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Alipay for Foreigners: Passport Setup and Bank Cards

Follow the Alipay setup steps for travelers, from passport verification to linking an international bank card.

How do I verify my identity in Alipay with a passport?

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At a glance

Set up Alipay before you travel. Have your passport, a phone number that can receive verification texts, and an international bank card ready.

Alipay setup in six steps (about 5–15 minutes)

Please complete this process at home before leaving. After arriving at the destination, the internet may be blocked by the local government (see "Which apps and websites are unavailable in China").

It will be difficult to access app stores or official websites on the spot (the official guidelines and recommendations from the community strongly suggest this).

  1. Download Alipay

    Search for “Alipay” in your app store and look for the official blue icon. You can also scan the download QR code on the www.alipay.com homepage. After opening the app, switch to English in Settings if needed.

  2. Register with your phone number

    Select the country's dialing code + enter your mobile number from your own country. You will receive a SMS verification code (no Chinese numbers are required).

  3. Verify your identity

    My → Identity Verification → Upload a page from your passport photo (natural light, with all corners clearly visible) → Complete facial recognition according to the instructions (about 3 seconds).

    Important

    The name on the passport must match exactly, with the last name coming first. Inconsistency is the most common reason for rejection.

  4. Link your bank card

    On the homepage, choose "Bank Cards" → "Add Card". Then, you can either scan the card or manually enter the card number, expiration date, and CVV code (CVV is a 3-digit security code printed on the back of the card; supported cards include Visa, Mastercard, Amex, JCB, Diners, and Discover).

    After entering the verification message sent by the bank, complete the confirmation process.

  5. Test a small payment

    After completing the binding process, make a small payment first to ensure that your bank does not block Chinese transactions. Common reasons for blocking such transactions and how to handle them can be found in "Should I notify the bank?" section.

  6. Keep WeChat Pay as a backup

    If it doesn’t work, try using WeChat Pay again. Install both apps (double insurance).

Important

Verify by sending a text message to your own country's phone number. With an "data-only" eSIM, you may not receive any texts, and this step will be stuck in this situation (see "What happens when an eSIM has no number").

Common problems

The three most common issues are as follows (according to the official guidelines and community feedback)

  1. Inconsistency between the real name and the characters on the passport page = this is the main reason for rejection

  2. The "data-only" eSIM cannot receive verification messages, resulting in registration failure at the first step (see "Where does an eSIM without a number go")

  3. The first payment is flagged as a suspicious transaction by the issuing bank – usually because the bank doesn’t set up "travel notifications" or the card isn’t enabled for international transactions (bank policies vary by country, see "Should you notify the bank?").

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