In mid-May, I took my French partner to China. This was his first time in China. I also took this opportunity to observe from a foreigner’s perspective what problems a foreigner might encounter when traveling in China, what precautions should be taken, and what small tips there are. Summing it up, I hope it will be helpful if you have foreign friends around or if there are foreigners in your family who want to travel to China.
Visa and entry
Now China offers visa-free entry (within 15 days) to citizens of several countries. This time, I took my partner and personally tested that visa-free entry is extremely smooth, even simpler and faster than expected. For details, see my previous post.
Now China offers visa-free entry (within 15 days) to citizens of several countries. This time, I took my partner and personally tested that visa-free entry is extremely smooth, even simpler and faster than expected. For details, see my previous post.
Registration
If you stay in a hotel, the hotel will help you register. If you stay at home, you need to report to the local police station within 24 hours after entry (the homeowner should bring their ID card, household register, and property ownership certificate). Inform the police station when leaving.
If you stay in a hotel, the hotel will help you register. If you stay at home, you need to report to the local police station within 24 hours after entry (the homeowner should bring their ID card, household register, and property ownership certificate). Inform the police station when leaving.
Booking hotels
Note that not any hotel or homestay can be booked. You need to choose one that has the qualification to receive foreign tourists. On Ctrip, there is a filter option to select those that can receive foreign guests.
Note that not any hotel or homestay can be booked. You need to choose one that has the qualification to receive foreign tourists. On Ctrip, there is a filter option to select those that can receive foreign guests.
Taking high-speed trains
- Foreigners can buy tickets with passports, but note that:
For online ticket purchases, the identity document needs to be verified on 12306. Foreigners need to go to the station window to verify their passports. After verification, they can buy tickets online. - For passport ticket purchases, there is no need to pick up tickets. Now everything is paperless. When boarding, just go through the manual passage and have your passport checked to board the train.
Tickets for various scenic spots
Now most scenic spot tickets can be booked through mini-programs. However, some have bugs in their design. I encountered one such case.
When booking tickets for the Great Wall, you can choose to buy tickets with a passport, but there is a character limit in the name input field. Foreign names simply cannot be fully entered as it exceeds the limit… In the end, I booked on Ctrip. By the way, Ctrip is really useful. You can book everything in one stop.
After arriving at the scenic spot, we can enter directly by swiping our ID cards. In some places for foreigners, they can enter by swiping their passports, while in some places they are required to exchange for paper tickets.
Now most scenic spot tickets can be booked through mini-programs. However, some have bugs in their design. I encountered one such case.
When booking tickets for the Great Wall, you can choose to buy tickets with a passport, but there is a character limit in the name input field. Foreign names simply cannot be fully entered as it exceeds the limit… In the end, I booked on Ctrip. By the way, Ctrip is really useful. You can book everything in one stop.
After arriving at the scenic spot, we can enter directly by swiping our ID cards. In some places for foreigners, they can enter by swiping their passports, while in some places they are required to exchange for paper tickets.
Mobile payment
Mobile payment has been everywhere in China for a long time, but it may pose some obstacles for foreigners. This time, my partner followed me and I handled everything for him, so we didn’t encounter this problem. However, Alipay already supports binding foreign bank cards. Foreigners can also try it. With one mobile phone, you can handle eating, shopping, and taking transportation. It’s really convenient and saves the trouble of exchanging cash…..
Mobile payment has been everywhere in China for a long time, but it may pose some obstacles for foreigners. This time, my partner followed me and I handled everything for him, so we didn’t encounter this problem. However, Alipay already supports binding foreign bank cards. Foreigners can also try it. With one mobile phone, you can handle eating, shopping, and taking transportation. It’s really convenient and saves the trouble of exchanging cash…..