Thanks for the video! I had a couple of questions. Do you recommend a foreign credit card or bank card with Alipay and Tour card? You mentioned credit cards offer more protection but if I use a foreign credit card is it considered a cash advance or regular purchase for both Alipay and Tour card? And is it a good idea to have both Tour card and Alipay? Does the app not differentiate bank card from credit card, so I would add my credit card where it says "Add bank card"?
Using your card to top up tourcard counts as a tourist transaction. So you can get points for that. Using your card to link directly to alipay would only work on merchants that accept Mastercard and visa on alipay, which isn't many. Using tourcard allows you to pay merchants directly without them needing the mastercard/visa plug-in inside their alipay account, which makes your life easier. Actually, once you have an alipay tourcard approved, you already passed some verification on alipay as well with your passport.
Its been about a year since this video, so I will do another one. I will try to do via android and iphone for simplicity sakes. For best success, I found out that you should use a VPN into China for this to work well.
Great video. When adding the tourcard and taking passport photo for verification my iPhone camera was just a black unresponsive screen so could not proceed 🤷♂
Try to allow persmission for the alipay app to take photos on your phone. Your phone settings may automatically block them if you havent manually allowed alipay to use the camera settings on your iphone.
You might want to check with your bank card or credit card to see if they charge a fee for foreign currency, my bank card charges 3% but one of my Visa cards does not charge a fee.
Can I unlink the card completely? I don’t want any future transactions to be made from that card anymore. The card is Chinese and I want to unlink it completely and probably change the card details to my current card which is NOT Chinese.
is that 5% fee for the topup in the currency you top it up from before coverting to rmb? so for example $1000 usd top up would equate to a $50 usd fee?
also, if i just get my account verified can i just receive money that is sent from another alipay account to my account? without having to get the tourcard?
The top up fee is in CNY. So if need 1000 CNY, will charge you 1050 CNY. If you have a verified alipay account, no need a tourcard, but you wont be able to top up the balance with a foreign card like you can with tourcard.
@@BorderlessCommerce Thanks for the reply. I was just wondering though for the foreign card, don't you still need to verify your alipay account? Also, after verification (which is through a Canadian passport) can you receive transfers from a chinese verified alipay account with no problem (or fees) is my question
@sabrinazheng2006 after alipay verification yes. You should be able to receive cny to your alipay account. That money can't go to a foreign bank card though
Hi new here, I was wondering if just having a foreign credit card linked to your Alipay is enough to make purchases using the app? Or does one have to download the tour card within the app, and top off money in order use it at small shops like you mentioned in the video? To me paying 5% is a little bit absurd as it will negate any bonus miles/points you'd normally incur when using the credit card.
So if you get the tourcard, you can pay almost any chinese merchant in China with the topped up cny in that account. If you just link your foreign bank card to alipay, not alipay tourcard, you'll only be able to pay merchants that accept Mastercard and visa for alipay which is really rare to find.
They do, thats the first method, just link your card directly. This method has the lowest limitation though with transaction amount. Make sure your bank isnt blocking it either!
make sure you have the right version of alipay, you may need to change it to the international version under me, profile settings. tourcard should be one word as well, not two when you are searching for it
You wont be able to top up CNY to your account or pay merchants that only accept CNY as payment. (not the ones that accept visa or mastercard, which is rare) And with no passport verification done, you wont be able to receive CNY from others.
Yes, once you top up your tourcard account with CNY, you can make payments via the tourcard on platforms like taobao, 1688 and most vendors that accept alipay as a payment.
HI @@BorderlessCommerce , I think you may have misread. Herizwerg8366 was asking if option 1 can be used to pay merchants, not option 2 (tourcard). I'd personally like to know if option 1 works too. Thank you in advance!
I haven't land in china yet but just in case , I opened the application and when I chose pay . sorry, overseas payment is available to verified users from china mainland only , what's the case here
Some people have reported an issue. Best to chat with their customer service or email to handle. Or try with another phone number since your provider may be blocking texts from China.
@@BorderlessCommerce Thanks very much for your advice, have sent them an email on the 30th. Are they quite responsive in your experience / if you have dealt with them via the handle you linked in your video?
I usually give them a call for the FASTEST reponse. Realize, all of China will be on vacation for Chinese new years for the next couple of weeks, so you may not be helped until after this period. @@JakeFrancis-h2n
Very tough, some banks like hsbc support it. Union pay is mainly an Asia thing. I have never tested this, though with a union pay card outside of China, so I don't know. It's just speculatiom.
@beam1beam tourcard should work as it makes a puedo Chinese bank account for you. There is no official way to top up as a foreigner though unless you have a Chinese bank account. Or somebody sends you the cny to your alipay.
@BorderlessCommerce sorry wanted to confirm a bit more. Basically it's an online store through weidian that I am trying to purchase from. It doesn't take credit card through alipay. Do you think it would work in this case?
@beam1beam hit or miss. Most likely not if using alipay with a foreign bank card. More likely if using alipay tourcard. I haven't used weidian in a while, but you have a chance to try wechat to make payments too. Either with their tourcard or with a foreign card directly. The tourcard has much more chance of success though with those platforms.
If I set up the tour card with my uk sim and then change to a Chinese sim when arrive will it still work? Or do I need to set up with my Chinese number ? Thanks
I wouldnt recommend to set up with a Chinese phone number unless you are planning to be in China and live here long term. Just the UK number should suffice. If you want to order takeout or use other Chinese apps, it helps to have a Chinese phone number, but not needed for alipay tourcard.
@@amyleckie7891 So platforms tend to work best with a Chinese Phone number like Didi, Wai Mai, apps that require OTP with Chinese text. You dont need it with alipay or wechat, but can add the Chinese number later as a contact number,
Hello can i ask something? I'm from indonesia, if i set up alipay in Indonesia and add my credit card. Can i use it in china if i have internet? Thank you
Hi, thanks for the info. A question, can I use Alipay offline, I'm from the UK and with roaming fees and most UK sims don't don't work there. I just want to be prepared. Also would recommend using Wise card? Thanks.
