SIM Cards

📦If you want one before you come:

You can  order a Chinese SIM card online on Amazon or your local travel SIM provider before you fly. Great for nervous planners (we see you 🙋‍♀️). Check data limits, coverage, and how long it's valid. Some SIMs are only for a few days.

📲If you want one  after you arrive:

You can get a SIM card at the airport or at any mobile service center in most cities — just bring your passport and a translation app.

Physical SIM cards come in two types: short-term and long-term

• Short-termSIM: Great for tourists or short stays (7-30 days). Comes with fixed data, no contract,and works right away

• Long-termSIM: Best for students,workers,or long-term stays. Requires in-person passport registration and works with all local apps like WeChat and Alipay.have two ways to get a mobile phone card: offline (at China Mobile/China Unicom/China Telecom business halls) and online (through Nihao Mobile).

You have two ways to get a mobile phone card: offline (at China Mobile/China Unicom/China Telecom business halls) and online (through Nihao Mobile).

I. Offline Business Hall Process

Search for nearby business halls on your phone.

(Note: It’s best to call ahead to confirm if they accept passports, as some small business halls may not accept foreign passports.)

Prepare your passport (with at least 6 months validity).

Once at the business hall, get a reservation number from the number dispenser and wait in line(sometimes you don’t need to).

(The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology requires the three major telecom operators to fully implement facial comparison technology in their offline business halls to ensure the authenticity of user identity information when applying for a mobile phone card. Therefore, users must go to the business hall in person for facial comparison to match before they can get a mobile phone card.)

(If you don’t speak Chinese, it’s best to download a translation app in advance or bring a Chinese friend with you.)

II. Online Application and Activation Process (Not recommand, it take days to receive your card)

Search for Nihao Mobile using your browser and go to their official website.

Click on the "Our Offer" section.

Select the mobile phone card package you need.

Add it to your cart, then fill in the shipping information and make the payment.

Once you receive the card, activate it by following the instructions using your passport.

Top providers: China Mobile, China Unicom, China Telecom.

China Mobile:

✅Best nationwide coverage, especially in rural areas.

✅Reliable signal in most places.

❌More expensive.

China Unicom:

✅Best for international users — better compatibility with foreign phones (especially iPhones and European models).

✅Good balance of price and coverage.

❌ Rural coverage not as strong as China Mobile.

China Telecom:

✅Fast data speeds in urban areas.

✅Often has good-value packages.

❌Weaker rural coverage and poor call quality.

❌Plans unavailable without Chinese ID number.

eSIMs

eSIM card is inside your phone, that you can connect to any operator offering eSIM services. It lets you use a new SIM in your phone without having to physically buy and insert a new SIM card.

Please make sure that you have an eSIM-compatible smartphone and that it is unlocked.This can be one of the easiest ways to get your phone working in China. You can do everything online (or on the Airalo app), including buying, installing and activating your new eSIM.