Payment service handbook for overseas visitors to Guangzhou

China (Guangzhou) International Tourism Industry Expo| Updated: Mar 13, 2024
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PREFACE

Welcome to Guangzhou!

This Payment Service Guide, covering instructions on payment with overseas and domestic bank cards, cash, mobile payment, and e-CNY, is intended to provide you with a safe, convenient, inclusive and diverse payment experience.

CONTENTS

1.Pay with Overseas Bank Cards

2.Pay with Cash

3.Mobile Payment

4.Account Service

5.Pay with e-CNY

Pay with Overseas Bank Cards

Overseas bank cards are accepted where you can see logos of your card schemes such as Visa, MasterCard, JCB. These logos are often seen in airports, hotels, shopping malls, restaurants, tourist attractions and exhibition centers in Guangzhou. If you have any doubt, ask the cashier for more information.

UnionPay cards are accepted at all merchants with POS terminals in Guangzhou.

Tips:

Please make sure that your bank card is accepted in China's mainland, some cards require prior approval from issuer.

Pay with Cash

There are five ways to withdraw or exchange for RMB cash.

A. Bank branches

Bank branches with “Exchange" signs shown can provide you with currency exchange, money change, and exchange rate query services. A valid ID is often required.

To check the location of nearest bank branches with currency exchange services, you can visit the banks' official websites or dial their service hotlines.

B. Self-Service Machine (E.g. ATM, CRS, etc.)

You can withdraw RMB cash at ATM, CRS and other self-service machine with logos of your card schemes. The upper limit of a single withdrawal is CNY3,000 which is also subject to the limit of your bank cards.

C. Franchised Institutions for Foreign Currency Exchange

You can exchange currencies at counters of franchised institutions for foreign currency exchange where the "Currency Exchange" signs are often shown. Daily limit is the equivalent of USD5,000, and annual cumulative limit is the equivalent of USD50,000. Such counters are usually located at airports and other ports of entry.

Tips: You can find the locations of such exchange counters and make online reservation in the Wechat or Alipay official accounts.

D. Foreign Currency Exchange Agencies

You can exchange currencies at foreign currency exchange agencies commonly found at hotels. Daily limit is the equivalent of CNY10,000, and annual cumulative limit is the equivalent of CNY50,000.

E. Foreign Currency Exchange Machines

You can exchange currencies on a foreign currency exchange machine with your valid ID. The daily limit is the equivalent of CNY5,000.

Mobile Payment

Mobile payment with UnionPay, Alipay, Weixin Pay and overseas e-wallets is more than welcomed.

A. UnionPay

Step 1: Download and install UnionPay App

Step 2: Register

Download the UnionPay App in your app store and click "Sign Up" to register. If you have arrived in China, please ensure that your mobile phone is enabled for international roaming and can accept registration SMS. Alternatively, you can complete your registration before entering the country.

Step 3: Apply for a Tour Card

Search "Tour Card", prepare your passport / travel pass and follow the instructions on the page to enter your card application information and fill in the SMS verification code. You can claim the discounts once the application is successful.

Step 4: Top up the Tour

Have your bank cards ready, click Top-up on the details page of the Tour Card and follow the instructions on the page to top up. For the safety of your funds, your identity will be verified through SMS by the issuer of your bank card; please ensure that you can be reached through the mobile phone number associated with the card.

Step 5: Ready for payment

A. For merchants with UnionPay, Weixin Pay, Alipay QR code displayed: click [Scan] - Scan the merchant's QR code.

B. For merchants with QR code reader: click [Pay&Collect] - Show your QR code.

C. For consumer apps: Select UnionPay App  in the payment method list upon checkout.

FAQ

Q: Where can UnionPay wallet be used?

A: It can be used at merchants with UnionPay QR code brand mark.

Q: What transaction scenarios are currently supported by the tour card?

A: At present, Tour Card supports a vast range of daily online and offline purchases in China's mainland, and temporarily does not support functions such as transfer and wealth management. Please refer to the payment page for details.

Q: Will I be charged for paying with the UnionPay App?

A: A service fee may apply when you top up your Tour Card with a bank card issued outside China's mainland. The amount of this charge is subject to the bank that provides services and will be displayed on the top-up page, with a minimum rate of zero. The payment scheme of your bank card will deduct the service charge in real time based on its foreign exchange rate. However, your purchases with the Tour Card in China's mainland will not cost you extra fees. The top-up service fee in proportion to the balance in the Tour Card will be refunded to your bank card when the Tour Card is canceled.

B.Alipay

Step 1: Download and install Alipay App

Step 2: Register

Step 3: Add a bank card

Tap "Add Now" and follow on-page prompts to complete the process

Step 4: Ready for payment

Present and pay

Scan and pay

Frequently asked questions on Alipay

Q: Where can l pay with overseas bank cards using Alipay?

A: Consumers can add overseas bank cards to their Alipay accounts and pay for daily purchases within the Chinese mainland. Overseas bank cards do not support person-to-person transfers, sending or receiving red packets, wealth management services, insurance services, or other financial services.

