moreover I wanna know if I won’t be restrict if I add it?
Thank you for reaching out! As I mentioned in the video, the acceptance of cards is very conditional and in this case it might seem like a small change in details might stop it from being added. However, there is no clear answer available yet.
Appreciate. It gonna be complicated if Alipay won’t accept or restrict a another payment method, big malls like Walmart etc do. I think it normal. Moreover ThankYou I will give it a trial since you ain’t got a clear answer for me
@@LTLChineseCan I add my foreign Debit bank card to WeChat Wallet directly and use it to pay for local street vendors as like “Money”? Or I still need to setup the TourCard with Bank of Shanghai with foreign bank card to add “Money”?
@@CandiChow The TourCard is in Alipay, not Wechat. For Wechat you can indeed just add a card and make payments directly using your QR code in the Money tab yes :)
@@LTLChinesehow if i add my visa credit card at alipay. Then when i want to use it. The verification code sent to my local number which is my local number is not active remember i use electronic simcard in china. Can i setting at alipay app doesnt need a bank verification code. Maybe can using a pin code? Thank you
i try to follow your suggestion of having the Tour card, but after follow the instruction of submitting the picture of my passport and my photo . i don't hear from bank of Shanghai whether the submission is successful or not , to my surprise , the SMS send for verification of the code with the calling number started with +7 XXXXXXXXXXX , so i went to check which country code is +7 , it is from Ruassia ... Therefore, i am quite concern whether is it correct ? could you advise me as i am going to China next month and i want to set up this Tour Card
Hi. I would like to confirm is it necessary to verify the account. My foreign card is already accepted and IAlipay stated that I nèed to verify when I reach a cumulative amount. Will I have problem in payment when I use it if it is not verified? Thanks
Hello ! Respectfully, I am unable to verify my passport with tourcard. I tried different ways and all not working. Keep saying my picture is not as required. Please any help ?
There might be situations where you won't be able to use Alipay but it is random. We've not found a correlation of where it works and where it doesn't. We're trying all the time to see where it works best :)
Please answer me one question: I'm a foreigner and I have doubts about these things. 1 Can I make an Allipay payment using my balance? I won't have to pay any payment fees like in games or anything like that, nor will I have to top up my balance, right? 2 Can you tell me if it is possible to transfer money from Allipay to Wise? 3 If I want to pay with a Visa card, will it be with my bank's money? Or will it be Allipay's money? 4 If I need to top up my balance, can they automatically receive the remaining balance amount as payment? 5 how will I know my balance limit
That's 5 questions ;) 1 - Yes pay with your balance. Just remember it's 5% fee to top up. 2 - No. 3 - It depends if you top up your balance. First it will try balance, then your card itself. 4 - If you don't have enough balance, it will use your card. 5 - Alipay tells you your balance. Tourcard has a limit of 2,000CNY if you use that. Otherwise it will depend on your bank.
I've setup Alipay overseas (In Canada), and I tried using it at local chinese merchants/grocery stores. The tap and pay doesn't work unfortunately, but receiving/transferring RMB between accounts works fine. Does anyone know why this is happening?
Are you trying to use it at Chinese merchants in Canada or in China? Even at Chinese merchants it's likely not going to work abroad. Alipay is typically for use inside of China. This also explains why the transferring of RMB is no problem. Hope this helps.
I’m testing the tap and pay at Chinese merchants in Canada right now. As I will be travelling to China in October for a week, I wanted to see if it can work here with Chinese merchants prior to arriving in China. I haven’t signed up to the tour pass yet, so I’m deciding whether to do that or not prior to the travel.
So that I am understanding correctly....You put in your foreign credit card, then activate tourcard and add money from your foriegn credit card to tourcard and use it that way. You cannot just use the foreign credit card directly to pay merchants? My credit cards have no transaction fees, I would prefer to use those.
As far as our knowledge goes, paying with international cards can be little difficult when in China. Hence, the Tourcard is probably 1 of the most reliable option.
