How to Register Alipay Account for Foreigner

2015-09-28 dalianlaowai dalianlaowai

Every foreigner that decided to go to China need to learn some basic survival trick in this country. Most of Chinese people use Alipay to do their online shopping and a whole lot of other things. With this post, Dalian Laowai hope you will be able to make your own Alipay account in China.


What Alipay for?

  • Shop on most of Chinese website, including Taobao and Tmall

  • Transfer money to your friends

  • Pay credit card bills

  • Pay phone bills

  • Go Dutch

  • Get a taxi

  • Invest in mutual fund with Alibaba

  • Check bank balance

  • In-store purchase for selected supermarket, restaurants and vending machines


In order to apply, you need to prepare:

  • Your passport number

  • Email

  • Chinese phone number

  • Chinese bank account


Step by Step

1. First, go to Alipay’s application site (make sure you are using your email to register, phone number registration only available for Chinese): https://memberprod.alipay.com/account/reg/email.htm


2. Choose your country.



3. Verify your email account


4. Verify your phone number, you have the choice of using a Chinese or a foreign phone number.



5. Fill out the registration form

  • Login password

  • Payment password

  • Security questions

  • ID information, choose passport and enter your passport number


6. Login to your Alipay account through: https://www.alipay.com/
If this is the first time you are visiting the site, you will need to install the Alipay applet in order to enter the password.


7. Make a deposit
The easiest way to get started is to make a deposit to your Alipay account. Go to your account homepage and click on Chongzhi (充值）.



When selecting your bank, do not choose from the main menu because these options require a Chinese ID. Instead, click on Other Selections (选择其他) like in the picture below.



Follow the requirement of your specific bank and complete the deposit process.

Shop on Taobao!

You can use your Alipay account to login to Taobao.


  1. Go to https://login.taobao.com/

  2. Create your Taobao user name.

  3. During checkout, select pay with your Alipay account.


For some users, you might be required to verify your account in order to start shopping.


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