You need to be online in some way. If I were you, I would get a sim card at the airport with your passport, link that sim to your alipay (by creating an alipay account with that new Chinese phone number). I would only recommend Union Pay cards in China. Mastercard and Visa are not commonly accepted here. Yes, some places accept them, but as you get more local, harder to find.
so depositing funds with you credit card to alipay without tourcard it is USD ? not CNY ? when paying merchant ? also how much fee would it take to deposit !
@Mabastscott59 no yoy can't top up cny with your foreign card with alipay. You can only do this via alipay tourcard with limits. And this money is only to be used to pay merchants, not to send to people directly.
@Mabastscott59 no way. Merchants most likely won't accept usd via alipay. Instead, send them usd directly via wise, that's easier. Alipay only deals with local CNY currency in mainland China.
Once you are authenticated with Alipay tourcard, you should (not all the time, depends on your country) be able to receive RMB from other people into your alipay account.
Where your passport is from. Doesn't have to be where you live. But the passport location and phone number need to be from the same place to avoid issues. Don't use a uk Sim for a us passport as an example.
Thank you for the clarification. Then I've got a problem as I have a UK SIM card but my non-british passport. Unfortunately, I haven't received a code message anyways. Have been trying to get in touch with the customer service but cannot connect to any human and the suggested topics don't cover my problem.
Having a phone number from your non passport country will most likely cause trouble. You can try this video to solve your issue on alipay ua-cam.com/video/9EMh_3DTZ6g/v-deo.html@@teresaheitmann2160
It should work if you have an active taobao account through your alipay. During checkout at payment method options in alipay, you should see the tourcard as an option.
Sorry - me again! Is it 3% flat fee for transactions when using a foreign bankcard via Alipay? That's what various sites suggest but cannot find official confirmation in the user agreement.
If using tourcard, it usually costs 5% to top up your account with CNY with your foreign bank card. Any additional charges your bank charges are not included. So if you want to top up 100 CNY, you will be charged 105 CNY (and the exchange rate) to top up 100 CNY.
Not all merchants will accept this method versus the tourcard. If using alipay with your foreign bank card directly, it is mostly dependant on your bank. I have heard 1-3% in fees this way. @@JakeFrancis-h2n
@@amyleckie7891 Depends on your bank if they will charge for FOREX fees. On average it is like 2-3%. Sometimes banks/cards do not charge this. Alipay shouldnt charge on this though.
Unfortunately Tour Card does not work for me, so I will have to stick with the 1st method. But can I receive money to my Alipay balance if a friend transfers me? I tried to transfer myself with Wise, but apparently that does not work unless my Alipay has a Chinese mobile number?
Wise method only for Chinese citizens. But you can verify your alipay via customer service on alipay to receive cny in your balance. But that can't leave to a foreign bank card
Ahh, your bank may have rejected the order or purchase on the tourcard because it is a Chinese company. Call them and tell them that any purchase with Alipay is yours and not fraud. Sometimes, banks flag transactions automatically for protection.
Hi kind sir, thank you for your super helpful video. We're travelling to China for Xmas 2024. Just curious will I be charged a bank fee or transaction fee for everytime I scan the linked credit card (first option you mentioned). And what about the TourCard, if I move 10000RMB in there, will I be charged a percentage from that? What happens to the excess money I topped up in the Bank of Shanghai Card? Also is the contact info in your video for TourCard still valid? I downloaded the app but why is the interface not the same as yours? I don't have the "takeout" mini program (or app?). What I see on the landing page is Coupon/Exchange Rate/Remit/DidiTravel/AntForest/Jiebei/MyApps/More. I hope to God I am not on a third party app (scam). Thank you in advance!!
The mini programs are usually different for everyone based on their preferences. They can be adjusted or changed. I will be updating this video later this year as I have tested with my family that just came to visit. To answer your questions: 1.) Direct bank card adding to alipay (NOT TOURCARD). Bank fees are done BY YOUR BANK! There shouldn't be any processing fees on alipay but maybe perhaps 1-3% for processing. Whatever your bank charges for FOREX fees, is usually the rate it goes by. Best to actually test this on the ground in China for exact amounts. 2.) TOUCARD. Standard 5% fee to top up your CNY in the Bank of Shanghai card. (i.e, if you top up $100 USD worth of CNY, you will be charged a fee of $5 USD) Be aware that alipay and wechat sometimes have a promotion to waive fees for a specific amount of time, so you might get lucky and have no fees. Any money left over after the 3 months period will be refunded to the card you used to top up. 3.) The email contact is still valid. If you know any Chinese people that can call, that is even better once you are in China.
@@BorderlessCommerce Absolute KING! Thank you so much! I will be forwarding your video to all my friends/family who are traveling to China. I will look out for your new video 👏🏽👏🏽
Make sure to sign up for a tourcard inside alipay, not to try add the card on alipay itself, but the program tourcard inside of alipay. They are different things.
Please email their customer service in the video and complain, if they get enough complaints, they should fix it. I tried by myself and they pretty said to kick rocks.
Great video, question: parents staying in China for a month with me, is there any way for them to use wechat aor alipay where i fund their account with RMB directly?
Once they get verified via their passport for the tourcard account on alipay, you should be able to send them CNY directly from your Alipay account. Only after the verification is done! Note, that without a Chinese bank account, there may be limits on how much CNY you can send them. (the money will be going to their alipay balance if you sent to them directly)
Hello there! How many is the fee for each transaction using Alipay? How does it work? Some people say they charge 3% regardless the value, some say only payment above 200 RMB is charged 3%? Thank you!
If topping up alipay tourcard, it is 5% per transaction. If directly using your foreign bank card to pay people, it depends on the rate your bank charges for FOREX charges.
If using alipay tourcard, typically 5% fee. If using your bank card direct in alipay, depends on what your bank charges for foreign currency transactions.
Hi after add the bank card into Alipay acct and everytime I do the transaction is there any transaction or hidden fees charge by bank or the card authority?
@joannesmith1175 the 5% from alipay tourcard, yes, there is only more if your bank charges fees for potential foreign exchange fees. Bank dependent,nothing to do with alipay.
