China SIM Card for Foreigners: Buy a +86 Number With Your Passport (2026)

Do you actually need a mainland +86 phone number?

Many short-stay tourists need mobile data, not necessarily a Chinese phone number. International roaming and some travel eSIMs give internet access in China, but they do not automatically come with a mainland +86 voice/SMS number.

For an app-by-app breakdown, see Do tourists need a Chinese phone number? and China travel eSIM guide.

Where a foreign-passport holder should buy a physical SIM

The 2025 State Council guide explicitly tells foreigners they may apply at the staffed service offices of China Telecom, China Mobile and China Unicom, using a passport or foreign permanent resident ID.

Start with an official, staffed operator service office. A tiny reseller kiosk may not know how to process a foreign passport; a local shop declining the application does not prove foreigners are prohibited from getting SIMs.

For travelers entering through Beijing, the government reported international-visitor service counters at Beijing Capital and Daxing airports, including SIM service. Counter availability, plan prices and opening hours must be checked for your travel date. Do not rely on a 2025 news photo as proof a particular kiosk is operating tonight.

The practical passport-registration sequence

1. Bring your original passport, a compatible unlocked phone, and a way to pay. Some locations may ask for additional local contact details; check the actual operator requirements.
2. State plainly: “I need a mainland Chinese +86 phone number that can receive SMS verification codes. I am visiting for [number of days]. Can I register with my passport?”
3. Ask the staff to show you the actual product terms. Is it a monthly recurring plan, prepay package, tourist offer, or longer-term contract?
4. Confirm the number can receive SMS before you leave the store. Test a normal incoming text; the fact that mobile data works does not prove OTP delivery.
5. Verify the phone shows the expected +86 number, and save the SIM envelope, account number, written contract, staff receipt and customer-service channel.
6. Ask how to close the number and stop billing when leaving China. Some plans may require action at a physical store; do not assume uninstalling an app cancels the subscription.

Some visitors report shops offering contracts longer than their trip. A July 2026 Shenzhen traveler seeking a short-term SIM described refusal or unfavorable minimum-term offers. That is a firsthand account, not a current nationwide carrier rule.

Seven questions to ask before paying

A fixed “tourist SIM costs ¥X” quote would be unreliable without a dated offer for a specific operator, branch and package, so this guide does not invent one.

If the first store says they cannot use your passport

Ask whether they are an authorized service office with staff trained to enter non-mainland passport details. If not, visit a larger official branch, or use the State Council guide to show that passport registration is an accepted path in principle.

Do not enter a borrowed Chinese ID or rent another person’s identity-bound mobile number as a workaround. If no suitable short-term plan can be arranged, revisit whether your task truly needs +86 SMS or whether your foreign SIM plus data will work.

This is especially useful for app login problems: Alipay identity verification and DiDi with a foreign number may have alternatives that do not require buying a local SIM.

Chinese message for a service counter

您好，我是短期来中国的外国游客。我想用外国护照实名办理中国大陆 +86 手机卡，需要接收短信验证码。请问能办吗？有没有最低合约期、押金和离境销户要求？

Hello. I’m a short-term foreign visitor. I’d like to register a mainland +86 SIM with my passport and receive verification SMS. Can you help? Is there a minimum contract, deposit, or in-person cancellation requirement?

Frequently asked questions

Can I buy a Chinese SIM card with my passport?

Yes, the Chinese government’s published guide recognizes passport-based applications at operator service offices. A specific store’s capabilities and plans can differ.

Does a China travel eSIM give me a +86 phone number?

Not necessarily. Many provide data service only. Check for an explicitly supplied mainland number and SMS receipt, not just “China coverage.”

Where can I get one at the airport?

The government documented SIM-capable services at Beijing’s Capital and Daxing international airports in 2025; confirm the current service desk, hours and plan when you travel.

Can I just stop using the card when I fly home?

Do not assume that ends billing or terminates the registration. Check cancellation, unused balance, and any contract term before you buy.

Sources and limitations

• China State Council — official guide to working and living in China (SIM card section).
• State Council/Xinhua — Beijing airport international services (January 2025).
• 2026 firsthand Shenzhen visitor SIM-purchase difficulty.

Updated October 13, 2026. Operator store inventories, rates and cancellation terms were not checked through a live purchase; this article does not guarantee a specific plan.