After you get your Chinese visa, buy your ticket, customs check everything smoothly, and successfully enter the country, what else should you pay attention to? This article will sort out a few necessary common sense after entering China.
Recently, a young French brother posted a video on Tiktok, mocking China’s cumbersome entry procedures, unable to use foreign credit cards for taxis, and the taxi driver does not speak Chinese, and viciously vowed, “never set foot in China again!”
Originally, A France dude took a plane from France to Bali, through China to transfer, because the transfer time is nearly 20 hours apart, so he wanted to leave the airport, temporarily find a hotel to rest. He quickly thought of China’s 144-hour visa-free policy.
However, even if it is visa-free, the normal inspection procedures at customs clearance, such as filling in the foreigner application form, checking the passport, recording fingerprints, etc., are not less. This is a legal procedure for visiting any country, unless you are a citizen of your own country and can pass through customs on your own.
But the French dude, as if he had never been abroad, showed extreme impatience. In addition, he had no mobile payment and no paper cash, and after several unsuccessful conversations with the taxi driver, he was furious and finally vented his bad emotions online. This move, really feel a little inexplicable.
Travel is a physical practice, during which you will encounter a lot of unexpected things, do your homework in advance, make adequate preparations, go out to avoid hitting walls everywhere. Today, through this matter, to sort out a few necessary common sense when entering China, suggest collection.
1. Reporting
According to the relevant provisions of the Exit and Entry Administration Law of the People’s Republic of China, foreigners (including Chinese foreigners) who live or stay in a residence other than a hotel shall, within 24 hours after check-in, register with the public security organ of their place of residence by themselves or the host. If you do not “report” in time, you may be warned, fined, etc. It should be noted that if you are staying in a hotel (hotel), the hotel will report to the public security organ. If the “diaspora community meeting”, such as staying in the home of relatives and friends, you need to report the accommodation registration to the local public security police station, the local community police office or the foreigner service station.
2. On the way
For inter-city transportation, you can use a passport or an ID card that has not expired when booking tickets, whether for domestic flights or trains. When you fly, you can use the ID card you used to book the ticket. When traveling by train, if you use a passport, you need to go through a manual channel. Of course, you can also go to the ticket window or ticket vending machine to print paper tickets, and then walk the manual ticket verification channel.
The most commonly used websites and mobile apps for booking air tickets include Ctrip, Tongcheng, Feizhu, etc. Of course, the official websites of major airlines can also book tickets. Book train tickets to use China Railway (12306) official, there are websites and mobile App, generally 14 days in advance can be opened to book high-speed rail, bullet trains.
In terms of urban transportation, although there are still many small and medium-sized cities can still “wave to stop”, but in Beijing, Shanghai and other big cities it is difficult to stand on the roadside to stop a taxi, and compared with the “network car” in terms of cost and flexibility has more advantages. Amap, DiDi and so on can take a taxi; If you do not have a domestic mobile phone number, you can hail a taxi through the internal functions of Wechat and AliPay. But taxis also have advantages, such as more convenient in airports, train stations and other places.
3. Living
When Chinese Americans come to China, in addition to staying in their own homes and friends’ homes, they often need to book hotels or hotels. Ctrip and where to go are also commonly used apps for booking hotels. Bookings through overseas websites or apps such as bookings, Trip.com and TripAdvisor are also easy and bookings can be made for expats regardless of whether the hotel is “foreign”.
According to the latest news, whether the hotel has “foreign-related qualifications” is actually a false proposition; A few months ago, the Ministry of Public Security, the Ministry of Commerce and the National Immigration Administration issued a notice that the hotel industry should not refuse to receive foreigners on the grounds of lack of foreign qualifications. Therefore, expats (Chinese Americans) in China if they want to stay in homestays, fast hotels, etc., now there are many options.
4.Free to go
Being able to visit China’s great rivers and mountains is a big incentive for Chinese Americans to come to China. With the group, free travel, through the social platform to find guides and drivers, etc., can choose.
It is particularly worth mentioning that if you want to go to Tibet, foreigners (including Chinese Americans) should pass a travel agency qualified to receive foreign guests, take a plane or train to Tibet with a letter of entry, or report a group drive in Chengdu, Sichuan Province. “Group travel” is required, but can be chartered or independent group travel. In addition, journalists and diplomats are not allowed to travel to Tibet as tourists. Some areas are off-limits to foreigners.
Having said that, to sum up and add the most common mobile apps that allow you to “travel freely” and eat well in China:
Electronic payment:
Alipay, WeChat
Navigation:
Amap, Baidu Map, Tencent map
Air Ticket:
Ctrip, the same trip, flying pig
Train ticket, Hotel:
Trip.com, Ctrip, 12306
Food, take-out:
Dianping, Meituan
Scenic spot ticket:
Ctrip, Meituan, WeChat Official Accounts
Taxi:
Didi Taxi
Speaking of apps, we should also mention the “network problem” that is closely related to daily life. Instagram, YouTube, X and Facebook, which are commonly used in the United States, may not be available directly in China. If you need to connect to these sites urgently, you have traditionally needed to use a VPN (bypass network restrictions by IP address). Now, if you have a mobile phone with Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile and other carriers in the United States, with Internet roaming service, you can use your phone to connect to these websites.
5.Possible problems
However, we also want to kindly remind all travelers that China is a Chinese-speaking country, English is only a second language, can not guarantee that everyone will speak fluent foreign languages, especially for the elderly, the elderly, and passengers to carry out silky English communication may be difficult to achieve. Therefore, we recommend that people with language difficulties download translation software in advance, or, if necessary, seek help from young people who understand English.
Secondly, Chinese residents generally use mobile payment, if you do not have the time or energy to deal with electronic payment matters before departure, it is recommended to exchange some RMB cash at the local bank before departure, it is best to prepare some change, just in case. If you pay by credit card, be sure to have a credit card that can be used abroad.
Finally, I want to tell you that “When in Rome, do as the Romans do”. Respect for a country’s culture and religious beliefs is the basic quality of a traveler. If, just because with their own country’s living habits, social rules are not consistent, and then talk nonsense, then it is best not to travel abroad.
