Every Guide, Sorted by What You Need

Grouped by the decision in front of you rather than by date. Begin at the top if nothing is booked yet. Skip to Shopping if you already live here and just want a parcel to arrive.

Start here 2

  • Before You Come to China The preparation hub: what has to be arranged before you fly, and what genuinely can wait until you land.
  • China by the Numbers Seventy figures on one page, each with the ministry and the notice number behind it. Useful when you want a number, not an article.

Before you fly 8

  • China Visa Guide 2026 Visa-free entry for 50 countries, the ten-year visa, and which category your trip actually needs.
  • China Visa Extension One extension per visa, and the clause that makes a second application arithmetically impossible.
  • China Work Visa and Work Permit The permit your employer files, the A/B/C tier that follows you, and the order the two are issued in.
  • The China Spouse Visa Q1 and S1 are two different doors. What each one asks for, and what each lets you do for work.
  • What to Pack for China The power bank rule that airport security enforces, the customs list, and what is cheaper to buy after arrival.
  • Travel Insurance for China No Chinese visa asks for a certificate. What the 30-day visa-free entry leaves uncovered anyway.
  • When to Visit China Best months by region, and the 2026 public holiday dates when transport and hotels stop being cheap.
  • Is China Safe? What the Gallup safety index and ministry figures say, and the scams that do still work.

Money and payments 8

  • How to Pay in China Four ways to pay, and the RMB¥200 line where a 3% fee starts applying to the whole bill.
  • Alipay vs WeChat Pay The fee is identical and the limits are identical. What separates them is where each is accepted.
  • How to Use Alipay Bind a foreign card or load a Tour Pass, then pay by QR the way everyone else at the counter does.
  • The Digital Yuan (e-CNY) Open a wallet with a foreign phone number, top up with Visa, and pay without a Chinese bank account.
  • Opening a Bank Account Which bank, which documents, and why the first branch you walk into may simply say no.
  • Sending Money to China, and Home Again What the US$50,000 figure really covers, for a deposit going in or a salary going out.
  • Taxes for Foreigners How the 183 days get counted, and the point where worldwide income enters the return.
  • Departure Tax Refund You get 9%, not the 11% printed on the form. The RMB¥200 floor needs three conditions at once.

Getting online and apps 6

Getting around 6

  • The Metro, at Gate Level Tap your own bank card at the gate in Beijing and Shanghai, plus the fare ladders by city.
  • Shared Bikes The colour of the bike sets what the ride costs, and the no-parking fines differ by operator.
  • How to Use DiDi Type the destination in English, see the fare before you confirm, and know what the driver sees.
  • How to Use AMap The English-language map that works here, with transit, cycle and walking routes built in.
  • Train Tickets on 12306 Register with a passport, the 15-day release window, and what each seat class actually buys.
  • Driving in China No international permit is accepted. What the temporary licence asks for, and who can get one.

Living and settling in 6

  • The Residence Permit Five categories, one 30-day deadline, and the fee that jumps once you pass a year.
  • Renting an Apartment The first national lease rule, the 24-hour police registration, and what a deposit may legally withhold.
  • Seeing a Doctor Three doors into Chinese healthcare, and what each one costs someone without local insurance.
  • International Schools Passport rules by school type, real annual fees, and the October application clock.
  • Cost of Living Rent, food and transport by city, in RMB¥ and US$, priced per month rather than per day.
  • Best Cities for Foreigners The official foreign-talent shortlist, sorted by what each city offers beyond the ranking.

Shopping and daily errands 7

  • How to Use Taobao Search by photo, read the listing for who is selling, and check out without a mainland card.
  • JD vs Taobao vs Pinduoduo Not price tiers but three different legal arrangements. How to tell who is actually selling to you.
  • Taobao Shipping Abroad Three routes across the border, what cannot fly, and where the customs line now sits.
  • Receiving Packages The address order couriers read, why a mobile number matters, and the rule on locker drop-offs.
  • Refunds and Consumer Disputes The 7-day rule, the 12315 route, and the penalties that carry a price attached to them.
  • Food Delivery Apps Meituan and Taobao Flash, from the address field to the call from the rider downstairs.
  • Movie Tickets Online Maoyan and Taopiaopiao, and why the ticket desk is now the slow way to buy a seat.

Every figure on this site traces to a published Chinese government notice, and pages get revised when a rule changes rather than left to age. If something here no longer matches what you see on your screen, tell us and the page gets fixed.