Only at HSBC China (Premier tier) and select Bank of China branches in Shanghai and Shenzhen. Other banks require a lease or a hotel confirmation for 30+ days.
UnionPay Card for Foreigners: How to Get One in 2026
UnionPay (银联) is China's national payment network, accepted at 99%+ of ATMs and POS terminals. For foreigners who travel to China often or run import businesses, owning a UnionPay card means lower cash-withdrawal fees, no merchant restrictions that sometimes block Visa/Mastercard, and direct Alipay/WeChat Pay integration without the monthly Tour-mode caps.
Option 1 — open an account inside China
The cheapest and fastest path if you are physically in-country.
- Documents: passport + valid visa (M, Z, Q, X work; L tourist is accepted only by some branches).
- Residential address in China (hotel/landlord proof).
- Chinese phone number (China Mobile/Unicom SIM).
- Foreigner-friendly banks: ICBC, Bank of China, China Merchants Bank, HSBC China.
- Account opening: 1–2 hours at the branch. Debit card is issued on the spot.
- Minimum deposit: CNY 100 (≈ USD 14).
Option 2 — UnionPay via an overseas bank
If you cannot fly to China, several partner banks issue UnionPay cards abroad.
- Ukraine: PrivatBank issues UnionPay on request.
- Turkey: Ziraat Bank, IsBank — no residency required.
- UAE: Mashreq, ENBD — for tourists and residents.
- Hong Kong: HSBC Premier — premium tier, USD 30k+ balance.
- Pro: works instantly, no Chinese visa needed.
- Con: higher fees and USD-based conversion.
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Fees and limits
Standard ICBC debit UnionPay tariffs:
- Account opening: free.
- Cash withdrawal in China: free at ICBC ATMs, CNY 4 elsewhere.
- Cash withdrawal abroad: CNY 12 + 1% of amount.
- POS payment in China: free.
- SMS alerts: CNY 2/month.
- Withdrawal cap: CNY 20,000/day.
Linking to Alipay / WeChat Pay
Once linked to a domestic UnionPay card, Alipay and WeChat Pay behave as for residents — no Tour-mode, no caps.
- Linking takes 30 seconds (via card ID).
- The 3% surcharge on payments over CNY 200 disappears.
- All features unlock: Yu'e Bao, investments, insurance.
- Transfers between Alipay and WeChat Pay via the card.
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10+ years of experience in China visa support and business travel. Author of 40+ articles.
All author articlesFrequently Asked Questions
Yes — at PrivatBank, Raiffeisen, BNP Paribas ATMs and most major EU banks. Retail acceptance, however, is patchy compared with Visa/Mastercard.
Standard validity is 5 years. Renewal is done at the same branch without re-verification.
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Free consultation on your trip budget, payments and cash on the ground.
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