If someone sends you money, it will go to your alipay balance, not tourcard. That money can be used for almost anything. Tourcard money can only be used to pay merchants in China. @@kevinchan8994
Try to use another device and phone number. Sometimes, the platform for small can be unstable. You can also reach out to them directly for further troubleshooting
have downloaded alipay and am going to use tour card. does it last 90 from first set up or first use. also ca i use alipay or rour card on the metro in shanghai
Any visa or mastercard. Actually I have tested with both debit and credit cards and they both work. I would recommend a credit card for more protection though.
thank you so much! I had to install Alipay to consolidate my package during 2nd payment. At least I can understand what's going on before downloading it
I set up Alipay and I am trying to buy something, I get the respond saying "sorry your payment cannot be processed", do you know what happen to my set up?
You will need to open alipay tourcard for top up, you cant top up your regular alipay account with a regular foreign card without a Chinese bank account.
Hi, when i download tourcard can i top up with 10,000RMB straight away (i know thats the max limit and just wondering if i can do it straight away)? Also, can i ask my friend to send me money on my balance for alipay as a backup incase i run out of money on tourcard?
Once you pass the verification process on tourcard and alipay, you should be able to receive money from your friends. The 10k cny in 1 go I'm not is possible, but you can try it.
Hi!. I don't know why sometimes when I try to pay, I am requested for a verification code sent by SMS to my foreign number, but since I don't have roaming, I can't complete the transaction. Do you know how to avoid it?
Did you already open a tourcard account and go through the face recognition with your passport page? If so, under the me tap, and settings button, you can see authentication methods to pay. (SMS, Finger print, Payment password, etc)
@@ashumCR timestamp 4:00 goes into it in the video. Where it says search for tourcard. Way easier to get authentication that way versus directly adding to the bank cards section.
I'm adding my Mastercard but it keep not accepting it and also asking me to use another bank card.i used another bank Mastercard still same Pls how can I overcome this sir?
Not possible without a Chinese bank account. Or unless your friend has a merchant alipay account, not a personal one. You would be able to do it via tourcard
I m in Canada now but will go to China next week. Have not gone back in 4 yrs. If i setup Alipay here, will that work in China with a new China Sim card? I can't use my Canadian phone number in China as the roaming charges would kill me...
You can always change your phone number when you get to China. FYI, it may be difficult to link a foreign bank card with a Chinese phone number, but you can try!
Thanks. The roaming charge is $4CAD per minute. I need that to use Alipay in China using my Canadian phone card. Is there's a way to work around this situation? Would just using WiFi would work?
Even just to receive text messages? You dont need to call unless there is a problem with your account where there are methods to contact without calling as well. You would just receive a text one time for text message verification. Is that not possible in your situation?@@vset33
Thanks for reply. I have Wechat and China phone number & bank account but not used in 4 yrs. Can't find old SIM card but have the phone number. Is it better to buy a new Chinese cheap cellphone and install Wechat all over again. Will my old Wechat affect me?
@vset33 your old wechat may be affected if you use the same passport. However, if your passport has been updated and has a different number than before. No issue
No, you cannot send any money from Alipay to a foreign bank card. You need to use 3rd party for that. If from the USA, swapsy. Other places platforms like skyremmit.
@@vickybchiumia9626 Ahh, you cant send to personal alipay accounts if you are using your foreign bank card. A way to overcome this is to apply for the tourcard and top up that account.
Do we have our identity with a passport before we can send money to China from USA? I'm asking because I don't have a passport, but i want to buy things from China.
You can use our services at borderlesscommerce.net to buy things from China. If you just want to send Chinese people money from the USA, you can try platforms like Western Union or Wise that sends the CNY directly to their alipay accounts linked to your bank account in the USA without the need of passport.
Yes, you use your foreign bank card (usually charged in USD) and get CNY/RMB topped up to your alipay tourcard account. BUT!!!! You cannot send this RMB to people directly. Only use it for merchant related purchases. It is NOT the same as having RMB in your alipay account balance.
@@o7pi If its urgent, you can email us at service@borderlesscommerce.net We have provided the service to buy products on xianyu before, my last comment to you showed you how to do it yourself if you try.
Please email them and complain, it may be the only way for them to fix it. I called and complained and had several people email as well. Hopefully they get tired of the complaints and fix the issue as you are not the first person to experience this issue.
They got to make money somehow. lol. Fyi, the average credit card processing fee is 2-3% per transaction. So they only keep 2-3% in profit. I dont think there is a platform that exists with 0 fees, otherwise they wouldn't be in business long.
Try to confirm it directly with their customer service chat for manual verification. They also have a hotline and email to handle once you chat with them. You need to ask for a customer representative a couple time to reach a human.
Yes, you can use wechat or alipay to purchase goods on Alipay. My website also allows to buy directly on PDD with any mastercard or visa. SOME merchants on PDD accept mastercard and visa.
Rather than being ripped off with a 5% rake every time you spend as a tourist and have to fart about with technology that makes things "easier" (i.e. more expensive...), isn't it simpler to just take cash...?
By law, all retailers must accept cash. Now the reality is that alot don't, but if they are a large brand/chain store, they must accept cash. The issue comes from shopping in markets and very local areas, good luck having them accept cash unless you call the police on them.
So even if i only bind a foreign credit card to alipay, there is some chance it might not work on street vendors? *Im going to China to study for 1 year
actually, the chance of it not working is super high. lol. Mainly chains and tourist attractions would accept. Better to have a chinese friend send you CNY in alipay (outside of tourcard) and use that to pay vendors on the street.
I am confused about the cellphone you use for Alipay, Do I need to have a Chinese cellphone not a USA cellphone? Do I need a new phone number in China?... Do Not jump in how to use Alipay in China, tell us what are the important things we should have first. Thank you.
You can use any cellphone number as long as alipay supports that country for business. I have an alipay account with usa phone number and one with chinese phone number. You DO NOT need a Chinese phone number.
Hmm, I have never tried, you may need to renew your tourcard every 3 months or connect actual alipay to your foreign bank card and see if it will charge that card.
