Getting a China SIM card with a foreign passport

The Tianjin Communications Administration’s 2026 guide identifies a passport or Foreign Permanent Resident ID Card as accepted documents for foreign-national SIM applications. Apply personally at an operator-operated service hall.

• Bring the original document and the phone you will use.
• Official guidance calls for a phone supporting 5G or VoLTE; ask the service hall to check compatibility.
• The phone-number procedure here is for foreign nationals using these documents. Taiwan-specific counters and travel permits are covered separately in the Chinese guide.

Use the operator’s official app or call its customer service line to locate a nearby service hall and confirm passport applications.

• China Mobile (中国移动): 10086
• China Unicom (中国联通): 10010
• China Telecom (中国电信): 10000

MIIT SIM-card service zone and operator links →

1. Ask whether the hall can register a new number using your passport and verify that your phone will work with the SIM.
2. Confirm the monthly cost, minimum monthly spending, prepaid balance, contract period and cancellation procedure.
3. Present your own document for the identity check and complete the operator’s registration and payment process.
4. Before leaving, test calls, an incoming SMS and mobile data. Keep the plan details and service receipt.

我想用护照办理一个手机号码。请问最低月费、合约期和注销方式是什么？

Published Fujian tariff references, last checked 2026-10-12. Confirm passport eligibility, minimum charges and contract terms with the store before signing up.

These prices are shared with the Chinese guide. Passport sign-up availability has not been independently confirmed for each plan. Ask China Mobile whether its CNY 18 reference is a minimum monthly spend rather than a subscription fee.

Ask about international roaming and receiving verification texts in the country or region you will visit next. The Chinese guide’s personal reports about receiving SMS in Taiwan do not establish reception in other destinations.

• Confirm whether roaming must be activated before departure.
• Ask how to recharge and keep the number active from abroad.
• Ask how to cancel the plan or number when you no longer need it, especially if it has a minimum contract period.

Official payment guidance supports registration with an overseas number. For payment-app setup, first check the requirements of the service you intend to use.

Shanghai’s English mobile-payment guide →