China Unicom
中国联通
China Unicom is one of three state‑run carriers. Grab a short‑term tourist SIM or eSIM plan at the airport, register with your passport, and stay connected across China — no VPN needed for mobile data.
Why a foreign tourist needs it
- Task solvedhaving a Chinese phone number and data from the moment you land, so Chinese apps (wallets, metro, delivery, bookings) stop rejecting your sign-up.
- Frequencyonce per trip if you buy a short-term tourist plan; every day if you manage top-ups and balance in the app.
- For whomanyone staying more than a few days, anyone who wants cheaper data than home roaming, and anyone who keeps hitting "mainland phone number required" screens.
- Familiar analoguelike buying a prepaid SIM at a European airport kiosk — with two differences: the Chinese real-name rule means you must show the passport yourself (no delegation), and the biggest discount is on long data, not on calls.
- Simpler alternativeif you only need data and never need a Chinese number, a travel eSIM (Airalo, Nomad, Saily and similar) keeps you online with no store visit — but you get no number, and number-less apps stay closed to you.
- Worth downloading before arrival?The app, yes — it is free and it is the official top-up channel. But nothing works until you buy the physical card in person, so do not expect to register remotely.
Correct download entry
- iOS → Chinese App Store → search 中国联通 → publisher "China United Network Communications Corporation Limited".
- Android → the official download page at iservice.10010.com (Android / iOS / HarmonyOS builds listed).
- The eSIM program is documented on the official page esim.10010.com, not in the app.
- Region availability: the app opens from anywhere, but the card purchase must happen inside China, in person.
- Easy-to-mistake version: any "travel SIM" or agent-activated number sold outside a carrier hall — it may cost more, and the number may not be registered in your name. Buy at a carrier's own store or the airport counters named in this guide.
Pre-arrival preparation
- Your passport, valid for the whole stay — it is the document the counter registers.
- A phone that supports 5G or VoLTE — that is the compatibility requirement the official guide states.
- An unlocked phone — a handset locked to your home carrier will not accept a Chinese SIM; sort that out before you fly.
- The address of a carrier store near where you are staying, or the airport counters at Beijing Capital / Daxing if you land there.
- A payment method for the plan fee — counters commonly take cash and cards; the later top-ups inside the app settle through WeChat Pay or Alipay.
- Tipif your stay is under a month, look for a short-term tourist plan — Beijing Unicom advertises 7 / 10 / 15 / 30-day packages at the airport counters, issued with passport plus visa.
First setup after arrival
1
Go to a carrier's own store (自办营业厅) or an official airport counter — not an agent shop.
2
Bring the passport in person — the counter verifies it and registers your details; nobody can register on your behalf.
3
Pick a plan; the counter keys the number to your passport and activates it on the spot.
4
Install the 中国联通 app and sign in with the new number — the app is your balance and top-up dashboard.
5
Keep the registration slip and SIM packaging until the number is confirmed working.
Actual usage flow
By travel stage (all steps bound to scenarios):
1. Top up through the app → sign in, open the recharge section, pay by WeChat Pay / Alipay; halls and the online business hall are the other official channels.
2. Watch your data → the home screen shows remaining volume and balance; alarms arrive by SMS when you approach the limit.
3. If the SIM stops working → re-insert and restart the phone first, then check the account status in the app; if it still fails, the store can re-issue.
4. eSIM users → China Unicom's phone eSIM is a commercial trial: set up in person at a self-operated hall with your passport and an eSIM-capable phone, activated on site, up to 2 eSIM numbers per phone.
5. The all-in-one option in Beijing → 幂方卡 (MiFang Card) bundles a number with digital-yuan payment and BEIJING PASS transport, issued at the Capital / Daxing Unicom desks with passport and visa; the 来华通 app (Unicom × Bank of China) lets inbound visitors reserve a SIM and find stores online.
Where foreign tourists commonly get stuck
Buying a Chinese SIM rarely fails on the documents — the passport is accepted. It fails on three smaller things: the app is Chinese-only, some store counters are not used to foreign passports, and travelers expect to do the whole thing online.
- The app's register and top-up screens are Simplified Chinese only, with no English switch; travelers stall on buttons they cannot read.
- A counter tells a foreigner "we don't handle this" — the official guide itself advises calling the branch first to ask whether they accept foreign applicants.
- The phone is locked to the home carrier, so the Chinese SIM never registers — an unlocked, 5G or VoLTE-capable handset is the stated requirement.
- A traveler lands at night and finds the hall closed — typical hours run about 8:30–20:00 and vary by hall; airport counters have their own schedules.
- A traveler buys a "travel SIM" from a reseller for a markup, only to find the number is not cleanly registered to them — keep to carrier channels.
