This is a simple How To on how to Sign up / Set Up and Verify an Alipay account as a Foreigner in China
UPDATE: This has been updated as suggested in the comments! Thank you so much for the Comments – Keep them Coming so we can keep this guide updated!
Checklist of what you will need:
1. Passport Scan
2. Visa Scan
3. Latest Entry Scan
4. China Bank account in your name with working Log In
(I suggest Bank of China as they have a non-usb code generator you can ask for or ICBC)
As suggested in the Comments – TURN GOOGLE TRANSLATE OFF – if you have it turned one, before you advance to any other steps – Google Translate tends to break the forms when you try to submit them!
Step 1: Sign Up
Visit: http://www.alipay.com/
Click the REGISTER WITH EMAIL LINK
** DO NOT REGISTER WITH YOUR PHONE NUMBER – YOU WILL NOT BE SHOWN THE FOREIGNER OPTIONS AND WILL FAIL!! **
Step 2: Check Your Got E-Mail!
Step 3: Enter Your Chinese Phone Number or Phone number in your country if you are not in China and then enter the Confirmation Code sent to you via SMS.
Step 4: Enter you address and other information
The first field requires you to create an account password. Remember it must be 6-20 letters, and have
one lower case letter and one uppercase letter/number/character. Retype it in the next field.
Next you must create your payment password –
it is very important for the future that you remember the difference between your payment and account password. Enter it in the field, and
retype it into the next field.
The login password will be used to log in and the payment password will be used as the final step to confirm a Payment.
The third section is a security question. The first choice on the drop down box is your father’s name, and the second is your mother’s
name. To avoid later confusion, probably best opt for one of these.
– Fill in your name
As suggested by Brad: You have to enter it EXACTLY as it is recorded by your bank. In particular, the name turned out to be LASTNAMEFIRSTNAMEMIDDLENAME —no spaces, all uppercase. Maybe your name has also been entered unusually. I was able to check this through internet banking with ICBC, the bank I’m using.
– Gender (男- man 女- woman,)
– ID pick – 护照
– Passport Number
– Job (just pick anything)
-Your address in Chinese if possible.
Step 5: First Part Done
Step 6: Verify your account Using your Bank account.
1. Log in to Alipay with the account you just created
2. Click on the buttons below
Step 7: Choose Foreigner and Confirm you agree to the Terms and Click the orange Verify Now button
NOTE: Dhaka said: “I didn’t see this screen at all. On the screen that I encountered, the “expatriate” option was the last link in a horizontal link on the right side of the page.”
Step 7: Fill in your info and upload Passport and Entry Stamp/Visa Scan
NOTE: Make sure to upload your VISA + ENTRY STAMP – not just the VISA – If you VISA and ENTRY STAMP are on different pages – use something like Paint or Photoshop to combine the two pages into one image and upload!
Step 8: Fill in your info Bank Account info
NOTE: Make sure you use your Full Name EXACTLY AS on your Bank Account, the ORDER of your name/surname is also important – even perhaps try to log in to you internet banking and check the name from there.
Step 9: ALMOST DONE – Wait for Money to appear in your Bank Account
If everything is correct you should see this screen – now wait for 1-2 Days for a small amount of money to be deposited into your account – less than 1 RMB
– Once you have received this – make note of the amount and log back in to Alipay
Step 10: Final Step Confirm your account
– Click on these buttons again
– Now Click on this button – then enter the amount transferred into you account on the next step an CONFIRM!!
You Should now see this image. YOU NOW HAVE A CONFIRMED ALIPAY ACCOUNT!
***Once your Alipay account is set up, simply log in to Taobao using your alipay username and login password, and a New Taobao Account will be created, which is linked to the Alipay account.*** – Thank you Beth for your suggestion to add this.
Now you can use buy something on Taobao and Pay with your Chinese Bank Account via your Alipay, you can also transfer money into your Alipay from your Bank Account!
Hey there! This is kin of off topic but I need some advice from
an established blog. Is it very difficult to set
up your own blog? I’m not very techincal but I can figure things out pretty quick.
I’m tthinking about maqking myy own but I’m noot sure where to start.
Do you have any tips or suggestions? Appreciate it
I CANT MAKE IT
EVENT ALL FOLLOW THIS STEP 🙁
I use ICBC and I have tried it several times with my actual name but its seems not to work
I even login to check on the ICBC internet platform whether my name is spelt wrongly but its correct.