Some processes in China are just a little awkward! Money has always been a bug bare for foreigners in China (without a local bank card). Typically most other things are incredibly convenient 🤩
I just returned from a trip to Beijing. I set up both Alipay and Weixin Pay with US Credit Cards. I tested both in the US (at CVS and 99-Ranch Market... neither worked because I have the international version which only works in China, I believe). However, both Alipay and Weixin Pay worked perfectly in Beijing! Never had any issues during my trip.
Thanks for sharing this, I am sure this is important for travelers who are visiting soon!
Did it work or not. Controversial comment
Thank s for sharing , it sounds that i do not need to have Tour card , just use Alipay and tag to my international credit card . Is it correct
@@pandaed2009 Correct. We did not use Tour card. Linking to our US Credit Cards worked with both Alipay and We Chat pay
Finally, I feel confident that I will be fine with transactions when I go to China later this year with Alipay!
Absolutely 💯
let me know how it was. I am going in Feb 23 so I am trying to prepare everything :)
This tourcard can’t scan merchant for payment !
@@soton1989so how is your experience?
Great video. Payments have been a huge question looming over travel to China. Thank you for making this simple for a virgin.
Can you tell me, when I search tour card, I can't see it.
Thanks for your kind words :)
@@maenthonb7438 Sorry, I can't be of much help since I do not have the application installed at present.
Thank you very much for this video!
Because of this video I were able to use the Alipay app, I would say 9/10 times when I were in China last week.
I got the Wise card just to use with Alipay, and that was the best thing i did. The only real problems i faced were when I had to make a Visa security check, this never worked out for me. If that happened i just switched to pay with one of my other bank cards. After a payment with another card, I could switch back to pay with the wise card.
Love to hear this, 90% is a strong rate! Well done on finding a workaround.
It helps to turn on your VPN *just* for the step wherein you are doing the security check-or, if you were able to add WeChat Pay, it tends to be easier for me to add foreign bank cards there, for some reason.
Solid tip there@@abbyabroad
What does a "security check" have to do with bank cards/Alipay ?
I went to China about 12 years ago and I can't believe how much more admin I have to do for this trip 😂 I think I've downloaded more apps this week than I have this year!
12 years is a minute haha! Things have definitely changed!
Yep, they've gone backwards by the sounds of it.
Never been to a country that makes it so difficult for holidaymakers to spend money.
I added my Wise card to Alipay and it worked perfectly. I don't know why anyone would use Tourcard and pay the fees?? I also added an American Express card but didn't try it. I was also able to use Visa on WeChat Pay. I also have a Chinese bank account, but I'm a foreign national. In 2019 and prior, adding foreign bank cards was not possible, I'm fairly certain.
Thank you for your input, its great that wise card works for you.
Can I use wise to top up Alipay for using to buy on 1688?
do you added Wise card to Alipay while you in your home country? and the same steps as you add credit card to Alipay?
@ling9000 yes I added the card to Alipay in my home country. Alipay did a test transaction for $0 to make sure it worked. This was the first time I added a credit card to Alipay but yes it is the same process if it is a credit or debit card.
You can’t add Wise to Ali pay , it is only for Chinese citizen. Not sure how you managed to do that with a foreign passport
Thank you for your video!
About the Wise card... We can use it like in any other place in the world? (insert on card machine). Does applepay works on China?
Yes! Wise card and Apple Pay works very smooth in China just as anywhere else.
Hi, thank you so much for this very helpful video!! I am not being able to link my debit card to the "add card" section of the app though. I have an international debit Mastercard :((
Do you have another card you can try, maybe a VISA? Mastercard should work though.
Just a couple of clarifications if you don't mind so I understood properly, when you were adding a bankcard directly to Alipay then you did mean your UK bankcard? (I guess this can be a debit card). If one does this isn't there likely to be charge everytime one uses Alipay directly from one's UK account due to transfer fees?
