How Foreigners Can Use AliPay in China? Mobile Payments, Rent a bike, take the Metro, Order food
ฝัง
- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 5 มิ.ย. 2024
- Hi, everyone!
We hope this video can guide you on how you can easily make seamless payments when you travel to China for your vacation.
China is one of the few countries in the world that truly embraces digitalisation. With nearly 1 billion residents regularly relying on mobile payments, it has become the standard way of conducting financial transactions.
So, being able to use digital payment method is no longer merely a convenience but an essential.
Use your Alipay to make payments, order food, take the metro, rent a pay-to-ride bicycle and many more.
Hopefully, this can be of help to anyone visiting China!
Gilbert & Lilian
@gibbontravelogue
@flyscoot
thanks very much , sir, very well explained.
Thanks and glad that it’d been useful.
I enjoyed watching this. I've been in China for four days now and this is the first self explanatory video that's very good and you're funny too😅
Hahaha thanks for watching. So glad you find it helpful!
Thank you so much! This is the best video I've come across so far that details and actually shows real life application of the app. Lessens my stress in trying it out when I eventually go to China. Got yourself a new subscriber! 😊
Hey thanks and so glad that this video has been helpful. Enjoy your trip to China!
Very helpful, greetz from Germany
Glad it was helpful! Germany? That’s quite far from where I am currently, Singapore 🇸🇬. Hope to see u in this part of the world!
Thanks for the tips😃
Great video! You should make another video on the SIM and VPN. What needs to install first before arriving China😁😁
That’s sounds like a wonderful idea. Thanks for the suggestion.
It's.works .. hurray
@@andriono08 That’s fabulous! Enjoy your trip in China!
@jng4480.
Get a VPN before u travel back to China. This allow u to access to Google, search places to visit.... Download all the app u need as u won't able to download back there. I got one before I went back to China but after 4 days, I get block and couldn't have access to anything.
Depend where u go in China. In the South, many places still accept cash but no credit card. In the north, like Shanghai, it's only WeChat/ AliExpress.
wow this video by far the most brief and easy to grasp, thanks fyi! 🎉
Glad you liked it!! Thanks and all the best for your trip to China 🇨🇳
An excellent video ... Thank You!
Glad you liked it. Thanks.
perfect video for non Chinese residents visiting China using Alipay
Thank you!
Thanks and hope the video has been helpful to you.
@@gibbontravelogue , thank you for your video. From your accent I am sure you are a Singaporean.
May I ask if I get a temporary China mobile sim card in China when I have arrived in China. Do I have to setup this Alipay App only when I get the temporary sim card. Because I will be only using the China mobile sim card throughout my holiday in China.
@@panyaboonc5621 Preferably not, you should use your own country’s SIM card number to register for Alipay.
@@gibbontravelogue , Thank you very much for your prompt replied. Singaporean efficiency is highly appreciated.
Thank you for showing I knew and read about it but I wanted to be shown
Great! Thanks for watching. Wishing you a good trip to China so that you can also experience it for yourself.
Thanks for sharing.
Thanks for watching! Hope it’s useful to you.
Wow. This is helpful.
Glad it was helpful! 🙏
Great and very informative Video for all us Foreigners who love visiting China and using Alipay step by step guide you have shown here👏👏👏Love you video simple yet effective in its message👍
Thanks and so glad that you enjoyed the video.
thanks for the informative video! will definitely be helpful in my upcoming trip
Glad it was helpful! Have a safe and fruitful trip!
Nice! Now I know 😊
👍
thank u 🥰🥰
You’re welcome 😊 Hope it’s been helpful.
your tips are good
Glad you like them!
I was told of an options where a local can transfer money to my Alipay Wallet and then I can start utilizing the funds. hence saving the transaction costs related to a credit card.
Actually, I don’t suggest that. My experience is that the money got stuck for a while till the verification was completed.
I spent 3 weeks installing AliPay and registering for a tourcard and when I got to Beijing I tried to buy a coffee and it failed. It seems there are some situations where a foreigner can't make payments that a Chinese user can make out of their wallet, so be careful!
Alipay Tourpass has been discontinued since Mar 2023. So it wouldn’t work. Link your credit or debit card to the Alipay account and it should work. Give it a try
@@gibbontravelogue tourpass has been discontinued but replaced by tourcard, still active and I've been in correspondence with them
Thanks for your very clear description. Will I be able to purchase items from Chinese online shops from my home country using this method? Or is it purely applicable for use when one visits China?
