Before you arrive: a checklist

At home, a month or more ahead

• Check how you can enter with your passport: visa-free, visa-free transit or a visa. Use the National Immigration Administration and your nearest Chinese Visa Application Service Center. See our entry rules guide.
• Make sure your passport has at least six months' validity and blank pages.
• Check travel and health insurance covers mainland China for your whole stay.
• Tell your bank you will use your card in China, and make sure it is Visa or Mastercard enabled for international use.
• If you take regular medication, carry the prescription and check the rules for bringing it in.

Two weeks ahead

• Install Alipay or WeChat (or both) and link your foreign card. Verify your identity in the app before you fly; it is easier on home Wi-Fi.
• Decide how you will get data on arrival: a roaming eSIM from home, or a local SIM bought in person with your passport.
• Download offline maps and a translation app that works offline.
• Book your first nights somewhere that registers foreign guests. Hotels do this at check-in.
• Save your accommodation address in Chinese characters for taxi drivers.

Two days ahead

• Screenshot booking confirmations, address and onward tickets in case you have no data at the airport.
• Carry a small amount of cash (RMB) as backup. Some places still prefer it, and it covers payment app failures.
• Plan your airport transfer: metro, airport bus, or a taxi from the official rank.