When you mentioned signing up for a Wise card then would it be possible (and potentially cheaper) to link the Wise balance/card (CNY) to Alipay? This should then, in theory, eliminate the need for a a 10K CNY limit on the tourcard and allow transactions without transfer fees?
I really appreciate the work you have done on these videos.
Thank you for your detailed comment.
1. Yes, it was a UK debit card.
2. If Wise supports CNY then it should be possible.
For some reason the confirmation SMS for the TourCard is not working. I've tried for ours and I won't receive it :(
Oh no! That can be very frustrating, it is always hit and miss with TourCard. I would suggest to try it in a short while until you get it. It is a very general advice but I really think it should work at some point.
I used Alipay in July ,2023. They don’t need tour card anymore. I used visa on my Alipay app.
Thank you for the heads up Anna! Appreciate it 👏 @@annaboyer1633
Hi guys im confused - whats the difference between using tour card vs adding your UK bank account directly onto Alipay?
Tourcard is essentially a Chinese bank account you can set up inside of Alipay. It has restrictions such as the ones mentioned in the video.
Adding your bank card from the UK gives you freedom to spend whatever you want, without restrictions. The transaction will come directly from your bank (which could incur international fees).
Both are viable solutions and have their pros and cons as we discussed :)
Hope this helps.
@@LTLChinese Hi, I have problems with binding my tour card to my account. Im getting error: phone number doesnt match or contact ur chinese bank account. I tried lot of things but nothing seems to work.
Sadly we have received similar issue messages in the past. Seems like connecting phone number or bank card is a hit and miss. Although it sounds cliche but the only good option is to trying it over and over until it is accepted.
Hope this helps :)@@IHateRainbowYT
@@LTLChinese after contacting alipay support they told me its not possible to bind tour card to account
That's very sad to hear. Did they mention why? Or what can be done to solve the problem?@@IHateRainbowYT
Thank you very much for this valuable information! I just finished installing the Tour Card and linked it on both Alipay and Wechat app without problems. My question is: can I pay using the Alipay QR code without problems? It will work my Tour Card in this situation?
Also, comment that on Wechat I cannot make transfers to my wallet (I suppose due to the limitation of not being able to make transfers with the Tour Card). So, can I pay on Wechat with the Tour Card configured? Do I have other alternatives?
Hi there, great to hear you set things up no problem. You are good to go.
Alipay and Wechat are separate entities so TourCard has nothing to do with WeChat. For WeChat, just link a foreign bank card, set it as your default card, and you're good to go :)
@@LTLChinesequestion here is if you link your foreign bankcard, lets say visa debit, then what are the transaction fees on each wechatpay transaction? If you are not putting the money into a 'we chat tourcard' but rather purchasing directly from your foreign bank card everytime then surely the fees will add up?
I assume you can add funds to the Tour Card while in China? I might just wait and see if I can use other options first, as the fees sound expensive
You can use up to 2,000CNY.
Hi There, I am planning a visit in the middle of this month in Guangzhou. Is it possible to top up CNY to Alipay/ Wechat from any Money Exchangers? I want to use the USD that I shall be carrying with me.
TIA
You can link your foreign card and top up from there
I wonder dose Alipay ask foreigners to provide ID numbers/passport numbers? Really curious about that! I'm from Taiwan, and Aplipay needs Taiwanese to provide ID numbers.
It does change all the time but it's likely you might need to give your passport number or sometimes take a selfie to match your passport picture.
1 question. could i use the revolut card rather then the wise? would like to know thanks.
I think Revolut card will work just as smooth as Wise cards :)
Hello guys, thanks for the amazing explanation. BUT, I am trying to start my Tour Card, and its asking for my phone number (International number) to send me a Verification Code. I am adding my number correctly, but the Verification code is never arriving to my SMS. So I am stuck without the Tour card. I checked if other people are having the same issue, and indeed many are, and there seems to be no solution other than having a Chinese phone number , to get the Verification Code. Do you have a solution for this issue given that I have no access to buy a Chinese number before I arrive to China,?