Hey, thanks. Yes, the WeChat account can be used at all Chinese merchants, both online and offline.
Alipay works wonder especially using the subway and you do not have to pay one way ticket all the way during your trip.
But one of the downside in my case was renting a power bank it requires a local mobile phone number verification code to confirm payment because I'm using an e-SIM 😅 in which failed to do so.
Yah, I suppose there are services that remain inaccessible to foreigners.
@@gibbontravelogue this morning I tried again with different company. This it asked for local bank card as guarantee of deposit 98 yuan. Lol maybe we wait for a little short time it enables for foreigners just like what Alipay did 😃
@@adibmajid9886 Interesting. You can also consider getting a compact power bank so that you don’t have to rent one
Do we need to enable the linked credit card for overseas usage?
Yes, you will have to.
What Changi apps you mentioned to avoid the 3% services charge spend above 200rmb?
Changi App is an app which contains a wallet for Singapore residents and it allows users to make payments in China using Alipay. Are you from Singapore?🇸🇬
Unless there is free wifi in the area, I presume you will need to purchase some overseas data-loading plan for your Spore SIM card? Can payment through these apps be made still if you use a china SIM card with data-loading plan?
Yes, you can use a Chinese prepaid card for Chinese apps like WeChat and Alipay but not your everyday app like facebook, TH-cam and WhatsApp.
Hi, thanks so much for your video sharing. May I double confirm is it Malaysian use roaming from our telco provider can direct operate Google search, Google Map, WhatsApp , Google Translate?
No problem. If u subscribe to your local telco roaming services, you will be able to use these apps seamlessly. Maybe with the exception of TikTok
If take public transport like metro and train in Beijing with children, how to scan QR if only adults have handphone with Alipay?
If that is the case, you can use your Alipay to pay for the purchase of the train or subway tickets
Can you make a tutorial how to top up Alipay balance using Visa/Mastercard? To purchase some item on taobao or xianyu.
Thanks
Hey, for foreigners, the use of the wallet is not possible as you require a Chinese bank account. You may only link your Alipay account to your credit card for payments which is also possible for your purchases on taobao.
Hi Gibbon, I have followed all your instructions to install Alipay for my coming trip to China next month. It was approved. But I was not ask to fill in my personal particulars like my name, passport details as shown on your video. All they asked me is my credit card details and it was approved. In this case I am still not very sure and confidence if I can use it in China?
Yes, I understand that this is a new process to make it easier for new users. Once, you need a higher limit or more services, it will request for more information and verification.
Can I use my American iphone? I've heard I can not because it doesn't have a Chinese phone number and doesn't have a sim card to change out.
Hey, yes you can! You don't need to have a Chinese phone number to register for an Alipay or WeChat account. You can simply register with your US phone number. Once you have registered, you can link your debit or credit card to the account for payments in China. Give it a go today! Let me know if it works
Is it possible to do all of the ordering & purchases without a phone number? I plan to use a data only eSIM in China.
Do set up the WeChat account in your home country with your local phone number first, as I remember that a code will be sent to your mobile number for verification. Subsequently, you will only need data to operate the app.
Hi I will be travelling to China soon. This is a great and most informative video so far. Thank you! :) Do you know if I Can bind my multi-currency Visa debit card (ie.Wise card or Merchantrade Money Card) to Alipay, and use the available RMB stored in my card for payment? Does it work?
Thanks and so glad that the video has been helpful for you. Yes, all Visa, Mastercard and JCB can be linked to Alipay.
The other things when we arrives China we cannot use our iPhone we have to use China SIM card so how can we pay ?
It doesn’t matter which SIM card u use, as long as you have mobile data, the app on your phone will work.
Use auto roaming from local telco need VPN?
If you are using your local telco roaming service, then you don’t need a VPN
Foreigners can't rent the bikes because it requires sms verification codes which can only work if you have a Chinese phone number. I've tried it.
Oh, did you try the Hello Bike? I don’t have a Chinese phone number too but it can be accessed through the Alipay app as the verification has already been done there.
@@gibbontravelogue Yes. It still asks for a phone number and sms verification.
@gibbontravelogue @OlisBigPicture After asking people around, I finally found out what the problem was. I'm supposed to use my new phone number from the simcard bought here in China. Now I'm able to get the verification codes and use the bikes. Thanks anyways.
@@Righteous1ist Great that you have solved the mystery! And thanks for sharing with all of us here!
Hi, thanks for the great video!!