You should be able to with your 6 digit password no problem if it's a small amount. If it's large, it may trigger face recognition. And it depends where you want to pay online! If it's pure Chinese platform, most likely they won't accept visa or mastercard
It is easiest if you registered for wechat with a non Chinese phone number to add foreign cards. But you cant top up or send CNY with the foreign card!!!! Only pay
Nom, many others have complained, email them to get better results. I dont work for alipay so I have little influence when I address it, but enough complaints in numbers should work!
You didn't mention you have to allow the App to scan your face first, otherwise it won't work.
Good point, in the permission of your phone, make sure to allow your camera so your camera doesnt go black when it asks for a selfie!
Thanks for the video! I had a couple of questions. Do you recommend a foreign credit card or bank card with Alipay and Tour card? You mentioned credit cards offer more protection but if I use a foreign credit card is it considered a cash advance or regular purchase for both Alipay and Tour card? And is it a good idea to have both Tour card and Alipay? Does the app not differentiate bank card from credit card, so I would add my credit card where it says "Add bank card"?
Using your card to top up tourcard counts as a tourist transaction. So you can get points for that. Using your card to link directly to alipay would only work on merchants that accept Mastercard and visa on alipay, which isn't many. Using tourcard allows you to pay merchants directly without them needing the mastercard/visa plug-in inside their alipay account, which makes your life easier. Actually, once you have an alipay tourcard approved, you already passed some verification on alipay as well with your passport.
My issue is when I add my number I get no verification code
same issues
You guys would have to email the company directly for them to overcome this issue. I am pushing them as well@@lovelyangel531
Same
@@SC0613 please email them to complain. Will only work in the masses
@@BorderlessCommercewhich is their email please I have the same issue
Very helpful, thank you so much! This will help a lot of people when they visit China 😊❤
thanks for watching. Alot to do in China
Cn u do an update? The APP now does not look “exactly the same” anymore
Its been about a year since this video, so I will do another one. I will try to do via android and iphone for simplicity sakes. For best success, I found out that you should use a VPN into China for this to work well.
Great video. When adding the tourcard and taking passport photo for verification my iPhone camera was just a black unresponsive screen so could not proceed 🤷♂
Try to allow persmission for the alipay app to take photos on your phone. Your phone settings may automatically block them if you havent manually allowed alipay to use the camera settings on your iphone.
I have many Alipay account.. I need originally buyer
You might want to check with your bank card or credit card to see if they charge a fee for foreign currency, my bank card charges 3% but one of my Visa cards does not charge a fee.
yes, those hidden fees can add up!
im having issue with inputting address on tourcard....
Can I unlink the card completely? I don’t want any future transactions to be made from that card anymore. The card is Chinese and I want to unlink it completely and probably change the card details to my current card which is NOT Chinese.
Its telling me I can only load my alipay rmb using the Chinese bank card. Despite after linking my Visa foreign card
Hey @Borderless Commerce. When I arrive in China I am going to buy a Chinese sim. Is it possible connect my international card to my Chinese number?
is that 5% fee for the topup in the currency you top it up from before coverting to rmb? so for example $1000 usd top up would equate to a $50 usd fee?
also, if i just get my account verified can i just receive money that is sent from another alipay account to my account? without having to get the tourcard?
The top up fee is in CNY. So if need 1000 CNY, will charge you 1050 CNY. If you have a verified alipay account, no need a tourcard, but you wont be able to top up the balance with a foreign card like you can with tourcard.
@@BorderlessCommerce Thanks for the reply. I was just wondering though for the foreign card, don't you still need to verify your alipay account? Also, after verification (which is through a Canadian passport) can you receive transfers from a chinese verified alipay account with no problem (or fees) is my question
@sabrinazheng2006 after alipay verification yes. You should be able to receive cny to your alipay account. That money can't go to a foreign bank card though
@@BorderlessCommerce I see, and will I be able to receive RMB as well?
Hi new here, I was wondering if just having a foreign credit card linked to your Alipay is enough to make purchases using the app? Or does one have to download the tour card within the app, and top off money in order use it at small shops like you mentioned in the video? To me paying 5% is a little bit absurd as it will negate any bonus miles/points you'd normally incur when using the credit card.
So if you get the tourcard, you can pay almost any chinese merchant in China with the topped up cny in that account. If you just link your foreign bank card to alipay, not alipay tourcard, you'll only be able to pay merchants that accept Mastercard and visa for alipay which is really rare to find.
Just tap the visa or mastercard and pay is much easier than always open the app and insert the amount or look for qr code and pay.
@@adamchan1998 Yep, but in China the ability to do that (apparently) is rare.
why Alipay doesnt accept visa / mastercard nowdays? someone tried this?
They do, thats the first method, just link your card directly. This method has the lowest limitation though with transaction amount. Make sure your bank isnt blocking it either!
How can i transfer my money from Alipay to my bank account? Thank you
Can i use the tourcard even if i’m not in china?
At first it's was the code number I was waiting for but now it's the passport the problem
How about getting your money from Alipay from people who pay you for services. but we live in another country?
ha, not possible without a 3rd party like a Chinese friend or partner. That feature is long gone since 2020
no tour card in my alipay
make sure you have the right version of alipay, you may need to change it to the international version under me, profile settings. tourcard should be one word as well, not two when you are searching for it
@@BorderlessCommerce thank you, today finally i found tourcard . but i was not able to use, says “ system busy” i will keep trying 🙏🏻🧡
If i have alipay connect to my card, but i didnt use tourcard, is it okay?
Same question
You wont be able to top up CNY to your account or pay merchants that only accept CNY as payment. (not the ones that accept visa or mastercard, which is rare) And with no passport verification done, you wont be able to receive CNY from others.
sorry to ask but how many merchant or street vendor accept mastercard/visa compared to those who only accept cny thanks
Hi very good video. Can I also pay to merchants using the 1st option? Thanks
Yes, once you top up your tourcard account with CNY, you can make payments via the tourcard on platforms like taobao, 1688 and most vendors that accept alipay as a payment.