Yes it seems this is becoming an issue for more people. Unfortunately we don't have a solution aside from the others mentioned in the video.
These include:
-- Linking your bank card so you can make payments directly from your card
-- Bring cash
Also link your card to your Wechat as well so you have as many options as possible.
At the airport in China you'll be able to buy a SIM card. Once you've done that maybe hang around at the airport to try and connect your Tourcard then, you can ask the staff to help you if needed :)
When you say 'bank card' does it matter if it's a credit card or debit card?
No it doesn't matter :)
Seems like a lot of people are having trouble receiving verification SMS when they are attempting to sign up. Is it better to buy a Chinese sim, if possible, at the airport on arrival? Or is this only for expat residents?
It seems to be becoming more of an issue yes. You can buy a Chinese SIM at the airport yes. We'd advise you getting the SIM and maybe hanging around at the airport to verify there whilst you are on Wifi and have staff handy who will for sure help you if needed :)
@@LTLChinese thank you for the video and your comments... is there a SIM card you would recommend? read on some comments there is just data vs number SIM card?
@@LTLChinese - How about renting a cell instead of buying a SIM card??? Can you do that at airport.
Hello I also facing the trouble receiving verification SMS when I'm attempting to sign up. You advice to get a Chinese SIM for data only or one with a Chinese number?
This is the most common issue many new users have while signing up, it will always be the battle of trial and error
I wonder if you are able to set up a China bank account, you can by pass these transaction and fees issues?
Correct. Everything will become infinitely easier if you can get a local account.
Alipay worked much better for me than Wechat because wechat required additional validation whick was prone to rejection by visa, but alipay didn't have this issue
That is great news there! As we said in the video that it is a very hit and miss situation. What works for some can totally not work for someone else
Following your video I was able to add my mastercard , but when I got to the TourCard I was asked to upload a photo of my passport and It has being a nightmare! It does not work. Keeps telling me that my photo is not ok according to guidance, but I tried every way to take the photo... agg!
This is so sad to hear, usually passport pictures are not the problem but thank you for letting us know.
Yes @@LTLChinese Actually... I am really scare of going to China because I don´t have the app ready to pay :/
We understand the emotions but try not to worry too much. Whilst things can feel taxing at first in China, there always seems to be a way. Have you tried adding your card to Wechat too? That's another good solution.@@canual10
Hi !!@@LTLChinese Thank you. Just wanted to update, in case it helps other people: Still not able to top the TourCard bc my passport photo is "not correct", but it is !! I tried everything to take the photo, I see it fine but no, the app won´t accept it and the customer service don´t know how to fix it either. BUT the good news is that I have being able to pay with the Mastercard linked to the Alipay and Wechat everywhere. I can scan the codes on the store and pay, or scan to put in the amount and pay. What I can´t do is transfering money to another personal account I think.
Hey! Respectfully, that’s the same problem I’m facing. Tried all ways to verify my passport with tourcard and it’s a nightmare 😢
If i set up tourcard, can i use it to pay service for that requires supported user in chinese mainland verified?
What kind of service are you thinking? Should be fine.
Trying to link my visa card but little bit hesitant do they need also the CVV number when adding
Depends on the card, don't think you normally need to add the 3 on the back.
now i feel better with the pay problem i will have there
Happy to hear it
Can I use my Global Money Debit card from HSBC in China? will this link to Ali Pay (as the Wise card does? ) -
On paper, it should connect and work smoothly. However, it is recommended that one uses credit card.
Could you clarify how you can use the wise card. I thought card payments were rare and phone contactless did not work such as Google wallet.
It entirely depends on the merchant Jonathan. I know it's a vague answer, but sadly that's the way in China. It could work just fine at Walmart, but fail you at 7/11! There isn't really any correlation.