I have a question, i can't find the "transport" option in my alipay, is it because i haven't arrived in china yet?
Thanks for watching and glad that it has been helpful to you. The Transport button is right at the top, alongside Scan, Pay/receive and Pocket. You should see it. My app version is the latest 10.5.80. When u r in your home country and you tap on Transport, u will get a message that this service is only available to Chinese Mainland users. This is normal, you will be able to use once you arrive in China.
@@gibbontravelogue ah yes, i have to change my location for the "transport" option to appear 😂😂😂 thank you!!
Do we have to return the 🚲 at its original spot❓
Hey, no need to. In large cities like Guangzhou, there are so many places that you can leave the bike. As long is it is a designated bike park, you are fine. Hope you find the video useful.
When you install the Alipay, do you need to scan your Identity Card or Passport?
Hey, no need to at the point of registration. You will need to provide a copy of your passport for full verification for a higher limit and more services.
Thank you for showing how to use Alipay, I had done all the register and bank card in Alipay in may cell phone from out side China, but when I arrived in China my cell phone (SIM card) did not work. Should I buy new SIM card in China, will it works.
You are most welcome. Where are you from? Suggest that you subscribe to data roaming services provided by your telco. Always more reliable. Plus, many sites and apps like google, facebook etc will not work in China, unless you use a VPN.
@@gibbontravelogue , I know I did not have data roaming since telco in my country charge very high price for that, I did not including it. I think next time I visit I will buy Chine SIM card and see if it works
Did we needs to pay extra services for each transaction ??????
No. Only for transactions above RMB200, there is a fee of 3%
Do you need a chinese phone number for payments in China, or alipay works there with your original number registered?
No need to have a Chinese phone number, just use your own local number to register for an Alipay account.
Hi must we activate Alipay by purchasing something in our own country first before going to China?
Oh no no. No need. My advice is to set up both WeChat and Alipay in case one doesn’t work.
@@gibbontravelogue thanks so much, friend!
Very informative video on Alipay. Do foreigners in China need to enable Alipay's Tour Pass to be able to pay with their debit and credit cards in China?
Thanks for watching. Tour Pass has been discontinued by Alipay and this new access is so much more convenient.
@@gibbontravelogue Hi, nice clear video, thx. i wondered why you didn't mention Tour Card ...... Hasn't this replaced tour pass as a kind of 'wallet' for foreigners so you can use funds in alipay without worrying whether your card issuer will approve the transaction? I know Tour card has some time restrictions and fees, but at least your money is there in Alipay, and separated from your home bank a/c or cc.
@@fivebats10 Yes, Tourpass has been discontinued. This means of payments ie linking credit card or debit card to your Alipay account is what allows foreigners to make purchases in China.
Hello! How is the fee for each time payment?
Hi! No fee if below 200rmb. If above, there is a 3% charge.
Hi, quick question
I noticed you used it for Metro. When you said you will click on "Transport" on your phone. I don't have this option. I saw you clicked on the third button at 5:39
On my default Alipay interface.
1st Button - Scan
2nd Button - Pay
3rd Button - Collect
4th Button - Pocket
I click on "Collect" and yes I do get a QR code, but it says "For Individuals".
Am I missing something here?? I have Alipay international version.
The closest thing I can find related to metro is "HK/MO/TW cross border transaction"?
thanks as always!
Hey, at 3:07, there is a screen shot of the Alipay interface. My 3rd button is Transport. The transport button only works when you are physically in China but even if you are in your own country, the transport button should be there. Try updating the app. My version is 10.5.88
@gibbontravelogue thank you for quick response, i am using android phone and it seems from Google Play store, their latest is 10.5.70. not sure how significant the update from 10.5.70 --> to 10.5.88 is, but unfortunately, i don't see the Transport button on my user interface. The 3rd button for me is Collect.
thank you for referencing the 3:07, yeah i dont have that option. I'll probably try next week to see if the app updates itself to 10.5.88 or I may have to try it on an iPhone, which you have. But i'm sure there is something i'm missing or something isn't right or change, etc.
Anyhow I appreciate the help. I don't think the "Transport" is a big issue for me. It looked very convienent for metro use. I could have imagine myself at metros scanning rather than using a physical metro cards to top up and scan.
Thanks again Gibbontravelogue for your time and effort in these. If there is any new update or progress on my side, ill respond.
@@WM-eg4gh Hey, you are most welcome. I’m sure you will have a great time in China despite this!
