China is Visa-Free for Australians, but do I have to use WeChat and AliPay?

In 2025, traveling to China just became a whole lot easier for Australians and passport holders from 37 other countries thanks to a new visa-free entry policy. This makes visiting East Asia’s largest country much easier as previously, visas were issued after a lengthy and costly application process that often involved visiting specific embassies.

But China is unlike any other country we’ve travelled in Asia in a very certain way. The country is almost entirely cashless, and foreign credit cards are almost never accepted. Instead, mobile payment platforms particularly WeChat Pay and AliPay have become essential for everyday transactions. Below we’ll break down what you need to know about navigating China’s payment system as a foreign traveller.

Visa Free Entry for Australians

The Chinese government has introduced a new visa-free policy for Australians and citizens from 37 other nations. This means travellers can enter mainland China for up to 30 days without the need to apply for a visa beforehand.

For Australians, the visa-free period is up to 30 days, but check your nationality’s Chinese embassy website to confirm the duration you may be able to stay in mainland China.

For this visa free entry, we’d recommend having at least the first few nights of accommodation booked as well as an outbound flight, just in case they ask. We travelled with 2 nights accommodation planned and no outbound flights, and were asked for both - luckily we were allowed to enter however you might not always be so lucky!

Do I really have to use AliPay and WeChat?

Once you arrive in China, you’ll quickly notice that cash is no longer king. Mobile payment platforms, primarily WeChat Pay and AliPay, are the go-to methods for nearly every transaction, from dining in restaurants to paying for your taxis and even paying for vending machine goods. In fact, many businesses in mainland China no longer accept cash or foreign credit cards, leaving travellers with few alternatives but to embrace these mobile wallets.

We didn’t get cash out once during our 14 day trip in December 2024, and also were not able to use our Visa or Mastercard debit/credit cards issued in Australia almost everywhere except when we were airside departing in Beijing airport and on the Beijing Metro.

While this might sound intimidating, the good news is that both WeChat Pay and AliPay are now accessible to foreign travellers, and pretty easy to set up.

Important note: You MUST register and set these apps up prior to arriving in mainland China. If you don’t, you will not be able to correctly register them as a foreigner even if you access the apps with a VPN. So add this to your checklist before departure!

Do I need to use both AliPay and WeChat?

We wouldn’t go to China without both apps up and running on our phones. They have different interfaces and are designed for different purposes. WeChat is built from a messaging app while AliPay features a whole range of mini-apps that you’ll use everyday such as DiDi, China’s most popular ridesharing platform, and trip.com, the most efficient and dependable booking platform for accommodation, trains and flights for foreigners in China.

Another reason is diversifying your payment options. Some vendors will only have AliPay or WeChat payment QR’s available, meaning you need to have both available to you in order to easily pay restaurants, street food stalls, ferry drivers, cafes, theme park tickets and anything else you pay for while in China.

WeChat Pay for Foreign Travellers

WeChat is more than just a messaging app in China - it’s an all-in-one super app that lets users make payments via QR, book services, and more. I’d describe it as WhatsApp with an e-wallet and internet browser inside.

We used WeChat to make an appointment for watching the flag raising at sunrise in Tiananmen Square and contacting hotels to ensure they would be open when we arrived late at night. It features an in-built translation feature for conversations that makes interacting with people who don’t speak English much easier.

Important note: WeChat and AliPay act as a facilitator for transactions between vendors and your own debit/credit card. As the transactions take place in Chinese Yuan, also identified as CNY or Renminbi (RMB), this means that if your card issuer still charges an international transaction fee, this will be added by your bank in addition to each total charge.

Setting up WeChat Pay as a foreigner is relatively straightforward:

Download WeChat: The app is available on both iOS and Android devices. Simply download and sign up with your mobile phone number from your country. It’s important that you will be able to receive SMS during your time in China so use a number that will still be activated.
Verify Your Identity: You’ll need to complete a real-name verification process, which requires a valid passport. The app will guide you through the necessary steps.
Link a Foreign Bank Card: As of 2023, WeChat Pay allows foreign users to link international credit or debit cards. While not every card is guaranteed to work, major providers like Visa and Mastercard are generally accepted.
Start Paying: Once your card is linked, you can use WeChat Pay at most merchants by scanning a QR code, or having your own scanned in stores.

AliPay for Foreign Travellers

AliPay, developed by Alibaba, is another widely used mobile payment platform in China.

We used AliPay every single day in China, whether it was ordering DiDi’s, accessing trip.com to book accommodation, ordering McDonald’s or buying eSims.

Setting it up as a foreigner is similar to WeChat Pay:

Download AliPay: Available for both iOS and Android, you can download the app from your device’s app store. Sign up with your mobile phone number from your country. It’s important that you will be able to receive SMS during your time in China so use a number that will still be activated.
Sign Up and Verify Your Identity: Just like WeChat, AliPay requires users to complete a real-name verification process using their passport information.
Link a Foreign Card: AliPay also allows foreign travellers to link their international credit or debit cards. Visa, Mastercard, and other major card providers are generally accepted, though you may want to have more than one card option on hand in case your first doesn’t work.
Use AliPay at Local Merchants: Once set up, you can start paying by scanning QR codes at restaurants, shops, and other points of sale.

That’s It!

If you’ve made it down here, thank you so much for reading!

Traveling to China is now easier than ever for Australians, but being prepared for the country’s cashless economy is key to a smooth experience. With WeChat Pay and AliPay set up before your trip, you’ll be ready to explore without payment headaches. We hope this guide helps you feel confident about navigating China - enjoy your adventure!