However, having the physical Wise card (it's free) and adding it to your phone's wallet at least gives you the option.
Hi! @@LTLChinese, would appreciate your help on the below:
1) Can I check if YouTrip or Amaze cards work the same way as Wise? Or is Wise specifically different from these two that I mentioned (meaning Wise is not VISA/MASTER/DINERS/JCB...?)
2) And on Tour Card, if I choose NOT TO use Tour Card, does this mean I may be more likely to face payment issues when using a direct Alipay payment (i.e. scanning the Alipay QR code)
Thank you for helping with clarifications
Hi, thank you for asking:
1. There is very limited information on YouTrip or Amaze cards. However, it is very much case to case basis.
2. Not using Tour Card is less likely to affect your experience with AliPay.
Hope this helps!@@stonezrz
@@LTLChinese Actually, the physical Wise card costs around $10 plus shipping. Still recommended :)
The digital wise card is free.
Very buggy app. Never been able to receive verification code for tour card setup. Tried a couple phone numbers and Google number. This turns app useless for travelers without a Chinese phone (SIM) num and/or bank account.
We did hear some of the other users facing the same issue. I would recommend trying until you get the code.
i cant link wise card to alipay, it seems my wise card got rejected
:(
Question: If I added a US credit card to Alipay, then, purchases with Alipay in China is just like using my credit card back in the US, am I right?
Will the purchases with my Alipay in China show up on the same credit statement we see in the US, in US$ and not in RMB? According to your experience, do banks/credit cards deliberately used exchange rates favorable to themselves?
I think the bank would use their rates while charging in RMB!
Hi Guys!! I'm going to China again next October for Canton Fair. Do you know if we can send our money from wise to the Alipay without using the TourCard? 5% for the transactions it's too much...
You can link your Wise card and try it when making transactions, but you can't send money from Wise to Alipay I'm afraid.
@@LTLChinese May I know why we still link our Wise card to Alipay when we cannot send money from Wise to Alipay?
Because you should still be able to make transactions using your Wise card, via Alipay, complex I know!@@loke3075
Glad you asked! Some wise cards might be compatible with Alipay and it is always better to try the card and see if it is accepted.@@loke3075
Hi! Greetings from Mexican living in Lithuania, I can't receive the Phone Verification Code, is not received, I tried with my Lithuanian and Mexican Sim, but it is not working, has to be done in China? Or should it be working? 😅
Hi, thank you for reaching out. The code is sometimes a little tricky, I would say try couple more times and 1 of those attempts can go through. It is a bit of a hassle but works sometimes.
Hope this helps :)
That's odd. It can be done anywhere. Try and reach out to their support.
Do you " ALIPAY " ?
To link Wise to Alipay for use in China, does linkage require physical card or virtual card?
Virtual is also fine
Do linked Visa and MasterCard cards work on public transit in China using AliPay?
Yes they will do.
Hello Sir,nice work in explanation..I just wanted to know if I can successfuly operate Alipay Account in Kenya..like receiving money from alipay users and withdrawing it to my Kenyan bank account?
No you can't do this I'm afraid.
@@LTLChinese please, can you give me some contacts of chinese people? i need to verify my account, but im not from chineese. it is not risky
Hi. Thank you for sharing this. It is very helpful. Please I have questions regarding Wise. Is it safe to deposit money to Wise account and leave it there? I don't think I will receive the card on time before going to China. So, I am trying my luck to use the digital version of Wise card. But my knowledge regarding Wise is very little. If you have already talked about it, please kindly share the link here. Thank you.
In terms of how safe Wise is, I can say that Wise has a good track record of being reliable and efficient. However, usage of digital wise account when in China can have issues sometimes. It always is a hit and miss.
Thank you.
Hello, I found your video extremely helpful, thank you. I have a question: when I try to verify my identity for the tour card, I receive a message stating that registration is limited to once every 90 days. However, this is my first time registering. Could you explain why this might be happening? Thank you
Glad you liked the video, that is a problem we have not heard yet, so have you been able to register?
