Living in China
How to Get a SIM Card in China as a Foreigner (2026 Guide)
By the 17Talk teaching team - certified Mandarin teachers, 8+ years of classroom experience, 3,500+ students in 40 countries
Last updated:
Quick answer
Buy a Chinese SIM card at an official carrier store - China Mobile, China Unicom or China Telecom - not from a street vendor. Real-name registration is compulsory: the staff register your passport on the spot, and no carrier may sell you a number without it. Budget roughly RMB 50-150 for the card plus your first plan. Airport counters are the most convenient and the most expensive; city stores cost less. If you only need data, a travel eSIM skips the queue entirely.
Why you want a local number
A Chinese number is not just cheap data. It is what lets you receive the SMS codes that Alipay, WeChat, trains and hotels all rely on. Without it, some apps simply cannot be set up.
SIM cards in China: the numbers at a glance
The rules here are set by the regulator and by the carriers, so they are stable; the prices are set by city and promotion, so they move. Where a figure is our own observation rather than an official one, the table says so - the same convention used on China travel: the official numbers.
The number that decides your options is the registration rule. Every Chinese mobile number is tied to a verified identity, which is why a passport is not optional and why a shop that offers to skip the paperwork is offering you a number that can be cut off without notice.
| Item | Figure | What sets it |
|---|---|---|
| Who may sell you a SIM | Official carrier stores and counters | Carrier policy under real-name registration rules |
| What you must show | Your passport | MIIT Order No. 25, in force since 1 September 2013 |
| Card plus first plan, city store | Roughly RMB 50-150 | Carrier pricing - our check, September 2026 (varies by city) |
| Airport counter | Higher than a city store | Carrier pricing - our check, September 2026 |
| A number you can use for Alipay / WeChat | Needs to be registered to your passport | Platform verification rules |
Where to buy
Go to an official carrier shop — look for the brand on the signboard. Airport counters are the easiest but pricier. Bring your passport; the registration is done by the staff and takes a few minutes. Street stalls selling SIMs without registration are not worth the risk.
The four real options, and what each costs you in time or money:
Where to buy, compared
There is no single right answer here — it depends on whether your priority is price, speed, or having a Chinese number at all.
| Where | Convenience | Price | What to expect |
|---|---|---|---|
| Carrier store in town | You have to find one | Cheapest | The widest choice of plans; expect 15-30 minutes and limited English |
| Airport counter | You are already standing there | Highest | Open with the flights, and the staff handle foreign passports daily |
| Convenience store or kiosk | Easy | Low to mid | Only some sell properly registered SIMs — if nobody asks for your passport, walk away |
| Travel eSIM, bought before you fly | Instant, no queue | Varies | Data only: no Chinese number, so no SMS codes for Chinese apps |
What the registration actually involves
Real-name registration is Chinese law, not store policy. The Provisions on the Registration of Telephone Subscribers' True Identity Information — MIIT Order No. 25, in force since 1 September 2013 — require the carrier to record an identity document before the number is activated. That is why the staff photograph your passport, and why there is no legitimate way to buy an unregistered SIM.
Two practical consequences. First, the person who will use the number has to be there in person with their own passport, so you cannot buy one for a colleague who is arriving later. Second, the number is tied to your passport — which is also what lets you recover it if you lose the SIM.
Keep that registration record: if the phone goes missing, a lost or dead phone in China explains how the number is recovered and what the carrier will ask for.
What it costs
Roughly 50–150 RMB for the SIM and first month, then a monthly plan in the tens of RMB for generous data. Prices change, so check the plan board in-store. Ask for 数据流量 (shùjù liúliàng) — mobile data.
The mainland internet reality
Many overseas services are not reachable on a normal mainland connection. Plan for that before you fly: decide what you need, and arrange it in advance. Do not expect to sort it out from a hotel lobby after arrival.
The three carriers, in plain terms
| Carrier | Reputation | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| China Mobile | Widest coverage, especially outside cities | Travel beyond the big cities |
| China Unicom | Good city coverage, often the best data deals | Staying in one city and using a lot of data |
| China Telecom | Solid coverage, strong broadband bundles | Longer stays where you also want home internet |
eSIM and roaming: when to skip the SIM card entirely
If your trip is shorter than two weeks and your phone supports eSIM, a travel eSIM bought before you fly is often less hassle than a Chinese SIM: you keep your own number, you avoid the registration queue, and data works the moment you land.