Q: How do I know the exchange rate of the transactions made with overseas?

A: The exchange rate for overseas bank cards is provided by the card scheme and issuing bank to which your card belongs.Please refer to the billing statement of your bank card.

C. Weixin Pay

step 1: Download and install WeChat App

On your mobile phone, Download or Update your WeChat app to the latest version. Register with your phone number or sign in.

step 2: Register, and find Weixin Pay (Tap Me - Services - Wallet)

Using overseas or China's mainland phone number to register to view the CNY wallet homepage. Using Hong Kong SAR phone number to register to view the HKD wallet homepage.

Tap Me - Services - Wallet

If you cannot find the options above, you can activate Weixin Pay or WeChat Pay HK in one of the following ways.

At the bottom, tap Me - Settings - General - Tools - Weixin Pay. Tap Enable.

On the top corner, tap +, then tap Scan to scan the following QR code. Tap Enable.

step 3: Fill in your identity information and add a bank card

In Wallet, tap Add a Card. Read the Weixin Pay User Service Agreement and Privacy Policy and tap Agree. Follow the steps on the screen to fill in your identity information. Tap Next to add your card. Follow the instructions on the screen to complete the process.

Tips: If you use your passport to verify your identity, you will get a notification asking you to upload a copy of your passport.

WeChat Pay HK

WeChat Pay HK supports the binding of credit cards and bank accounts issued in Hong Kong SAR. To pay with the wallet balance, you need to complete identity verification.

Step 4: Ready for payment

We provide you with a simplified registration process, which can skip the identity verification process. You can simply enter your card number, expiry date, and security code to add your overseas card. Moreover, you can swiftly add your card through several access points, even during a transaction.

If you don't have enough time to provide full identity information, here is a simple and convenient way to use mobile payment: first-time users can use Weixin Pay within a certain amount without verification by adding an overseas card. Also, you can further submit verification details as needed, in order to increase your transaction limit and access the full service.

D. Pay with overseas e-wallets

①Pay with UnionPay-powered overseas e-wallet

If you already have a UnionPay-powered overseas e-wallet, you can directly scan and pay at UnionPay standard QR code merchants, local e-wallet app is not required. Currently, 85 e-wallet apps in 17 Asian countries and regions including South Korea, Japan and Thailand are UnionPay powered.

②Pay with Alipay+ wallet

Users of Alipay+ e-wallet, such as AlipayHK, Kakao Pay. Touch 'n Go eWallet, OCBC, TrueMoney, MPay, Changi Pay, NAVER Pay, Toss Pay, Hipay can pay directly where the Alipay logo is shown.

 Tips:

1. UnionPay, Alipay and Weixin Pay all support bundling overseas mobile phone number. Just make sure that your mobile phone has activated international roaming.

2. The single payment limit for overseas personnel using mobile payment in China's mainland is USD5,000, and the annual cumulative limit is USD50,000.

3. Please call the following hotlines if you have any questions or need further information. Service Hotlines in English

UnionPay: +86-95516

Alipay: +86-571 2688 6000

Weixin Pay: +86-95017

Account Service

You can open a bank card account at a local bank branch in Guangdong with a valid ID, such as passport, Mainland Travel Permit and Residence Permit for Hong Kong SAR and Macao SAR Residents, Mainland Travel Permit for Taiwan Residents, Foreign Permanent Resident ID Card, and other identity documents stipulated by laws and administrative regulations. When you apply for a bank card in China, banks are required to conduct due diligence in accordance with international accepted practices, and your cooperation is required.

You can use domestic bank cards in the following scenarios according to bank card agreements of domestic banks: make card payments at all domestic merchants equipped with POS machines and cash withdrawal.

Pay with e-CNY

You can pay with e-CNY, the digital legal tender of China. E-CNY is now widely used in retail, transportation, tourism, etc. You can use your overseas mobile phone number to register and open an e-CNY wallet and top up with your Visa or Mastercard. Any wallet balance can be easily transferred back to the overseas bank card.

The 24-hour e-CNY customer service hotline: +86-10-956196

Tips for Hong Kong and Macao Visitors

1. Pay with e-wallet from Hong Kong and Macao

Users of UnionPay (HK and Macao), WeChat Pay HK, Alipay HK, MPay or BOC Macau Mobile Banking can directly scan the QR code and pay at the corresponding merchant.

2. Attestation Service for Account Opening for Hong Kong and Macao Residents

Permanent residents of Hong Kong or Macao and over 18, who already have bank accounts with Bank of China (Hong Kong), Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (Asia), China Construction Bank (Asia), CMB Wing Lung Bank, Bank of East Asia in Hong Kong, Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (Macao), Bank of China Macao Branch, China Construction Bank Macao Branch in Macao can apply for Type ll and Ill bank accounts of mainland banks at the above bank branches. Personal presence at a mainland bank counter can be waived.

Once the account is successfully opened, you can activate and add your bank card to mainland mobile payment Apps to enjoy payment convenience.

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