If i am not comfortable in linking my foreign debit card to Alipay, can i use the actual physical debit card in China?
You can use it to withdraw cash. Risky using it in shops, charges from your bank might be high.
cash is accepted in China 100% BUT e-payment is so much easier, "efficient".
Exactly, and most vendors appreciate e-payment over cash!
I have issue with top up tourcard from europe, all time get failed
:(
I tried the tourcard, but sms is not coming over when i am trying to verify.
Hmm that's odd. Are you going to China soon? Maybe try again when inside of China with a local SIM card.
It should work with a foreign number though. Perhaps also turn your phone and restart, or disconnect from WiFi and Bluetooth... sometimes these things seem to help.
a local sim card might not have a number aattached to it.@@LTLChinese
theres no tourcard option now or at least i dont find it, could you help please?
Type TOURCARD into the search bar. It'll appear as a mini-app.
Does it work in Hong Kong? And what's coversion rates like when U pay directly from foreign card
Hong Kong you can use your foreign bank cards or HKD cash.
I have a few questions, is the wise card only usable from the UK? I am from the US so that part I was really confused about. Also how often do merchants actually accept apple pay in China? I heard they usually only allow alipay or wechat pay. Would you recommend just directly linking to alipay or using the tour card more?
Wise can be used worldwide :)
For Apple Pay, it will really depend on the vendor but typically they wouldn't. Try and stick to Wechat Pay or Alipay. You can link your Wise card to your Wechat.
don't you usually need a chinese bank account to use wechat pay?@@LTLChinese
I can help
Today I tried serveral time to activate my tourcard: sms verification, passport, photo, tax no, adress and so on. But in the end I got the message that my card is not successfully activated. What did I do wrong?
It unfortunately is a hit and miss, we have noticed that sometime. you have to try multiple times!
But can’t scan merchant QR code for payment
You should be able to scan their QR code if they have sent it to you.
During verification process they ask me about residental adress, and when I am trying to fill in, it is always inncorrect and I can go further… :(. Maybe now this app is more complicated...
It is indeed, it does have these glitches where the only solution is keep trying until it accepts.
Hello.
Is it possible to use two different Alipay accounts in one Taobao/1688 account?
Good question, I'd imagine you could only link one, but we aren't 100% sure on that.
i have added my international debit card sucessfully and i asked my friend in mainland china to trnafer me money he said its showing unable because im not authorised to receive money im using it in india
This issue has been popping up every now and then. We strongly think it might be the bank one is using? Because it is always a hit and miss with it.
So I tried signing up for the Tourcard but when it came to verify my US phone number I never received the verification code. I tried several times but nothing. Did anyone have a similar problem and did you figure away to fix it?
We've heard this happen a few times. Best thing to do (if you are coming to China) is get a SIM card at the airport and verify it using that number. Get the staff to help you.
Can i use this tour card to pay in app purchases for Chinese apps?
This is a good question, while there is not enough information available online. TourCard won't help you pay in-app purchases. Hope this helps!
My tour card account had expired in middle of Oct 2023, and I try to re-apply a new one, but fail to do so, as the system keeps repeating a message "Your prepaid card is cancelling. Please wait and try to register a new card later......". Question is: Is Tour card not working anymore?
Hmm that's a new one. TourCard is working but I'm not sure what the issue is there. Best to content their in-app support. Otherwise link your foreign card to the app (and WeChat) and use it this way instead.
@@LTLChinese thanks for your reply, appreciate that. In fact I have already linked my foreign card to the app (and wechat)
Hello friend, Respectfully! I wanna ask you a question concerning adding my sister credit card to my Alipay if it is possible Because we share the same last name. Moreover I wanna know if I won’t be restrict if I add it?
Thank you for reaching out! As I mentioned in the video, the acceptance of cards is very conditional and in this case it might seem like a small change in details might stop it from being added. However, there is no clear answer available yet.
