Daily life in China runs on mobile payments. The good news: visitors can now link a foreign bank card and pay almost everywhere. For patients, the main thing to plan for is the larger hospital bill.
Set up Alipay or WeChat Pay before you fly
- Download Alipay or WeChat and register with your phone number (a foreign number works).
- Link a bank card. Cards with the Visa, Mastercard, JCB, Diners Club or Discover logo are supported.
- Pay by scanning the merchant's QR code, or by showing your own payment code.
Some card issuers block the first link attempt as a security measure. If that happens, call your bank and ask them to approve it. Setting this up at home, before you travel, saves a lot of stress.
Fees and limits for foreign cards
According to the official service guide for foreigners:
- Payments of 200 yuan or less: no extra fee.
- Payments over 200 yuan: a 3% service fee on the whole amount.
- Limits: up to US$5,000 per transaction and US$50,000 per year.
These rules can change, so check the current terms inside the app before large payments.
Paying hospital bills
Hospital costs are usually much larger than daily spending, so a 3% fee adds up and a single payment may hit the limit. Before treatment, ask:
- Can the hospital cashier take your international card directly?
- Can a treatment package be paid in advance by bank transfer?
- Is a deposit required on admission, and how is the balance settled at discharge?
Our coordinator confirms these details with the hospital before you arrive, so there are no surprises at the cashier.
Other practical tips
- Carry some cash in Chinese yuan (RMB) as a backup.
- Tell your bank you are travelling to China so your card is not frozen.
- Keep every official receipt (fapiao) and itemised bill. You will need them for insurance claims at home.
- Remember that our service fee and the hospital's medical fees are separate payments — we will explain both before you confirm anything.