HI @@BorderlessCommerce , I think you may have misread. Herizwerg8366 was asking if option 1 can be used to pay merchants, not option 2 (tourcard). I'd personally like to know if option 1 works too. Thank you in advance!
Please how can I top up?@@BorderlessCommerce
I haven't land in china yet but just in case , I opened the application and when I chose pay . sorry, overseas payment is available to verified users from china mainland only , what's the case here
use a VPN into the Chinese network and try again
Did you have any trouble getting your verification text to your phone? It hasn't come through after a few attempts (Uk number)
Some people have reported an issue. Best to chat with their customer service or email to handle. Or try with another phone number since your provider may be blocking texts from China.
@@BorderlessCommerce Thanks very much for your advice, have sent them an email on the 30th. Are they quite responsive in your experience / if you have dealt with them via the handle you linked in your video?
I usually give them a call for the FASTEST reponse. Realize, all of China will be on vacation for Chinese new years for the next couple of weeks, so you may not be helped until after this period. @@JakeFrancis-h2n
@@BorderlessCommerce Understood - thanks again
Oh, you mentioned Union pay card instead of Wise to top off Tourcard. Is this a debit card and how do you get one from the US?
Very tough, some banks like hsbc support it. Union pay is mainly an Asia thing. I have never tested this, though with a union pay card outside of China, so I don't know. It's just speculatiom.
With the tour card can you top up on online games that take RMB?
Yes, but only on the online game platform. You wont be able to pay people directly (as in regular money transfer of CNY) with tourcard
Hi, do you know how I can add balance to my alipay? Some stores don't accept credit card through Alipay and I don't think tourcard will work as well
@beam1beam tourcard should work as it makes a puedo Chinese bank account for you. There is no official way to top up as a foreigner though unless you have a Chinese bank account. Or somebody sends you the cny to your alipay.
@BorderlessCommerce sorry wanted to confirm a bit more. Basically it's an online store through weidian that I am trying to purchase from. It doesn't take credit card through alipay. Do you think it would work in this case?
@beam1beam hit or miss. Most likely not if using alipay with a foreign bank card. More likely if using alipay tourcard. I haven't used weidian in a while, but you have a chance to try wechat to make payments too. Either with their tourcard or with a foreign card directly. The tourcard has much more chance of success though with those platforms.
If I set up the tour card with my uk sim and then change to a Chinese sim when arrive will it still work? Or do I need to set up with my Chinese number ? Thanks
I wouldnt recommend to set up with a Chinese phone number unless you are planning to be in China and live here long term. Just the UK number should suffice. If you want to order takeout or use other Chinese apps, it helps to have a Chinese phone number, but not needed for alipay tourcard.
Do you need a Chinese number for didi or just Alipay?
@@amyleckie7891 So platforms tend to work best with a Chinese Phone number like Didi, Wai Mai, apps that require OTP with Chinese text. You dont need it with alipay or wechat, but can add the Chinese number later as a contact number,
Hello can i ask something?
I'm from indonesia, if i set up alipay in Indonesia and add my credit card.
Can i use it in china if i have internet? Thank you
The tourcard is meant to be used in china, so it should work when you arrive
Hi! Do you know if you can use Alipay tour card to purchase from Taobao while being in china ? 🙏
Of course. Its main benefit is also to help with online payments. Even works to pay on 1688.
Hi, thanks for the info. A question, can I use Alipay offline, I'm from the UK and with roaming fees and most UK sims don't don't work there. I just want to be prepared. Also would recommend using Wise card? Thanks.
You need to be online in some way. If I were you, I would get a sim card at the airport with your passport, link that sim to your alipay (by creating an alipay account with that new Chinese phone number). I would only recommend Union Pay cards in China. Mastercard and Visa are not commonly accepted here. Yes, some places accept them, but as you get more local, harder to find.
@@BorderlessCommerce
Thanks
so depositing funds with you credit card to alipay without tourcard it is USD ? not CNY ? when paying merchant ? also how much fee would it take to deposit !
also can i depost funds to alipay with my credit card without tourcard ?
@Mabastscott59 no yoy can't top up cny with your foreign card with alipay. You can only do this via alipay tourcard with limits. And this money is only to be used to pay merchants, not to send to people directly.
@@BorderlessCommerce so it is possible to top up usd to acc with foreign card and pay merchant who accept usd ?
@Mabastscott59 no way. Merchants most likely won't accept usd via alipay. Instead, send them usd directly via wise, that's easier. Alipay only deals with local CNY currency in mainland China.
Can I receive payments in RMB with the first method? (Students paying their classes fees)
Once you are authenticated with Alipay tourcard, you should (not all the time, depends on your country) be able to receive RMB from other people into your alipay account.
@@BorderlessCommercePlease i need buyer for account sell
Would the nationality/region part require you let them know where you currently live or you do they mean you nationality?
Where your passport is from. Doesn't have to be where you live. But the passport location and phone number need to be from the same place to avoid issues. Don't use a uk Sim for a us passport as an example.
Thank you for the clarification. Then I've got a problem as I have a UK SIM card but my non-british passport. Unfortunately, I haven't received a code message anyways. Have been trying to get in touch with the customer service but cannot connect to any human and the suggested topics don't cover my problem.
Having a phone number from your non passport country will most likely cause trouble. You can try this video to solve your issue on alipay ua-cam.com/video/9EMh_3DTZ6g/v-deo.html@@teresaheitmann2160
Mate after setting up tour card and topping up some money, can i then use it for Xianyu to purchase digital products?
It should work if you have an active taobao account through your alipay. During checkout at payment method options in alipay, you should see the tourcard as an option.
Hi can i top up using a debit card? or we need a credit card for it? since i don't have a cc
Any visa or mastercard should work. Doesn't have to be a CC.
i have an issue of binding the tourcard to the alipay . Any solution for these.
best to email or contact their chat customer service. Video will be coming out on this in about 1-2 weeks.