Please assist
You can’t change the nationality on the page where you can register through email. There’s got to be another way to register as a laowai.
Or ask a Chinese friend. That always works!
anyone can help me? i have a problem in my alipay account. My ID Information Name on Alipay Account not same with my bank card name.. for example my bank name is Lionel Messi and in Alipat Acoount Nmae is Messi Lionel.
Can i change my ID Information Name on Alipay? because, the bank name and Alipay account Name must same.
Hello everyone,
I have tried this, and it seems like they have slightly changed the registration process. If you try to register with your email you no longer can choose your country. So the next page you cannot choose passport and give you an error when you try to put your name.
You will now have to select your home country with phone registration, USA, UK etc. You can enter a chinese phone number if you are in China.
I hope this will help people trying to register…. I have been pulling my hair out the last couple of hours!
I cannot get past the first page…i enter UK and 86 and then go ot register with email
the next form has no country drop down box ?
so what am i doing wrong ?
I tried to follow this, but Alipay changed the UI and for some reason security question and passport field are not there. I got nowhere :(.
Help to open Alipay A/C in Singapore @ wechat: bitvisa
Alipay(Zhi Fu Bao) credit top up servise @ Singpore.
OR Wechat wallect top up servise OR Anything that require RMB service available with immediate transfer.
High rate without any admin fee.
Bank transfer OR meet up at Singapore Chinatown area 牛车水 both are available.
Topped up credits can be used for any payment that require Alipay，not for TaoBao 淘宝网 only，can used for inter Alipay account transfers.
Wechat wallect top up servise same as Alipay top up servise.
新加坡新币/人民币代充支付宝和微信红包，不需要等，秒到!!!
联系微信：Bitvisa
wechat @ bitvisa
My ordering RMB753.5 on15.1.2016 can u change the product? Pls call me at 60122732322
Hi,
Can you please send me the instructions to set the Alipay payment password.
Alipay fails to send sms confirmation code to my number 08137655170. I’ve been trying to retrieve my alipay password. Please help if you can.
i am an foreigner in taiwan want to buy from 1688.com any suggestion how to pay from 1688.com?
please what’s the meaning of “Passport Scan”? is it the picture page of the passport?
Hi all, I am from Singapore, however I bought this zhifubao card online, but it can only be used for people that have already verify themself. The card is 500RMB, I am willing to sell to you all at SGD90 for 500RMB. This is not a scam, if any of you is interested, can whatsapp me at +65-97532878. As I thought I could use this to top up my alipay account since I am doing shipping services to Singapore and was a good deal.
Anyway, just let me know if any of you is interested. As in Singapore, we only can buy from AXS machine and the exchange rate is damn low.
Thank you.
Alipay(Zhi Fu Bao) credit top up servise @ Singpore.
OR Wechat wallect top up servise OR Anything that require RMB service available with immediate transfer.
High rate without any admin fee.
Bank transfer OR meet up at Singapore Chinatown area 牛车水 both are available.
Topped up credits can be used for any payment that require Alipay，not for TaoBao 淘宝网 only，can used for inter Alipay account transfers.
Wechat wallect top up servise same as Alipay top up servise.
新加坡新币/人民币代充支付宝和微信红包，不需要等，秒到!!!
联系微信：Bitvisa
I’m not getting the verification email after I put in my email.
Thanks for the post. The sign in process has changed but I managed to follow your directions and was successful. I used google translate on terms I did not understand in Mandarin. Just copy them and paste them into the translator in a different window.
cheers,
Mason Shih
just an update, tried to do it this afternoon and the new procedure for verifying/link bank account, it will send you the email regarding the Alipay deposit (less than 1rmb) immediately but will have to wait 1-2 days after you input that amount (2nd to the last pic above).
is there anyway to do this WITHOUT a Chinese bank account? anyway to do this with a US credit card or bank account?
just want to add one more thing: i ALMOST seemed to be successful in using a US credit card to pay via AliPay to purchase on 1688. here’s what i did:
1.) i had a taobao account that is linked to alipay
2.) buy the goods on 1688
3.) use alipay as payment and it’ll show you QR Code and ask you d/l AliPay mobile app
4.) scan QR code and login the AliPay app using Taobao account details
5.) continue to pay, and i entered my US mastercard details. the app detected it as a mastercard fine and requested billing address details (entered US address)
6.) once i press pay, it sends SMS to my phone with a code i can enter.
