For foreigners visiting China, paying for things in the country’s increasingly cashless society has been a major frustration.
The problem for international visitors is these are tied to Chinese IDs and Chinese bank accounts and Chinese mobile phone numbers. Government policy is to have total information and total control in the financial system and in building the social credit system, which runs counter to having the door open for easy commerce by international visitors that lack requisite local credentials.
Complicated workarounds come and go. Such attempts usually end in despair. Think you’ve successfully added an international credit card? Wait for the transaction failed message written only in Chinese. Realistically, you have needed a Chinese bank account and a Chinese mobile phone number to reliably use either service (a non-Chinese passport has been ok).
(Image: @Alipay on Twitter)
Ant Financial Services Group, which operates one of China’s two dominant e-payment platforms will introduce an application that will enable short-term visitors to China to make payment for online purchases through its so-called international eWallet for the first time ever, and now, visitors will be able to shop like locals: with an app on their phone.
Before looking for Tour Pass, you will have to first download Alipay from the app store. Once you have done so, you must register for an account using an international mobile number
Here’s how it works:
Download the international Alipay app from Google Play or Apple Appstore (not the AlipayHK ap and not the Chinese local Alipay app).
Register your info and load with a minimum of 100 RMB / maximum of 2,000 RMB (credit card or debit card accepted)
You'll see a trial transaction of 1 RMB followed by the main load
Exchange rate is close to interbank rate
No transaction fee to December 31, 2019, BUT the terms say the fee going forward will be a steep 5%
Not all foreign cards work at the time of writing
You'll need to submit a copy of your passport
You'll be asked to submit a copy of your visa, yet some travelers do not need a visa (like visa-free transit)
Once successful you will have a virtual prepaid card from Bank of Shanghai in your account that:
Is good for 90 days
You can use for various in-person payments via QR code
You can use in-app minip-rograms such as Didi for car service, rather than needing to separately download those apps and set up accounts with them (poke around the “More” screen)
Unused funds at the end of 90 days will be refunded back to the original purchase card
more screenshots
There are no fees involved with topping up your prepaid card but this might change after 31 December 2019. The only fees you will pay are the usual ones charged by your credit cards (typically ranges from 2.8% to 3.5%) for foreign transactions. Now being able to use Alipay as an international guest is not about saving money so if you are truly concerned about the fees and exchange rates involved, this might not be for you now. however, being able to use Alipay in China as that really makes your life a lot easier.
source: boarding area , theshuttlewhale