Appreciate. It gonna be complicated if Alipay won’t accept or restrict a another payment method, big malls like Walmart etc do. I think it normal. Moreover ThankYou I will give it a trial since you ain’t got a clear answer for me
I tried to open the app to use but im getting 页面遇到一点问题，待会来试试 failed to load message. Has this happened b4?
It's asking you to try again. Maybe switch your phone off, then turn on and open it again.
can i use WISE card instead?
You can link your Wise card yes :)
I have money in my account but when I'm buying they say I have an insufficient balance
Best to contact Alipay support.
Hello friend, I just added my country Mastercard to Alipay, surely I can pay merchants with it?
Hello! Thanks for reaching out. As long as your card is accepted and added to Alipay. You should be able to use it.
@@LTLChinese Thanks for assuring me
Can I add my foreign "Debit" Bank MC or Visa Card to TourCard or it has to be a Foreign Bank MC or VISA Credit card?
Debit/Credit cards are both acceptable :)
@@LTLChineseCan I add my foreign Debit bank card to WeChat Wallet directly and use it to pay for local street vendors as like “Money”? Or I still need to setup the TourCard with Bank of Shanghai with foreign bank card to add “Money”?
@@CandiChow The TourCard is in Alipay, not Wechat.
For Wechat you can indeed just add a card and make payments directly using your QR code in the Money tab yes :)
@@LTLChinesehow if i add my visa credit card at alipay. Then when i want to use it. The verification code sent to my local number which is my local number is not active remember i use electronic simcard in china. Can i setting at alipay app doesnt need a bank verification code. Maybe can using a pin code? Thank you
We aren't 100% sure I'm afraid. There's always a solution. Let us know how it goes :)@@yunnys8417
i try to follow your suggestion of having the Tour card, but after follow the instruction of submitting the picture of my passport and my photo . i don't hear from bank of Shanghai whether the submission is successful or not , to my surprise , the SMS send for verification of the code with the calling number started with +7 XXXXXXXXXXX , so i went to check which country code is +7 , it is from Ruassia ... Therefore, i am quite concern whether is it correct ? could you advise me as i am going to China next month and i want to set up this Tour Card
That is a very surprising situation. We have never heard of getting a verification message from Russia. Might try again and look for different code?
How can i transfer my money from Alipay to my bank account?
You cannot transfer to your international bank. You can transfer to your Chinese bank by going to WITHDRAW.
You didn't mention you have to allow the App to scan your face first, otherwise, it won't work.
That is more for the biometrics safety requirements
One question, is that mean balance in alipay tour card cannot be withdraw ?
No you cannot convert Alipay balance into cash!
during verification process, no matter how i put my residential address it wont work...any thoughts??
We have heard of this issue before, sadly the only solution that works is to keep trying until it works.
@@LTLChinese oh so like just keep doing it until it approves? Hahha
Hi Mark.. Can I delete my tourcard accounts I previously used?
Hello thanks for reaching out! I think it is possible to delete ir deactivate the accounts that are no longer in use!
Tourcard never sent me a code....iono if it's because of my phone #... sigh
Hmm, maybe try a family or friend's number? See if they can receive it for you.
One thing I’m not sure about and I am a tech idiot , do I need to use your tour card or can I just use Alipay ? Thanks
If you have a card linked you can just use Alipay. If not, you will need Tourpass.
Hi. I would like to confirm is it necessary to verify the account. My foreign card is already accepted and IAlipay stated that I nèed to verify when I reach a cumulative amount. Will I have problem in payment when I use it if it is not verified? Thanks
It's always better to be verified. If you try to make larger payments they will likely ask you to verify.
@@LTLChinese Thanks :)
Do I need to verify real name before linking US credit card? Thanks.
Yes you will do
Hello ! Respectfully, I am unable to verify my passport with tourcard. I tried different ways and all not working. Keep saying my picture is not as required. Please any help ?
i tried the tour card, but when I start to apply, I dont get the code. i keep waiting. you know of another way to get the code?
