Purchase SIM Card at Chinese Airports

For foreigners to purchase SIM cards at Chinese airports, there are mainly the following methods:

Purchase at airport operator service outlets:

Find the service outlet: Some airports in cities such as Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Chengdu, and Xiamen have service outlets of operators such as China Telecom, China Mobile, and China Unicom. After foreigners arrive at the airport, they can pay attention to the airport signs or consult airport staff to find the specific locations of these outlets. For example, the international arrival hall of Terminal 1 of Chengdu Tianfu International Airport has relevant service points.
Prepare documents: When purchasing a SIM card, you need to bring your valid passport (with a validity period of more than 6 months) and relevant documents such as a Chinese visa or residence permit.
Select a package and number: After arriving at the service outlet, consult the staff about a suitable package for you, including packages with different contents such as call duration and data traffic. Make a selection according to your needs. At the same time, you can pick a mobile phone number you like (if there is an optional one).
Complete real-name registration and activation: According to the regulations of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology of China, real-name verification is required when purchasing a SIM card. Foreigners need to cooperate with the staff to complete the real-name registration process such as face recognition authentication. After completion, the staff will help activate the SIM card, and it can be used normally.

Some airports have special overseas guest payment service centers that gather service institutions such as financial institutions, telecom operators, and foreign currency exchange providers. For example, at Chengdu Tianfu International Airport, there is a China Telecom counter in the center. Foreigners only need to show their passports and sign to handle SIM cards. There are short-term packages such as 7 days, 15 days, and 30 days for selection.

Prepare documents: Foreigners need to bring their valid passports (with a validity period of more than 6 months), Chinese visas or residence permits, and proof of residence address (such as a rental contract or hotel reservation voucher, etc.).
Select an operator: In China, there are telecom operators such as China Mobile, China Unicom, China Telecom, and China Broadcasting Network. Each operator provides different services and packages. You can obtain the specific information of each operator through the Internet, telephone consultation, or in-store understanding. Select one according to personal needs.
Go to the business hall: Look up the address of a nearby operator's business hall. You can search through mobile phone maps or call the official customer service number of the corresponding operator (such as 10000 for China Telecom, 10086 for China Mobile, and 10010 for China Unicom), select English service, and ask for the address of a nearby business hall.
Handle business: After arriving at the business hall, take a number at the number-taking machine and wait in line. After being called, go to the window to handle business, including selecting a number, selecting a package, setting a service password, face recognition authentication, and signing a network access agreement.
Pay the fee: After the number is handled, you need to pay the first month's fee. You can pay by means of RMB cash, Alipay, WeChat, etc.

Nihao Mobile: This is an operator that provides mobile communication services specifically for people holding non-mainland identity documents. Foreigners can purchase SIM cards on its official website or on the WeChat official account "nihaomobile". Support payment and recharge using WeChat, Alipay, and PayPal. After a successful order, the SIM card will be delivered by SF Air Express with free shipping. After receiving the card, use non-mainland identity documents such as passports for online real-name authentication, and activation can be completed in one or two minutes.