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Landing & First Day

The first three hours in a new country are the most stressful. This list walks you through immigration, your first internet connection, your first payment, and the one piece of paperwork everyone forgets.

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01 At immigration: follow the right counter After landing, follow signs for "Arrivals" and then "Temporary Entry" / "Visa-Free Transit" if you are entering without a visa — do not queue in the general foreign-passport line and hope for the best. What to do: have your passport, onward ticket, first hotel booking and completed arrival card ready in hand. State clearly: "I am using the 240-hour visa-free transit" (or "I am visa-free under the 30-day policy"). If stuck: officers may ask where you stay and when you leave — show the bookings, answer briefly and honestly; this is routine.
02 Photos & fingerprints are routine China collects fingerprints and a photo from most foreign visitors at entry. It feels unusual the first time, but it is standard procedure applied to everyone — not a sign you did something wrong. What to do: follow the officer’s instructions at the kiosk, look at the camera, press fingers when asked. If stuck: officers are used to nervous first-timers; just ask "Sorry, could you show me?" and they will gesture what to do.
03 Get connected: SIM / eSIM at the airport If you did not arrange roaming or an eSIM before departure, the airport is the easiest place to fix it. Official carrier counters (China Mobile, China Unicom, China Telecom) in the arrivals hall sell tourist SIMs with data; bring your passport — it is required for registration. What to do: compare the 7-day / 15-day / 30-day data packages, ask the staff to help install and test before you walk away. If stuck: airport information desks speak some English; show them "SIM card" on this page if language fails.
04 Make your first payment deliberately Test your setup with something small — a bottle of water at the airport convenience store — before you depend on it for a taxi or dinner. If a payment fails, the cause is usually one of three: the seller showed a personal QR code (foreign cards cannot fund person-to-person transfers), the amount exceeded your card’s limit, or the app needs you to select your foreign card at checkout. What to do: ask the seller "Alipay or WeChat?"; in the app, confirm your card is selected before scanning. If stuck: cash always works, and the nearest large store or hotel can break a note for you.
05 Airport to city: pick your lane Every major airport offers four options: official taxi queues, ride-hailing pickup zones (DiDi via Alipay/WeChat mini-program), airport express metro, and licensed shuttle buses. Ignore anyone inside the terminal who approaches you offering a "cheap taxi" — go to the official stands only. What to do: for your first arrival, the airport express or an official taxi is the lowest-stress choice. Show the driver your hotel’s Chinese address screenshot. If stuck: every airport has an information desk and English signage; metro machines have English modes.
06 The 24-hour registration rule (yes, it applies to you) Every foreign visitor must register their accommodation with the police within 24 hours of arrival. If you stay in a hotel, the front desk does it automatically at check-in — you do nothing. If you stay with friends or in a private apartment, you (or your host) must register at the local police station within 24 hours; some cities allow online registration. What to do: at hotel check-in, simply confirm "Do you register foreigners with the police?" — the answer is always yes for licensed hotels. If stuck: bring your passport and your host’s address to the nearest police station (派出所); the process takes minutes and is free.