The trade-off is that a travel eSIM usually gives you data only - no Chinese phone number. That matters if you need to receive verification codes for Chinese apps, book a train ticket as a local, or give a number to a delivery driver. For a two-week tourist trip, data-only is normally fine; for anything longer, get a real Chinese number.
The version of this decision people actually get wrong - roaming data versus local data, and what each one lets you reach - is in eSIM for China: which ones work.
Which carrier, and does it matter?
There are three national carriers, and for a short trip the honest answer is that any of them works in any city - the coverage maps overlap almost completely in the places a visitor goes. The differences show up in store service, top-up channels and small print rather than in whether you get signal.
| Option | What you get | Choose it when |
|---|---|---|
| China Mobile 中国移动 | The largest network; tourist SIMs widely sold at airport counters and city stores | You want the safest bet on coverage outside big cities |
| China Unicom 中国联通 | Strong city coverage; frequent cheap data plans | You are staying in cities and want data volume |
| China Telecom 中国电信 | Strong city coverage; bundled data plans | The store near you has a better tourist plan |
| International travel eSIM | Data only, no Chinese number, set up before you fly | You only need maps, translation and messaging apps |
| Your home SIM on roaming | Your own number and apps, often the most expensive per GB | You are staying a few days and value convenience |
Physical SIM, travel eSIM, or roaming?
The choice that matters is not the carrier, it is whether you need a Chinese phone number. A local SIM gives you one, and that is what a hotel booking, a delivery app or a domestic registration flow may ask for. A travel eSIM or your home SIM on roaming gives you data and no local number - and, in exchange, it usually keeps routing your traffic through your home network, which means the apps and sites that are blocked on a Chinese IP often keep working.
For a first trip of one to two weeks, the combination that causes the fewest problems is a data eSIM or roaming for the things you already use, plus a cheap local prepaid SIM if a booking or an app insists on a Chinese number. Both are sold at the airport; the city stores are usually cheaper and have more choice.
Whichever you pick, remember the registration rule: a Chinese SIM must be bought with your passport and registered to your name, and that has been required by regulation since 2013 - so no shop can sell you an unregistered local SIM, and any offer to do so is one to walk away from.
Whichever you pick, keep the number written down somewhere offline: a lost or dead phone in China is survivable, but only if you can prove who you are.
Common questions
Can I buy a SIM card at the airport?
Yes, and it is the most convenient option, but prices are higher than city stores. Bring your passport for registration.
Do I need a passport?
Yes. Chinese SIM cards must be registered to an identity document, and for visitors that means a passport.
Can I use my home SIM instead?
Roaming works but is expensive for data. A local SIM is far cheaper for anything longer than a couple of days.
Can someone else buy a SIM card for me?
No. Real-name registration means the person who will use the number takes it out in their own name with their own passport, so the user has to be present.
How long does the registration take?
Ten to thirty minutes in a carrier store, most of it waiting. The paperwork itself is a few minutes — bring the passport you will carry with you.
What happens to my number after I leave China?
It stays yours while the account has money on it. Carriers can reclaim numbers that sit unused for months, so if you plan to come back, keep a small balance on the plan.
Do I need a Chinese number to use Alipay or WeChat?
No. Both accept foreign phone numbers for sign-up and verification. A Chinese number is useful for hotel bookings and some delivery apps, which is why some visitors buy a cheap prepaid SIM as a backup rather than as their main line.
Will my apps still work with a Chinese SIM?
Not all of them. A Chinese SIM puts you on a Chinese IP address, where services like Google, Instagram and YouTube are not reachable without a VPN. A travel eSIM or your home SIM on roaming usually keeps your traffic on your home network, so those apps keep working - that is the trade-off to weigh.
Can I buy a SIM at the airport?
Yes, both airports and city stores sell prepaid SIMs and both require your passport for real-name registration. Airport counters are convenient but usually carry fewer plans and cost a little more; a city carrier store has more choice.
Read next
- Your First 24 Hours in China: An Arrival Checklist (2026)
- Alipay for Foreigners: Setup & the 200 RMB Rule
- How to Take China's High-Speed Train as a Foreigner (2026 Guide)
Sources
- Real-name registration rule (official text, Chinese): Provisions on the Registration of Telephone Subscribers' True Identity Information - MIIT Order No. 25, adopted 28 June 2013, in force from 1 September 2013 (State Council Gazette).
- Passport registration is a legal requirement for every Chinese mobile number - carriers cannot sell you a SIM without it.
- Carrier pricing changes frequently by city and promotion; treat any figure you read online (including here) as a rough guide.
- 17Talk teaching team: compared plans with students arriving in China through 2025-2026.
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