BUT HEREs where i got STUCK either:
7.) SMS takes too long for my phone to receive (it only gives you 60 seconds), it takes me 5 minutes to receive SMS
OR
8.) after re-sending the SMS and failing 3 times , it now permanently gives me a “YW_1109” error even without the SMS verification step now. I think i triggered some security thing.
You can pay via US Credit card – When Checking out try to make sure you have the “Foreign Country” Option selected as in the image –
You can find more info here
https://cshall.alipay.com/lab/help_detail.htm?help_id=489283
https://sea.taobao.com/howtobuy
You can not set up a Alipay Account using a US Bank account – only a Chinese bank account! You can however pay with your American Credit Card for most products now.
Simply use a USA VPN to visit Taobao and it will give you the Credit Card option when selecting to Pay!
I’m stuck after step 9. I verified all my details and got the page that says wait 1-2 days for the deposit. I never got that deposit to confirm the amount and I reapplied several times already but still not getting a deposit. I even personally checked my account balance and no change. I really can’t figure out what the problem is. Anyone with the solution please share I’ve been trying to get this account for nearly a month now.
If you did not get the reply it might be because your bank info or the way you entered it on Alipay is not correct – go to the bank, find out EXACTLY how your name is added on your account and in what order – then try again using that exact info.
抱歉，暂时无法操作。 失败原因 系统出错啦。 I have had this problem everytime I tried to apply.
This is just a system failure – try a different browser or faster internet or something …
Hi,
tried now several hundred times to register by email, always got the same error message:
系统忙，请稍后再试。
返回注册首页
What I did was registering by Mail, chose a European country as country of origin, entered my mail address and the correct code and submitted, got the error Message!
Tried several other countries, always got the same error message.
Thanks for helping me!!!
in step number 8 i cannot see my bank name (Agricultural bank of China)….im stuck here. and i hve money in alipay which i cant get access to… Please help..thnx
Agricultural Bank of China I would think is not the best or easiest bank to get this to work with – I would suggest going to open a Bank of China or ICBC Bank Account
Hi,
The above procedure is very helpful.But at the end of this procedure,the following chinese sentences appeared ,i don’t know ,why is that….
提交成功，等待客服审核。
支付宝客服将在2天内为你审核。审核完成后，请返回支付宝查看实名认证进度。
若你想重新认证，请先 撤销本次认证申请。
But can anybody help me,what i can do about this?
or what is the next procedure after this ?
Its just saying your Application has been Submitted Successfully and that you have to wait for 2 days for Approval.. You should be able to check if it was successful now…
I want to know that Taobao app for phone can just only be used for Chinese? I cannot buy things from phone as they ask Chinese ID. Can anyone tell me how can i buy things from Taobao phone app?
This is really helpful info. Can this be setup with a tourist visa? I opened my bank account while on a work visa and currently have a tourist visa.
I cannot find my country
hi, can anyone help me. i tried opening an account with 1688.com but my country number is not in the list . i need assistance
*TIP*
It is possible to verify bank accounts using the foreigner option on phone number registered accounts.
1. Enter alipay account settings
2. Your “verification” status will be on the right hand side
3. Click “verify now” or “now certification” (google translate)
4. A new page will open. Click the “expatriate” option.
5. Follow guide starting from step 6
Hi, can anyone help me to solve my problem. I have refund in my alipay account but I can’t use it and every time there is a refund they will refund to my alipay account. I can’t register because I have never go to china or have china bank account. can anyone help me to transfer my money back to my local bank ( malaysia ). thanks 🙁
this will be truely a great help…
Hello,
I have a certified alipay account but now, when I try to access my taobao account, I have a security check page. They ask for my phone number, so I suppose I must receive a verification code my SMS. However, as I never receive anything, I am completely stuck…
请使用手机号 150****4577 [更换手机]
编辑短信 YZ194256发送至 106575258196 完成验证
短信发送成功后，请勿关闭此页面，耐心等待
Can you help me please? What should I do?
Hi,
You need to send a SMS message from you number 150****4577 with the text YZ194256 to this number 106575258196
hi
i having this problem in step 8. after i filled up everything and confirmed, this came up
抱歉，暂时无法操作。 失败原因 系统出错啦。please help.
I get the same problem. If you find a way to solve it I am interested.
Maybe it is only temporary problem but I tried yesterday and today (25/06) and it still does not work.
I will post also if I find a solution
Thanks a bunch bud！Works exactly as explained! Sincerely truly grateful!