Hmm, maybe try another phone number or on another device?
If I apply for Alipay, is it possible to use foreign telephone number to apply? Or is it only Chinese phone number?
Hi Maggie, one can try with foreign phone number but most likely it won't receive the OTP. Using a Chinese phone number is highly recommended.
Sorry but what are the situations where Alipay may not works? Normal shops or vendors? Or is it just random?
There might be situations where you won't be able to use Alipay but it is random. We've not found a correlation of where it works and where it doesn't. We're trying all the time to see where it works best :)
So there's no way to transfer money to someone else?
You can't transfer internationally. Only in China.
Hello, why does he have to use a tour card knowing that Alipay accepts Visa and Master for payment from outside China
This is for inside of China. You can connect your Visa to try in China but there is no guarantee it works... with TourCard, once topped up, it works.
@@LTLChinese thank you 🌹👍
Can’t we just use cash from the atm?
You can use but cash is rare and big store don't accept
The usage of cash has severely reduced. So cash won't help much.
Please answer me one question: I'm a foreigner and I have doubts about these things. 1 Can I make an Allipay payment using my balance? I won't have to pay any payment fees like in games or anything like that, nor will I have to top up my balance, right?
2 Can you tell me if it is possible to transfer money from Allipay to Wise?
3 If I want to pay with a Visa card, will it be with my bank's money? Or will it be Allipay's money?
4 If I need to top up my balance, can they automatically receive the remaining balance amount as payment?
5 how will I know my balance limit
That's 5 questions ;)
1 - Yes pay with your balance. Just remember it's 5% fee to top up.
2 - No.
3 - It depends if you top up your balance. First it will try balance, then your card itself.
4 - If you don't have enough balance, it will use your card.
5 - Alipay tells you your balance. Tourcard has a limit of 2,000CNY if you use that. Otherwise it will depend on your bank.
I've setup Alipay overseas (In Canada), and I tried using it at local chinese merchants/grocery stores. The tap and pay doesn't work unfortunately, but receiving/transferring RMB between accounts works fine. Does anyone know why this is happening?
Are you trying to use it at Chinese merchants in Canada or in China?
Even at Chinese merchants it's likely not going to work abroad. Alipay is typically for use inside of China.
This also explains why the transferring of RMB is no problem.
Hope this helps.
I’m testing the tap and pay at Chinese merchants in Canada right now. As I will be travelling to China in October for a week, I wanted to see if it can work here with Chinese merchants prior to arriving in China. I haven’t signed up to the tour pass yet, so I’m deciding whether to do that or not prior to the travel.
My goal is to make the QR code pay work in China
Ah OK that makes sense. It won;'t work at any vendor abroad. If you're all set up, you'll be fine in China :) happy travels@@jwong85
Thanks for the tip!
So it means i can’t send money to someones alipay account using TourCard?
Exactly, you cannot transfer money to another person :)
I’m not a fan of the 5% fee
Tough to dodge that bullet, isn't it haha!
So that I am understanding correctly....You put in your foreign credit card, then activate tourcard and add money from your foriegn credit card to tourcard and use it that way. You cannot just use the foreign credit card directly to pay merchants? My credit cards have no transaction fees, I would prefer to use those.
As far as our knowledge goes, paying with international cards can be little difficult when in China. Hence, the Tourcard is probably 1 of the most reliable option.
Alipay account payment koto USD
???
@@LTLChinese Do you buy Alipay account?
@@msdexpress6228 No it's free
They really don't like tourists do they?
Some processes in China are just a little awkward! Money has always been a bug bare for foreigners in China (without a local bank card).
Typically most other things are incredibly convenient 🤩
Wise require last name, for those who have single name. 😵
🤔
If Wise card works worldwide,why bother with Alipay ? 🤔
Because in China things work a little differently. It should work but we can never guarantee it.