China, explained
for foreigners

Start here — your first month

1. 1

   China visa-free transit: the 240-hour rule explained

   Citizens of 57 countries can enter China for up to 10 days without a visa, through 65 ports in 24 provinces. Here are the conditions, the limits, and the obligation most travellers miss.

2. 2

   Chinese visa categories: all 16 types, and the 180-day rule that organises them

   Z, X1, M, S2, Q1 — the letters look arbitrary until you see the pattern. Most categories split at 180 days, and which side you fall on decides what you can do here.

3. 3

   Getting a SIM card in China: real-name registration explained

   Every Chinese SIM is tied to a verified identity. You need your passport, you can hold up to five numbers, and where you buy matters more than most guides admit.

4. 4

   The official platforms you actually need in China

   Most "essential apps for China" lists are affiliate pages. These are the government platforms that handle real paperwork — registration, rail tickets, hospital appointments — and what each one is for.

5. 5

   Paying in China with a foreign card: what actually works in 2026

   You can now link a Visa or Mastercard to Alipay and WeChat Pay, and the transaction caps were raised five-fold. Here is which cards each app takes, where physical cards must be accepted, and what still trips people up.

6. 6

   Opening a Chinese bank account: which visa qualifies you

   A tourist visa will not get you an account. Here are the visa types banks accept, the tax declaration nobody mentions, and why you cannot use the self-service machines.

7. 7

   China work permits: Categories A, B and C explained

   Working in China legally requires two documents, not one. Here is how the A/B/C classification works, which category you fall into, and the deadline that catches new arrivals.

8. 8

   Student visas for China: X1, X2 and the JW form

   Which student visa you need turns on one number — 180 days. X1 holders then have 30 days after arrival to convert to a residence permit, and that deadline is the one students miss.

9. 9

   Renting an apartment in China: contracts, filing and the landlord check

   Two checks before you sign, one filing deadline after. Getting the lease right is also what makes your address registration and visa paperwork work later.

10. 10

    Buying property in China as a foreigner: the one-year rule

    You cannot buy until you have worked or studied in China for more than a year, you may own one home, and it must be for your own use. Here is what the rules actually say.

11. 11

    Trains and metro in China: the 3-day verification nobody warns you about

    You cannot buy a high-speed rail ticket the day you land. 12306 identity verification takes three to five working days. Start it before you fly.

12. 12

    Driving in China: temporary permit or full conversion

    There is no route that lets you drive in mainland China on a foreign licence alone. You need either a provisional permit or a converted Chinese licence — here is which applies to you.

13. 13

    Healthcare in China: social insurance, hospitals and the 120 call

    If you are legally employed in China you are already enrolled in the state medical scheme — five insurances, by law, within 30 days. Here is what that covers and what to do in an emergency.

14. 14

    Seeing a doctor in China: how the hospital visit actually works

    Chinese hospitals run on a fixed sequence — register, wait, consult, pay, collect. Knowing the order before you arrive is most of the battle, and foreigners pay the same rates as residents.

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