“Passport Scan”, is it the photo page of the passport? please help me
Yes it’s the photo detail page
The instructions here work great as of today. One thing, the part where you enter your name now has two boxes. I looked at my bank account and my name was First-Second-Third name but the two boxes on the sign up page didn’t say which was first/last time etc. I guessed it would be as normal for Chinese names ‘Lastname-Firstname’ so put it in that way. However, now in the Alipay account it shows up as ‘LAST-FIRST-SECOND’ which means it’s displayed differently to my bank account.
Is there any way to change my name so it matches? Or will I have to delete my account and do it again?
Thanks!
I think it might just be easier to start over – now that you know how it will display make sure and add it in the correct order next time then everything else should be good to go!
Hi,
I have done everything correct and added the card number of ICBC (not bank account number) as shown in the snapshot.
but after few minutes of entering and the alipay website confirming it will trandfer a sum < 1 RMB to my account i now get this error:
银行卡信息认证失败。
你的银行卡信息认证失败，请更换银行卡重新认证或撤销认证7天后（2015年06月08日）使用原银行卡重新认证， 撤销本次认证。
Translating it says:
Bank card information authentication fails.
Your bank card information authentication fails, replace the bank card recertification or revoke certification for 7 days (June 8, 2015) using the original bank card recertification, revoke this certification .
am i doing somethig wrong.
by clicking on revoking this certification i am unsure where it will take me or do i have to start the process all over again ?
Let me know if anyone faced this issue,
Regards,
Rohan
Hi Rohan, Glad you found my guide on how to set up and Alipay account!
Do you have Internet Banking Set up on that card? Log in to your internet banking and check how your name is entered on the account? The name needs to entered exactly as on the account! Something was not correct and it failed.
The message states that you can try again by reentering the account info – or if it was correct you need to wait 7 days to try again – but if it was correct it would not have failed…
Hi DieSkim,
Yes this website of your is very very helpful, the colleagues were always hesitant to use the alipay die to their limited knowledge that it will ask them chinese ID, but i knew that there must be something for foreign nationals too in place and voila i got your website.
the issue is the error only gives me hyperlink of revoking the certification it does not let me edit the previously filled attribute in tab 1 and tab 2. (that is step 7 and step 8 of yours).. you can see 1, 2,3,4 on top also i guess in your snapshot. i got this error on 3rd now and 1,2,and 4 are freezed
i got the same error exactly but than strangely enough i downloaded the alipay wallet , logged in with the same account and received the 1 rmb transfer to my wallet , i am confused ….. Now i am a bit stuck on how to transfer it back , any help ?
Apparently, foreigner option in the first place had been changed. For those who got stuck up in the step no.4… Maybe can use the option from other country… Like just happened to me last night, even tough I live in China, I’m using option Indonesia as my origin country, and put my Indonesia’s mobile number that still active. After I verified my number, voila… I got my security question, and they don’t asked my Chinese character name and Chinese ID number anymore.
Then I followed back again this instruction… in the middle of the process, they will asked us whether we come from China, HK, Taiwan or Foreigner, just like they asked before in the first place. I hope this can help for those who got stuck up in the step 4 🙂
i’m foreign student in china i want to registre to alipay, please could you send me the link for 2015, because i try it more time but the 2 part they show me 真实姓名，and 身份证号码 this, so please if there is another link to put passeport or something else let me as soon as possible.
there my contact also 13758209044.
your urgent respond will be hight apreciated.
thank you
Please see Marks` Comment below, the guide still works fine – you MUST however do every step EXACTLY as shown! You might have started wrong…
Also see Franks comment –
– Solved this issue. The problem was that I couldn’t use my Chinese number; if I did, it would take me to the “National ID” registration link. I had to use an US number.
In my guide I say to NOT use a phone number – USE A EMAIL ADDRESS in the very first step – NOT A CHINESE NUMBER!
How do you use an email address? It seems like no matter which country you choose, it asks for a telephone number?
In this image – click on the link in the red box >> http://kiteplans.info/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/alipay-set-up-foreigner-china.png
Hello,
Firstly, thanks for uploading these details for opening Alipay account for a foreigner residents in china.
I have done it almost and just waiting for their confirmation mail and the small amount of money to be transferred to my Bank of china account (0.01 – 0.99 yuan)
Also i can login taobao account using alipay id.
thanks again for the great update.
Welcome folks for any further assistance or help.
I haven’t seen an answer to the question about step 4 yet. It now prompts for a name and chinese id. There’s no security question.