@@gibbontravelogue Thanks! I found out the reason. Apparently I needed to allow the app to have Locations enabled. Also, Alipay needed to have the appropriate City on the top left.
So when the top left says "City", I get the "Collect" option. But when I am or choose the relevant city (i.e. Beijing, Hong Kong, etc) the "Collect" option becomes "Transport".
should anyone come across this, hope this will help. since i aint in China yet, i didn't see the reason to enable Location for the app.
now my next mission is trying to order high-speed rail tickets but somehow find a way to reserve seats in advance. i heard some people could order KFC and take-away meals whilst on the travel.
@@WM-eg4gh This is excellent! If you are keen to take the high speed train, you can check this out
th-cam.com/video/MKxNpwAf63Y/w-d-xo.htmlsi=cMhHwPZsd50frx-y
I cannot seem to use the metro/train ticket function as it says its only for verified chinese mainland users. Any workaround? Or does the function only become active when one arrives in the country?
Yes, it will work once you arrive in China. Dun worry.
@@gibbontravelogue Thanks for replying so quickly! Much appreciated.
Can AMEX be used for payment outside the app (eg: shopping malls)
Can use contactless payment using credit card (eg paywave) ? Or everything has to be done via the app?
The Changi payment gateway works with both Alipay and WeChat pay QR codes?
The 3% transaction fee is on top of the 3-3.25% FCY fee charged by the card? Ie 6-6.25% total?
@@suprememoment6060 wow that’s a lot of questions. First of all credit cards like Amex are not readily accepted except for some really big merchants. Changi App can be used on Alipay QR codes but many of the QR codes now are unified ie both Alipay and WeChat can use. The 3% is added on top of your transaction regardless of the FX markup
@@gibbontravelogue Thanks for helping out! Noob here so trying to figure things out before I head over. :P Your videos are very informative. Thanks
@@suprememoment6060 have a great trip!!!
Can an Alipay account that is meant to be used by a foreigner receive money transferred from a local Chinese friend by "hong pao" from that friend?
Yes, I had a friend that sent me money into my foreigner’s Alipay account. It take a long time to finally able to utilize the funds as the verification process can be quite complex. So my advise is just to stick to the non wallet option.
@@gibbontravelogue Thank you for your reply
If I added two credit cards in Alipay, upon checkout , can I select the credit card for payment?
Yes, you can. Just below the QR code generated by your Alipay app, you can select your preferred credit card.
Thanks for sharing.
Is it a must to upload your passport into Alipay? Can we manually input our Singapore passport number?
@@laytintan6889 It is part of the verification process, so it needed.
Can I register Alipay with my credit card on to my children phone? Would appreciate your advice. Thx in advance
Yes, you can do that. However, for larger amounts, there could be sms otp sent to the card holder to approve the transaction. Which country are you from?
@@gibbontravelogue I am a subscriber from Malaysia and am travelling to China during the summer holidays. TQVM for your very prompt reply.
@@calvinang1 i see. As far as i know, the touch and go app can be used in China on the Alipay+ rails. So you can try that for yourself and your children.
@@gibbontravelogue prefer my traditional method of payment of using credit card when travelling however I might try out T&G for transportation as you have suggested. 👍🏻
if i link my debit card to ali pay, am i right that by this method alipay only draw money from my bank account as much as the billing itself, thus there is no any deposit in advance that sent from bank account to alipay ? please help to confirm, thanks
That’s correct, your purchase using Alipay will debit directly from your bank account. There is no deposits and no topping up to a wallet.
I have the issue that i can’t setup Alipay transport because I don’t have a Chinese phone number. Does anybody have a solution for this?
You don’t need a Chinese number to set up Alipay Transport. What you need to be aware of is that you can’t set it up outside China. Once you arrived in China, it will be good.
@@gibbontravelogue Ah ok Thank you
Hey friend can we meet in Canton Fair
Hey, I’m back home already 😅. Enjoy Canton Fair
No need for the Alipay tour card ?
No more need. Tour card has been discontinued and succeeded by this linkage of credit/debit card to the Alipay account.
@@gibbontravelogue great thanks alot
Can I receive dollars in my Alipay account
You can, but a little complicated since e more verification needs to be done. It will take a while before the money comes through. So I wouldn’t suggest that.
App version please
Mine is the latest version 8.4.8
Why you laughing all the way throughout your video??
Interesting that you noticed that; there were some passersby staring at us and one even went very close to Lilian and peeped into our camera. So it was quite funny 😁