Getting a Local SIM and Phone Number in China

Choose a mainland SIM if you need a mainland phone number for calls or text messages, rather than just internet access. Bring your original passport and your phone to a carrier-operated store, ask about a suitable short-stay plan, and test the service before leaving. A travel data eSIM does not necessarily include a phone number or SMS.

Mobile data lets your phone use maps, messaging and booking services. A phone number receives calls and, where supported, SMS verification codes. Those are separate capabilities: buying more data will not add SMS to a data-only product.

If your existing setup already provides reliable data and the calls or verification messages you need, you may not need a second number. Keep access to the number already linked to your bank and travel accounts. Changing a SIM does not automatically update those accounts.

Choose by the functions you need, then test data, calls and SMS separately.

The official visitor guidance identifies China Mobile, China Unicom and China Telecom as options. The Tianjin Communications Administration's April 2026 instructions direct foreign-passport customers to carrier-operated stores, with the applicant attending in person. Do not assume a small reseller or an online signup form supports your document.

Search for 中国移动营业厅, 中国联通营业厅 or 中国电信营业厅. Ask your hotel to help confirm that the branch handles foreign-passport registration before travelling there. An airport counter can be convenient when open, but its hours and available plans need a separate check.

Carrier customer-service numbers within China are 10086 for China Mobile, 10010 for China Unicom and 10000 for China Telecom. Ask about a nearby directly operated branch and its opening hours.

Take your original passport, the phone you will use and a working way to pay. Ask the carrier to check compatibility with the exact device model. An unlocked phone with a usable physical SIM slot is a different proposition from a phone that only accepts eSIMs.

For an eSIM-only handset, confirm the carrier's current support for that model and your identity document before buying anything. A roaming travel eSIM and a mainland operator's eSIM are different products. Do not infer that support for one means support for the other.

Keep your home SIM safe if you remove it. On a dual-SIM phone, check which line handles mobile data, calls and messages; your home carrier's roaming charges still matter.

Ask staff to write down:

• Whether the plan includes a mainland number, incoming SMS and voice calls.
• Data allowance, validity, activation time and any hotspot restriction.
• The total initial payment and any recurring charge, deposit or minimum term.
• What happens when the allowance runs out.
• How to top up, end the service and prevent unwanted renewal.

Use 我需要能接收短信和接听电话的中国大陆手机号。 — “I need a mainland Chinese number that can receive text messages and calls.” For a short visit, add 我只用到这个日期，请问怎么注销？ — “I only need it until this date. How do I cancel it?” Show the date separately.

Turn off Wi-Fi and open a page you expect to use on that connection. Ask staff to check an incoming call and a text message. Confirm the assigned number and save the plan details, receipt and support contact.

A working SMS service does not guarantee that every third-party app will accept the number or approve an account. If one registration fails, ask that service about its document and account requirements instead of buying another SIM immediately.

If activation cannot be completed, keep your existing connection working and ask for the next suitable branch. Avoid making a late arrival depend on finding an open telecom store.

Sources

• Tianjin Communications Administration: foreign visitors' SIM application, in-person requirements and carrier hotlines.
• Hubei Public Security Department: applying for a SIM with a passport.
• Shanghai visitor guide: checking an unlocked phone and visiting a mobile carrier store.