You need to go through each and every step one by one as per available. Maybe you are wrong in some steps.
After 3 failures, finally i did it. Hope you can also manage to open. Re-try with correct way.
Hi! I am stuck on STEP 8. My IBAN number doesn’t work at all and the red letters says “Bank card from the 6-25 digits”
I want to sell products from Europe to China, so I don’t have a visa/Chinese ID. My bank account is also from a European bank. Please help!
Step 7 doesn’t happen for me. I click on “立即认证” and it takes me to a “设置身份信息” page, with no option to choose expat?
Solved this issue. The problem was that I couldn’t use my Chinese number; if I did, it would take me to the “National ID” registration link. I had to use an US number.
Question on requirement #4: China Bank account in your name with working Log In
Does this mean I have to register my BOC account first for online banking?
I tried registering my account online, even talked to one of their CSR but since I’m a foreigner, the steps are tedious and they’re asking me if I could just provide them a Chinese ID number. Is being registered online really needed to open an Alipay account? I have a BOC debit card, will that work?
Thanks.
Yes you need online banking! Go to the BOC branch where you got the Debit Card and get them to open internet banking for you – if the “dont know how” go to a larger branch – its very simple – make sure to get your name exactly as on you bank account as you will need this
A tip for anyone who can’t get the bank account transfer working, and is receiving this error message by email: “支付宝向你的银行账户打款失败，请及时登录支付宝查看打款失败原因并重新操作”—in my case the problem was that the name on my bank account was unusual, and you have to enter it EXACTLY as it is recorded by your bank. In particular, the name turned out to be LASTNAMEFIRSTNAMEMIDDLENAME —no spaces, all uppercase. Maybe your name has also been entered unusually. I was able to check this through internet banking with ICBC, the bank I’m using.
Thanks for the tip – I will add it into the post!
Hi,
This is a great post- so firstly thank you!
But unfortunately, I am stuck on Step 4 because of the requirement of the local name and id card number. For me, there appears three questions- the two passwords and then no security question, but a request for my chinese name and ID. Have I gone wrong earlier in the process? Clicked the wrong link?
See below for the text of what appears.
Thanks very much in advance for your help!
Rachel
设置身份信息请务必准确填写本人的身份信息，注册后不能更改，隐私信息未经本人许可严格保密
若你的身份信息和快捷支付身份信息不一致，将会自动关闭已开通的快捷支付服务。
真实姓名
身份证号码
Hi people 🙂 Sorry if this has already been asked but I’m stuck at Step 4. I’ve entered the 2 different passwords but the last thing isn’t a security question. It is asking for my name and ID card number which I don’t have as I’m a foreigner. Can anyone help please? Thanks!!
Hi, I am from Singapore. I am stuck at step 8 as I do not have a China Bank account. Any idea if I can apply for one in Singapore? Or else, am I right to say the shopping is never going to be realised for me if I cannot get this resolved.
Does China Construction Bank not support this?
Not if you are foreigner. Chinese citizens can use construction bank. I used my ICBC accound and it worked without any problems.
Hi!
I urgently need help. Usually when i want to make payment, they do not require alipay password. But now, they need it.
I do not know my alipay password and i have a hard time signing up for alipay. I tried key in my taobao password
but cannot. please do help me. i am from singapore.
Ok, for those unable to register because of the chinese ID thing, the screen to chose the foreigner option has changed, so now it looks different than step7 shows, but it’s still there (Apr 15). Since I just went through this let me try to describe it. Follow the instructions to step 7, then you should get directed to this page:
(https:://)certify.alipay.com/chose.htm
You get to a greyish page with blue/yellow pictures. The alipay logo is on the top left, below it is a picture with a map of the world, below that three logos: a card, shield, hexagonon. On the world map picture there is a yellow button on the right. Beneath the button you have six options – You need the 3rd option (外..), before the slash or vertical bar. Below the options is a ticked box, leave it as is.
Then you get directed to a pageto upload your passport scans etc, as described in the post.
Hope that helps!
Anna thanks for the update! Do you have any screenshots of the new steps so I can update the guide!
Hello! Fortunately, i already have a verified alipay account and i am a foreigner in China.
There is another issue that i just realised tonight. When i tried to use Alipay to buy some service from a foreign website (Astrill) i got a message that because i use the exchange currency i must type my real name and id number. And yes…here we go again. They require a chinese ID number. I guess foreigners cannot use Alipay to buy from abroad, is`nt it?