@@BorderlessCommerce i do send email, But never reply. Or need to send the issue in chinese words? 🤔 and the chat customer, different to use
@@BorderlessCommerce I have the same problem. I will be really looking forward to your video, please record it🙏🙏🙏
It is coming out this weekend. Call the hotline for immediate customer service. Their email service is awfully slow. @@MIK-di9no
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Sorry - me again! Is it 3% flat fee for transactions when using a foreign bankcard via Alipay? That's what various sites suggest but cannot find official confirmation in the user agreement.
If using tourcard, it usually costs 5% to top up your account with CNY with your foreign bank card. Any additional charges your bank charges are not included. So if you want to top up 100 CNY, you will be charged 105 CNY (and the exchange rate) to top up 100 CNY.
@@BorderlessCommerce Thanks very much - and for just using your foreign bank card via Alipay only?
Not all merchants will accept this method versus the tourcard. If using alipay with your foreign bank card directly, it is mostly dependant on your bank. I have heard 1-3% in fees this way. @@JakeFrancis-h2n
Amazing - thanks for all the help as always@@BorderlessCommerce
Also if you set up with your foreign bank account like in example 1, do you get charged with every transaction?
5% usually everytime you top up tourcard
How about for the first example, where you just add your foreign payment card with visa, do you get charged for each transaction you make?
@@amyleckie7891 Depends on your bank if they will charge for FOREX fees. On average it is like 2-3%. Sometimes banks/cards do not charge this. Alipay shouldnt charge on this though.
Thank you so much, you saved me. 😊
How do I find out what is the limit for top up for the Alipay Tour Card?
Once you register and log into your tourcard account, you can see the limits. It is usually no more than 10,000 CNY in a 3 month period.
Unfortunately Tour Card does not work for me, so I will have to stick with the 1st method. But can I receive money to my Alipay balance if a friend transfers me? I tried to transfer myself with Wise, but apparently that does not work unless my Alipay has a Chinese mobile number?
Wise method only for Chinese citizens. But you can verify your alipay via customer service on alipay to receive cny in your balance. But that can't leave to a foreign bank card
it says Sorry, the card-issuing bank declined to use your card. Please contact the issuing bank. even though everything is put is right
Ahh, your bank may have rejected the order or purchase on the tourcard because it is a Chinese company. Call them and tell them that any purchase with Alipay is yours and not fraud. Sometimes, banks flag transactions automatically for protection.
Hi kind sir, thank you for your super helpful video. We're travelling to China for Xmas 2024. Just curious will I be charged a bank fee or transaction fee for everytime I scan the linked credit card (first option you mentioned). And what about the TourCard, if I move 10000RMB in there, will I be charged a percentage from that? What happens to the excess money I topped up in the Bank of Shanghai Card? Also is the contact info in your video for TourCard still valid? I downloaded the app but why is the interface not the same as yours? I don't have the "takeout" mini program (or app?). What I see on the landing page is Coupon/Exchange Rate/Remit/DidiTravel/AntForest/Jiebei/MyApps/More. I hope to God I am not on a third party app (scam). Thank you in advance!!
The mini programs are usually different for everyone based on their preferences. They can be adjusted or changed. I will be updating this video later this year as I have tested with my family that just came to visit. To answer your questions:
1.) Direct bank card adding to alipay (NOT TOURCARD). Bank fees are done BY YOUR BANK! There shouldn't be any processing fees on alipay but maybe perhaps 1-3% for processing. Whatever your bank charges for FOREX fees, is usually the rate it goes by. Best to actually test this on the ground in China for exact amounts.
2.) TOUCARD. Standard 5% fee to top up your CNY in the Bank of Shanghai card. (i.e, if you top up $100 USD worth of CNY, you will be charged a fee of $5 USD) Be aware that alipay and wechat sometimes have a promotion to waive fees for a specific amount of time, so you might get lucky and have no fees. Any money left over after the 3 months period will be refunded to the card you used to top up.
3.) The email contact is still valid. If you know any Chinese people that can call, that is even better once you are in China.
@@BorderlessCommerce Absolute KING! Thank you so much! I will be forwarding your video to all my friends/family who are traveling to China. I will look out for your new video 👏🏽👏🏽
Says doesnt accept foreign cards outside of Chinas Mainland.
Make sure to sign up for a tourcard inside alipay, not to try add the card on alipay itself, but the program tourcard inside of alipay. They are different things.
Hello Michael there really bugs on the second methods I have being trying that since February
Please email their customer service in the video and complain, if they get enough complaints, they should fix it. I tried by myself and they pretty said to kick rocks.
Hi
How can you fund your tour card if you're a foreigner??
Yes, that's the point of the tourcard! Link your foreign bank card to tourcard and top up the cny needed.
can I use a Chase visa to do this?
Most visa and mastercards allow for this to work yes. Via the tourcard that is.
Mine doesn't want....😢
Does anyone know if I can transfer money from alipay to a foreign bankcard?
I'm also looking for the answer. 😂
You'll have to use 3rd party methods. If your card is from the usa, consider swapsy.
Great video, question: parents staying in China for a month with me, is there any way for them to use wechat aor alipay where i fund their account with RMB directly?
Once they get verified via their passport for the tourcard account on alipay, you should be able to send them CNY directly from your Alipay account. Only after the verification is done! Note, that without a Chinese bank account, there may be limits on how much CNY you can send them. (the money will be going to their alipay balance if you sent to them directly)
@@BorderlessCommerce thanks and there is no fee taken for sending to them right?
@@CharlesBirdm if it's from alipay balance to alipay balance, no fee.
Hello there! How many is the fee for each transaction using Alipay? How does it work? Some people say they charge 3% regardless the value, some say only payment above 200 RMB is charged 3%?
Thank you!
If topping up alipay tourcard, it is 5% per transaction. If directly using your foreign bank card to pay people, it depends on the rate your bank charges for FOREX charges.
Alipay fee for payment or Add money fee from Dual currency card?
If using alipay tourcard, typically 5% fee. If using your bank card direct in alipay, depends on what your bank charges for foreign currency transactions.
Hi after add the bank card into Alipay acct and everytime I do the transaction is there any transaction or hidden fees charge by bank or the card authority?
