Alipay for Foreigners

Before You Travel

Download Alipay before arriving in China, ideally from your home country's app store. The app is the same globally — there's no separate international version.

iOS (iPhone):

1. Open the App Store and search "Alipay"
2. Download the official app with the blue icon and Chinese characters (支付宝)
3. Open the app and tap "Sign Up" or "注册"
4. Select your country code and enter your international phone number
5. Enter the verification code sent to your phone
6. Set a login password and complete registration

Android:

1. Download from Google Play or alipay.com directly
2. Follow the same registration steps as iOS

What is Tourist Mode?

Alipay's Tourist Mode (also called "Foreign User" mode) gives international visitors full access to payment features without a Chinese phone number or Chinese bank account. It was specifically designed for travelers.

Activating Tourist Mode

1. Open Alipay and go to Me → Settings → Language
2. Switch the app language to English (if not already)
3. Go to Me → ID Card (or "My Identity")
4. Select "Foreign Tourist Registration"
5. Upload a photo of your passport's data page
6. Take a selfie for facial recognition verification
7. Wait for approval — usually instant, occasionally up to 24 hours

Supported Cards

Alipay accepts the following international cards for tourist accounts:

• Visa — best compatibility
• Mastercard — widely accepted
• American Express — most merchants
• JCB, Diners Club — select merchants

Linking Your Card

1. Go to Me → My Cards (or "Bank Cards")
2. Tap "Add Card"
3. Enter your card number, expiry date, and CVV
4. Enter your billing address (must match your card statement exactly)
5. Confirm with your card's 3D Secure password if prompted

Transaction Limits

International cards on tourist Alipay accounts have the following limits:

• Per transaction: up to ¥5,000 (~$700)
• Daily spending: up to ¥15,000 (~$2,000)
• Annual limit: ¥50,000 (~$7,000)

These limits reset annually and are sufficient for most travelers.

At a Store

Most merchants in China display a QR code scanner. Here's how to pay:

1. Open Alipay and tap the "Pay" button on the home screen (or tap "Scan" to scan the merchant's code)
2. A barcode appears — show it to the cashier
3. The cashier scans your barcode
4. Confirm the amount on your screen
5. Payment is complete — you'll see a green checkmark

Paying by Scanning

If the merchant doesn't scan your code, you can scan theirs:

1. Tap "Scan" on the Alipay home screen
2. Point your camera at the merchant's QR code
3. Enter the amount shown by the merchant
4. Confirm and pay

Peer-to-Peer Transfers

To send money to a friend or pay someone directly:

1. Tap the "+ Send" button on the home screen
2. Select "To Friend" or enter their Alipay account/phone number
3. Enter the amount and a message
4. Confirm with your password or biometrics

Card Declined

• Verify your billing address matches your bank statement exactly
• Contact your bank to enable international/China transactions
• Try a different card (Visa has the highest success rate)
• Wait 30 minutes and try again — repeated failed attempts temporarily lock the feature

Tourist Mode Not Available

• Make sure your Alipay is updated to the latest version
• Check that your account is set to your home country during registration
• Some older accounts may not have the tourist registration option — create a new account if needed

QR Code Not Scanning

• Ensure your camera has permission to access Alipay
• Clean your camera lens — important in dusty environments
• Hold the phone steady 15-30cm from the QR code
• Check that the merchant's code is for Alipay (blue), not WeChat Pay (green) or another platform