Alipay for Tourists: How to Register When Your eSIM Has No Phone Number

The short answer

You do not need a Chinese phone number for Alipay. You also don’t need your travel eSIM to have one. Alipay accepts foreign numbers at sign-up. The catch is that the number must receive a text message while you’re abroad.

So keep your home SIM switched on for SMS. Use your data-only eSIM for internet. With data roaming off on the home line, receiving texts is usually free.

That’s the whole trick. The rest of this guide covers the situations where it goes wrong.

Why we wrote this

This week a traveller emailed BazTel support from China. Her eSIM was working perfectly. Then Alipay asked for a phone number, and her eSIM didn’t have one.

She’s not alone. Most data-only eSIMs, ours included, don’t come with a number. Issuing a mobile number requires identity checks (KYC), which is why data-only plans are quick to buy.

Our advice to her was simple. Switch the home SIM back on, register, receive the code, then switch back to the eSIM for data. It worked.

Most Alipay guides say “register with your home number” and move on. They skip the part where your phone is set up for travel. That gap is what this article fills.

The two-code problem nobody explains

Here’s what catches people out. Setting up Alipay usually sends you two separate verification codes:

1. Alipay’s code. This confirms your phone number when you create the account.
2. Your bank’s code. This approves the card when you link it. It’s often called 3D Secure or an OTP.

Both codes go to your home number. Neither goes to your eSIM. Your eSIM provides internet only, so it can’t receive either one.

This is also why buying a Chinese SIM doesn’t solve the problem. Your bank will still text your home number, as one China travel site points out. You need your home line reachable either way.

Which situation are you in?

Your situation	Best path	Difficulty
Still at home, trip coming up	Register and link your card now	Easy
In China, home SIM is in your phone	Turn on the home line for SMS only	Easy
In China, home SIM left at home or roaming blocked	Try Wi-Fi SMS, or contact your carrier	Harder

Find your row, then jump to that section.

Path 1: Set it up before you fly (best option)

Doing this at home avoids every roaming question. It takes about 15 minutes.

1. Download Alipay from the App Store or Google Play. Choose the standard blue app, not Alipay HK.
2. Tap Sign Up, pick your country code and enter your home number.
3. Select International User when asked. This unlocks foreign card payments.
4. Enter the SMS code, then set a login password and a separate 6-digit payment password.
5. Complete passport verification. Photograph the page with your photo, not the visa page.
6. Add your Visa, Mastercard, JCB, Discover or Diners Club card. Approve your bank’s code.
7. Make one small test payment if you can, or at least check the card shows as linked.

Once you’re verified, you can log in on any network. Your eSIM’s data is enough from then on.

Path 2: You’re already in China with your home SIM in the phone

Most phones bought in the last few years support dual SIM. That means your home line and your eSIM can run side by side. If you’re unsure how yours is set up, our guide to dual eSIM vs eSIM plus physical SIM explains the options.

On iPhone:

1. Go to Settings > Mobile (or Cellular).
2. Tap your home line and switch it on.
3. Turn Data Roaming off for the home line.
4. Set Mobile Data to your BazTel eSIM.
5. Turn off Allow Mobile Data Switching. Otherwise iOS may borrow data from your home line.

On Android (Samsung, Pixel and similar):

1. Go to Settings > Connections > SIM manager (names vary by brand).
2. Enable your home SIM.
3. Set mobile data to your eSIM.
4. Turn off data roaming on the home SIM.

Now request the Alipay code. It should arrive on your home line within a minute or two. Do the same when your bank sends its card approval code.

You can leave the home line on for the rest of the trip. That way bank alerts and other two-factor codes keep arriving. Just keep its data roaming off.

What does this cost? Receiving an SMS while roaming is free on most plans. Australian travellers commonly report this, including on Telstra and Optus. Check your own carrier, because some charge a daily roaming fee once the line touches a foreign network. Our guide on keeping your Australian number while travelling covers each carrier’s rules.

Path 3: Your home SIM isn’t reachable

This is the hard one. Maybe you left the physical SIM at home. Maybe your carrier blocks roaming entirely. Here are your options, in order.

Try Wi-Fi Calling and SMS. Some carriers let your home number receive texts over the internet. Telstra supports Wi-Fi Calling and SMS overseas on compatible phones. Your eSIM’s data can carry it. Support varies widely by carrier, so check before relying on it.

