Do I need to print anything before I fly?

Nothing is checked at the border except your passport and any visa. What matters is what is on your PHONE: a screenshot of your visa or visa-free approval, your hotel address in Chinese, and your return ticket. Chinese airports frequently have no working international Wi-Fi inside arrivals, so anything you need at immigration should already be offline.

Why is my passport being held at check-in?

Every hotel in China is required by law to register your passport with the local police. The front desk will usually keep it and hand you a receipt. This is routine, it happens to every guest including Chinese nationals checking into hotels, and refusing will get you moved elsewhere. Keep the receipt; some police checks in smaller cities ask for it.

What if my card is declined at the first restaurant?

It is almost never the card — it is the app or the network. Work down this order: try scanning the QR the other way round, turn mobile data on (some foreign cards are blocked on the local Wi-Fi), then try a different wallet, then pay with the cash you should be carrying. A ¥100 note is often refused at a small stall even when the card works, which is the main reason to keep small notes.

Is the airport taxi desk safe?

The official queue is. The risk is someone approaching you inside the terminal offering a ride — that is the standard approach, and it is the one to refuse. If you want the official rank, walk past the greeters and follow the "出租车 / Taxi" signs, then take a numbered ticket. If the airport train or metro is an option for your terminal, that is usually cheaper and faster than any taxi.

Do I need cash at all?

Yes, and it is the one thing that cannot be fixed on the spot. Alipay and WeChat Pay cover almost everything in cities, but: small street stalls may not accept QR at all, some foreign cards are declined on a first scan, and a taxi may want cash. Carry ¥500-1,000 in small notes. A ¥100 note is frequently refused where ¥50 or ¥20 is not.

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The first 24 hours in China

Seven stages, in the order they actually happen. The first day works when the first hour is boring — most problems are solved before they start.

If you only do six things

Everything else on this page is optional. These are the ones that cause the expensive problems.

1. Passport valid 6+ months, with a blank page
2. Mobile data working before you land
3. A card bound to Alipay, plus ¥500 in cash
4. Your hotel's address in Chinese, on your phone
5. A screenshot of the route from the airport
6. Someone at home who knows you are in China

Phrase cards

Phrase cards → Alipay setup guide → China eSIM guide → Visa-free checker →

Do I need to print anything before I fly?

Nothing is checked at the border except your passport and any visa. What matters is what is on your PHONE: a screenshot of your visa or visa-free approval, your hotel address in Chinese, and your return ticket. Chinese airports frequently have no working international Wi-Fi inside arrivals, so anything you need at immigration should already be offline.
Why is my passport being held at check-in?

Every hotel in China is required by law to register your passport with the local police. The front desk will usually keep it and hand you a receipt. This is routine, it happens to every guest including Chinese nationals checking into hotels, and refusing will get you moved elsewhere. Keep the receipt; some police checks in smaller cities ask for it.
What if my card is declined at the first restaurant?

It is almost never the card — it is the app or the network. Work down this order: try scanning the QR the other way round, turn mobile data on (some foreign cards are blocked on the local Wi-Fi), then try a different wallet, then pay with the cash you should be carrying. A ¥100 note is often refused at a small stall even when the card works, which is the main reason to keep small notes.
Is the airport taxi desk safe?

The official queue is. The risk is someone approaching you inside the terminal offering a ride — that is the standard approach, and it is the one to refuse. If you want the official rank, walk past the greeters and follow the "出租车 / Taxi" signs, then take a numbered ticket. If the airport train or metro is an option for your terminal, that is usually cheaper and faster than any taxi.
Do I need cash at all?

Yes, and it is the one thing that cannot be fixed on the spot. Alipay and WeChat Pay cover almost everything in cities, but: small street stalls may not accept QR at all, some foreign cards are declined on a first scan, and a taxi may want cash. Carry ¥500-1,000 in small notes. A ¥100 note is frequently refused where ¥50 or ¥20 is not.

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The first 24 hours in China

If you only do six things

Before departure — entry and documents

Before the flight — phone, apps and cash

Before you leave arrivals — the airport reset

Airport to hotel — the transport decision

Hotel check-in — build your support base

First evening — test payment, then eat

Before you sleep — set up tomorrow

Phrase cards