If using tourcard is 5%, if using alipay, usually 2-3% fee not including what your bank charges if they do
I have new Alipay account
@@BorderlessCommerce Does that mean I'll get charged both the 5% and 2-3% if I add tour card to alipay and use it there
@joannesmith1175 the 5% from alipay tourcard, yes, there is only more if your bank charges fees for potential foreign exchange fees. Bank dependent,nothing to do with alipay.
Hi, great video, just wondering if the tour card can receive rmb? Such as accepting rmb from people.
No, but once you go through alipay tourcard authentication, you can receive some cny into your alipay balance.
@@BorderlessCommerce does it go to the tour card balance or Alipay balance? Can those be used be also?
If someone sends you money, it will go to your alipay balance, not tourcard. That money can be used for almost anything. Tourcard money can only be used to pay merchants in China. @@kevinchan8994
Hi, do You need the Tour Card to pay by Your own bank card via ali pay (the first step that you've covered)?
You dont need it no. But if you want to be able to pay directly in CNY to Chinese merchants on the street or on 1688, yes you do.
Hello, i did not recivieng the sms verification code… can someone help me pls 😭😭😭
Try to use another device and phone number. Sometimes, the platform for small can be unstable. You can also reach out to them directly for further troubleshooting
have downloaded alipay and am going to use tour card. does it last 90 from first set up or first use. also ca i use alipay or rour card on the metro in shanghai
Yes, that is exactly what it is meant to be used as! As a tourist to pay for taxis, metros, supermarkets, etc. Enjoy
When you said bank card do you mean check card or credit card?
Any visa or mastercard. Actually I have tested with both debit and credit cards and they both work. I would recommend a credit card for more protection though.
thank you so much! I had to install Alipay to consolidate my package during 2nd payment. At least I can understand what's going on before downloading it
I set up Alipay and I am trying to buy something, I get the respond saying "sorry your payment cannot be processed", do you know what happen to my set up?
Perhaps you need to go through passport verification. Best to chat with the alipay customer service.
Call your bank Maybe your bank has a two factor authentication
Thank you. Please is it the same thing as top up? Cos i have some change in my alipay but will not be enough to get some other things.
You will need to open alipay tourcard for top up, you cant top up your regular alipay account with a regular foreign card without a Chinese bank account.
Can i use a prepayed card?
I haven't tried that, don't know actually. Should work if it's a visa or Mastercard prepaid card, but I have never tested it
Hi, when i download tourcard can i top up with 10,000RMB straight away (i know thats the max limit and just wondering if i can do it straight away)? Also, can i ask my friend to send me money on my balance for alipay as a backup incase i run out of money on tourcard?
Once you pass the verification process on tourcard and alipay, you should be able to receive money from your friends. The 10k cny in 1 go I'm not is possible, but you can try it.
Hi!. I don't know why sometimes when I try to pay, I am requested for a verification code sent by SMS to my foreign number, but since I don't have roaming, I can't complete the transaction.
Do you know how to avoid it?
Did you already open a tourcard account and go through the face recognition with your passport page? If so, under the me tap, and settings button, you can see authentication methods to pay. (SMS, Finger print, Payment password, etc)
@@BorderlessCommerce No, I just added my credit card to the "Bank Cards" section.
Do you have any tutorial video about the Tourcard option?
@@ashumCR timestamp 4:00 goes into it in the video. Where it says search for tourcard. Way easier to get authentication that way versus directly adding to the bank cards section.
Does it charge any fees if i connect my international card for buying anything in china ?
If you use tourcard, it charges 5% top up. If you directly use your foreign card, then your bank may charge forex fees.
Does my leftover rmb on Tourcard get back to my foreign mastercard as usd?
Yes. After the tourcard expires, you'll be refunded whatever is leftover
I'm adding my Mastercard but it keep not accepting it and also asking me to use another bank card.i used another bank Mastercard still same
Pls how can I overcome this sir?
Best to contact the alipay customer service under the me tab, and click on the customer service icon and ask for a human for more assistance
Which method is without KYC verification ?
No method. All these Chinese platforms require some kind of KYC to use. Hence why I mentioned the passport.
how can I add money to alipay to send $$ to a friend?
Not possible without a Chinese bank account. Or unless your friend has a merchant alipay account, not a personal one. You would be able to do it via tourcard
Is that true that alipay charge 3% of transaction fee for transaction above 200rmb?
it is actually 5% if topping up the tourcard.
I m in Canada now but will go to China next week. Have not gone back in 4 yrs. If i setup Alipay here, will that work in China with a new China Sim card? I can't use my Canadian phone number in China as the roaming charges would kill me...
You can always change your phone number when you get to China. FYI, it may be difficult to link a foreign bank card with a Chinese phone number, but you can try!
Thanks. The roaming charge is $4CAD per minute. I need that to use Alipay in China using my Canadian phone card. Is there's a way to work around this situation? Would just using WiFi would work?
Even just to receive text messages? You dont need to call unless there is a problem with your account where there are methods to contact without calling as well. You would just receive a text one time for text message verification. Is that not possible in your situation?@@vset33
Thanks for reply. I have Wechat and China phone number & bank account but not used in 4 yrs. Can't find old SIM card but have the phone number. Is it better to buy a new Chinese cheap cellphone and install Wechat all over again. Will my old Wechat affect me?
@vset33 your old wechat may be affected if you use the same passport. However, if your passport has been updated and has a different number than before. No issue
So can I send money from Alipay to my debit visa card? E.g. The money I receive on alipay can be transferred to my debit bank acc
No, you cannot send any money from Alipay to a foreign bank card. You need to use 3rd party for that. If from the USA, swapsy. Other places platforms like skyremmit.
Thank you @@BorderlessCommerce
I added my card but now when I try to send money it says it doesn't support international cards😭
How do you fix that
@@vickybchiumia9626 Ahh, you cant send to personal alipay accounts if you are using your foreign bank card. A way to overcome this is to apply for the tourcard and top up that account.
Comment demander la tour card?? Moi j'ai besoin pour ajouter a mon compte Alipay
@@louapierre9906 You start with your phone number, then apply via the tourcard application.