Call or chat with your carrier. Ask them to enable roaming, even just for incoming SMS. Many will do it in minutes through their app.

Use a different card for the bank code. If Alipay is registered but your bank’s code is the blocker, try a card whose app approves payments by push notification instead of SMS. Many banking apps now work this way.

Don’t borrow a friend’s number. Your Alipay account stays tied to that number. You’ll need it again for logins on a new phone or for security checks.

Pay in cash meanwhile. Yuan is still legal tender, and most shops will take it. Keep some small notes as a backup.

Why we don’t recommend a local Chinese SIM for this

It seems like the obvious fix. Here’s why we steer customers away from it.

First, a Chinese SIM’s mobile data sits behind the Great Firewall. Google, WhatsApp and many Western apps won’t load without a VPN. Our China mainland eSIM is designed so travellers can reach those apps normally.

Second, a short-term Chinese number becomes a liability later. Chinese carriers recycle lapsed numbers. A Xinhua-reported case from January 2026 involved a new owner of a recycled number accessing the previous owner’s WeChat account.

Your home number is one you’ll keep for years. That makes it the safer anchor for a payment app.

The fee maths every traveller should know

My background is in finance, so this part matters to me. Alipay’s fee on foreign cards has a cliff edge.

According to China’s official services portal, payments up to ¥200 carry no service fee. Above ¥200, a 3% fee applies to the transaction. Several guides confirm it applies to the whole amount, not just the excess.

Payment	Alipay service fee	Total charged
¥180	¥0	¥180
¥200	¥0	¥200
¥201	¥6.03	¥207.03
¥1,000	¥30	¥1,030

So a ¥201 dinner costs you ¥6 more than a ¥200 one. Your bank may add its own foreign transaction fee on top, usually 1% to 3%. A travel card with no FX fee is worth linking.

The official limits for foreign cards are US$5,000 per transaction and US$50,000 per year. Most tourists never come close.

Quick troubleshooting

What you see	Likely cause	Fix
SMS code never arrives	Home line off, or roaming blocked	Enable the home line; check carrier roaming
“Incorrect number format”	Wrong country code or leading zero	Use +61 412…, not 0412…
Card won’t link	Bank didn’t approve the code	Check your banking app; call your bank
Passport check fails	Glare, wrong page, or VPN switched on	Retake the photo; turn off any VPN app
Too many attempts	Temporary lockout	Wait 24 hours, then try again

A VPN app can make Alipay’s risk checks flag your account. If you use one, switch it off during setup. Our article on VPNs blocking eSIM activation explains why VPNs cause these conflicts.

Myth vs fact

Myth: You need a Chinese phone number for Alipay. Fact: Foreign numbers have been accepted since 2023, when Alipay opened card linking to visitors.

Myth: A travel eSIM can receive your verification codes. Fact: Data-only eSIMs have no number. Codes go to your home line.

Myth: Alipay’s Tour Card is the easy option. Fact: Tour Card sign-ups through the Alipay mini-program stopped in May 2026. Direct card linking is now the standard method.

Myth: Turning on your home SIM abroad means a huge bill. Fact: With data roaming off, incoming texts are free on most plans.

Your pre-trip checklist

• Alipay downloaded and registered with your home number
• Passport verification complete
• Card linked and bank code approved
• Home SIM in your phone, data roaming off
• Travel eSIM installed and set as your data line
• Bank told about your travel dates
• Some yuan in small notes as a backup

For getting around once you land, our guide to using DiDi with a travel eSIM pairs well with this one.

Frequently asked questions

Can I register Alipay without any phone number?

No. Alipay needs a number that can receive an SMS code at least once. It can be your home number from any country.

Will my BazTel eSIM work with Alipay after setup?

Yes. Once registered, Alipay only needs an internet connection. Your eSIM’s data handles payments, QR scans and transport codes.

Does turning on my home SIM in China cost money?

Receiving texts is free on most plans if data roaming stays off. Some carriers charge a daily fee once you connect abroad, so check first.

Can I change my Alipay phone number later?

Usually yes, but the change requires a code sent to your current number. That’s another reason to register with a number you’ll keep.

What if I’m going to Hong Kong instead?

Mainland Alipay is different from Alipay HK. See our guide to using an eSIM in Hong Kong for local options.