🛂 Entry & Visa
First Time in China: Step-by-Step Preparation Guide
Everything you need to do before your first trip to China, organized by timeline.
📅 Last updated: June 2026 ⏱️ 8 min read
🎯 Quick Answer
Start preparing 2-3 months before your trip. Check if you need a visa first. Buy travel insurance. Set up VPN, Alipay, and WeChat Pay at least a week before departure. Pack a power adapter, cash (just in case), and prescription meds. Once you land, activate your SIM, connect to airport WiFi, and you're good to go.
🛂 2-3 Months Before: Visa & Documents
First, check if you need a visa:
- 50 countries get 30-day visa-free travel
- ~27 countries have mutual visa-free agreements with China
- 55 countries qualify for 240-hour (10-day) transit visa-free
- Everyone else needs an L tourist visa
What you need:
- ✅ Passport valid for at least 6 months (with 2+ blank pages)
- ✅ Visa (if required) — apply 4-6 weeks before trip
- ✅ Hotel bookings and flight itinerary
🏥 1 Month Before: Insurance & Accommodation
- Buy travel insurance — medical coverage is strongly recommended (hospitals in China may require upfront payment)
- Book your hotels — use Trip.com, Booking.com, or Agoda
- Book flights — use Skyscanner, Trip.com, or airline direct
📱 2 Weeks Before: Digital Setup (Most Important Step)
🔒 VPN
Do this BEFORE you arrive — cannot be done easily in China.
- Install and test your VPN on ALL devices (phone, laptop, tablet)
- Recommended options: NordVPN, ExpressVPN, Surfshark, etc.
- Download the app and subscribe BEFORE you leave
- Test that Google, WhatsApp, Instagram, and YouTube work through the VPN
💳 Payment Apps
- Alipay (required): Download, register with your international number, link your Visa/Mastercard
- WeChat Pay (recommended): Download WeChat, register, verify identity, bind card
📶 SIM Card / eSIM
- Book an eSIM online (airalo, Holafly) — activates when you land
- Or plan to buy a physical SIM at the airport upon arrival
📲 Essential Apps
- Maps: Apple Maps works, Google Maps is unreliable — Amap (高德地图) is the local standard
- Translation: Google Translate (download offline Chinese), or Pleco (the go-to Chinese dictionary)
- Transport: Didi (China's Uber) — download and set up your profile
- Communication: WeChat (required for many things — restaurant menus, QR code ordering, paying)
🧳 1 Week Before: Packing & Final Checks
- Convert plug adapters: China uses Type A, I, and C sockets (220V, 50Hz)
- Make digital copies of your passport, visa, and insurance documents
- Check your packing essentials — see our What to Pack for China guide for a complete checklist
🛬 Arrival Day: First Steps
- Connect to airport WiFi — most major airports offer free WiFi via SMS verification
- Activate your eSIM or buy a physical SIM at the airport telecom counter
- Exchange a small amount of cash — 500–1,000 RMB for taxis and street food
- Take the airport express, metro, or call a Didi (avoid unofficial taxis)
- Check into your hotel — they'll scan your passport for registration
⏱️ First 24 Hours in China
- Pay with your phone — scan QR codes everywhere, most merchants prefer it. See our How to Pay in China guide
- Test your VPN — connect the moment you leave airport WiFi to a trusted network
- Get to know your neighborhood — find the closest convenience store (7-11, FamilyMart, or Lawson)
- Download Amap if you haven't — it'll save you on navigation
- Eat — street food, local restaurants. Tipping is not expected in China