Do we have our identity with a passport before we can send money to China from USA? I'm asking because I don't have a passport, but i want to buy things from China.
You can use our services at borderlesscommerce.net to buy things from China. If you just want to send Chinese people money from the USA, you can try platforms like Western Union or Wise that sends the CNY directly to their alipay accounts linked to your bank account in the USA without the need of passport.
Does Alipay convert US dollar to China's RMB when you make a purchase?
Yes, you use your foreign bank card (usually charged in USD) and get CNY/RMB topped up to your alipay tourcard account. BUT!!!! You cannot send this RMB to people directly. Only use it for merchant related purchases. It is NOT the same as having RMB in your alipay account balance.
@@BorderlessCommercePLEASE I NEED TO KNOW HOW I CAN PURCHASE OFF XIANYU AS A FOREIGNER. I WILL PAY YOU ANY AMOUNT 😭
@@o7pi If its urgent, you can email us at service@borderlesscommerce.net We have provided the service to buy products on xianyu before, my last comment to you showed you how to do it yourself if you try.
@@BorderlessCommerce yes its urgent
@@BorderlessCommerce whats your email? My product is DIGITAL and not physical so iam expecting to receive the file through email.
app doesn't send me any code to my phone, that doesn't work
Please email them and complain, it may be the only way for them to fix it. I called and complained and had several people email as well. Hopefully they get tired of the complaints and fix the issue as you are not the first person to experience this issue.
Note: Tourcard charges a 5% transaction fee.
They got to make money somehow. lol. Fyi, the average credit card processing fee is 2-3% per transaction. So they only keep 2-3% in profit. I dont think there is a platform that exists with 0 fees, otherwise they wouldn't be in business long.
@@BorderlessCommerce True. Business is business. Banks make a profit with these electronic transactions with their fees. 💵 💵
Is not accepting my international passp
Try to confirm it directly with their customer service chat for manual verification. They also have a hotline and email to handle once you chat with them. You need to ask for a customer representative a couple time to reach a human.
With tour card am i eligible for buying stuffs from pinduoduo?
Yes, you can use wechat or alipay to purchase goods on Alipay. My website also allows to buy directly on PDD with any mastercard or visa. SOME merchants on PDD accept mastercard and visa.
I'm unable to get the code on my phone
Best to directly contact their customer service to troubleshoot manually.
Rather than being ripped off with a 5% rake every time you spend as a tourist and have to fart about with technology that makes things "easier" (i.e. more expensive...), isn't it simpler to just take cash...?
By law, all retailers must accept cash. Now the reality is that alot don't, but if they are a large brand/chain store, they must accept cash. The issue comes from shopping in markets and very local areas, good luck having them accept cash unless you call the police on them.
This is very helpful! A quick question, when do I need to setup the tour card? once in China or before leaving my country?
I would do it before you enter China so you can start using it as soon as you land like a local!
I have many Alipay account.. I need originally buyer
Do you have Chinese bank account for sell,I need the alipay account also
Tour card doesn’t working
email their customer service to troubleshoot with them directly.
So even if i only bind a foreign credit card to alipay, there is some chance it might not work on street vendors?
*Im going to China to study for 1 year
actually, the chance of it not working is super high. lol. Mainly chains and tourist attractions would accept. Better to have a chinese friend send you CNY in alipay (outside of tourcard) and use that to pay vendors on the street.
@@BorderlessCommerce i see, if i make a chinese bank account there, will i be able to top up alipay myself?
WIth a Chinese bank account, your account is pretty much almost like a Chinese citizen. @@OssheLouis
Im trying to bind my Master Card to it… but it says: SYSTEM BUSY, PLEASE TRY LATER
Best to restart phone and log into alipay again and chat with their customer service to overcome
I am confused about the cellphone you use for Alipay, Do I need to have a Chinese cellphone not a USA cellphone? Do I need a new phone number in China?... Do Not jump in how to use Alipay in China, tell us what are the important things we should have first. Thank you.
You can use any cellphone number as long as alipay supports that country for business. I have an alipay account with usa phone number and one with chinese phone number. You DO NOT need a Chinese phone number.
Please can you help me verify wechat account or just scan it for help please
Hi sifu, both can use to buy from 1688?
Only alipay tourcard can, not the direct to add visa/mastercard method.
Trying to top up tour card but all requests end up "failed"
Have you sent the compaint to tourcard customer service? To the email provided?
Hello, when I enter my phone number they never send a verification code. I tried for two days. Any tips?
Please email and push them to fix the problem. You arent the only one and they ignore me often.
Can I link my debit card to alipay..
yes, you should be able to link your debit card directly to alipay if its visa or mastercard.
I gotta question, if i just wanna buy something online, like a subscription or similar, is it needed the tourcard?
Hmm, I have never tried, you may need to renew your tourcard every 3 months or connect actual alipay to your foreign bank card and see if it will charge that card.
@@BorderlessCommerce i'll give it a try, thanks!✨
Ok how can I pay online now? I can’t use my camera
You should be able to with your 6 digit password no problem if it's a small amount. If it's large, it may trigger face recognition. And it depends where you want to pay online! If it's pure Chinese platform, most likely they won't accept visa or mastercard
Bruh tour card interface really buggy😅...I didnt even receive the verification code through SMS , been waiting like 5 mins
email their support to complain, can only get it fixed via numbers. I called personally too.
Best of all, thank you
thanks for watching
What can i do if im underage ?
Can ask your parents to create one possibly?
I have many Alipay account.. I need originally buyer
Do only need a China bank card for Wechat?
Yes it wont accept foreign cards
It is easiest if you registered for wechat with a non Chinese phone number to add foreign cards. But you cant top up or send CNY with the foreign card!!!! Only pay
Am I the only one who doesn't receive any verification code when entering my mobile number?
Nom, many others have complained, email them to get better results. I dont work for alipay so I have little influence when I address it, but enough complaints in numbers should work!
Can i pay 1688 with this ?
Yes, but with limitations! As in can't purchase large amounts, but small amounts no issues.