Troubleshooting — symptom / cause / fix / fallback
Common problems foreign visitors may run into
App shows only Chinese
use a screenshot-translate app, or let the counter staff set up the number before you leave
- Likely causethe store listing lists Simplified Chinese only
- Fallbackask a bilingual friend or the hotel front desk
- Supporthotline 10010
Counter refuses your passport
call 10010 and ask for the nearest hall that does; the official guide says to call ahead
- Likely causethat branch may not handle foreign registrations
- Fallbackgo to the Beijing Capital / Daxing airport counters
- Supporthotline 10010
No signal with the new SIM
check the phone supports 5G / VoLTE, re-insert, restart
- Likely causehandset locked or band-incompatible
- Fallbackask the hall about a card or device swap
- Supporthotline 10010
Top-up fails in the app
try the hall or the online business hall instead
- Likely causelogin or payment-method trouble
- Fallbackpay at the counter in cash
- Supporthotline 10010
eSIM will not activate
go to a self-operated hall with passport and phone
- Likely causephone eSIM is a trial, activated at the hall, not remotely
- Fallbackkeep using the physical SIM
- Supporthotline 10010
You were sold a reseller "travel SIM"
ask a carrier hall whether the number can be re-registered to you
- Likely causenon-carrier channel
- Fallbackreplace it at a carrier's own counter
- Supporthotline 10010
- Evidence to keep: the registration slip, the SIM packaging, the passport page you registered with, and any top-up receipts.
- Still uncertain: whether every self-operated hall actually accepts foreign passports — the official guidance says to call ahead, which is exactly what a traveler reported back from a branch that said no.
Reference points by home country
- US / UK / EU / AUbuying a prepaid SIM at an airport kiosk is familiar — the difference is the real-name rule: you must show the passport yourself, no one can register for you, and some branches prefer you call ahead.
- Japan / Koreathink of buying a SIM at Narita or Incheon — same idea, plus the Chinese identity check at the counter and a Chinese-only app to manage it.
- France / Germany / Spainlike an Orange Holiday or Vodafone prepaid card — except the number is tied to your passport by law and the app that runs it has no English mode yet.
Support and fallback
- Official supportChina Unicom hotline 10010; China Mobile 10086; China Telecom 10000 — these also locate the nearest self-operated hall.
- Backup channelthe 来华通 app's store finder and online SIM reservation for inbound visitors, plus the official eSIM page.
- On-sitethe self-operated hall handles everything the app cannot — registration, card swap, eSIM activation, account disputes.
- Call-first scenariosa counter refused your passport, a number was never activated, or a top-up did not arrive.
Frequently asked questions about China Unicom
Do I need a Chinese ID to get a SIM?
No — a foreign passport is one of the statutorily valid documents, and the foreign permanent residence ID also works.
Where do I actually buy the card?
In person at a carrier's self-operated hall or an official airport counter; the app alone cannot issue a number.
Can I buy online?
Beijing supports online application with airport pickup, and the 来华通 app lets inbound visitors reserve a SIM online — but the document check still happens in person.
How much does it cost?
No processing fee at the halls; plan fees vary by operator. Beijing Unicom advertises 7 / 10 / 15 / 30-day tourist packages, and some regions have sold short plans reported around ¥80–200.
Is the app in English?
No — the store listing gives Simplified Chinese only; keep a translation app ready.
Can I hold several numbers?
At most 5 active numbers per operator per person nationwide; once you hold 10 or more across all operators, new cards go only through a self-operated hall.
Does eSIM work?
China Unicom's phone eSIM is a commercial trial, set up in person at a hall with passport and an eSIM-capable phone, up to 2 eSIM numbers per phone.
What if a branch refuses my passport?
Call 10010 and ask for a hall that handles foreign registrations — the official guidance is to ask before you go.
Do I need the app at all?
For top-ups and balance checks, yes — it is the official self-service channel, alongside halls and the online business hall.
What about China Mobile and China Telecom?
The other two carriers run the same real-name rule and also accept a passport; hotlines 10086 and 10000.
Sources
- The official 中国联通 app, its developer and store identity · SRC-CU-004
- Official download page and app channels · SRC-CU-005
- Real-name registration is mandatory by regulation · SRC-CU-002
- Foreign passport and foreign permanent residence ID are valid documents · SRC-CU-002
- Foreign nationals buy SIMs in person at self-operated halls · SRC-CU-001
- Phone must support 5G or VoLTE · SRC-CU-001
- 5-number and 10-number limits · SRC-CU-001
- Top-up channels: halls, app, online business hall · SRC-CU-001
- Beijing airport counters, online apply + offline pickup, hours, no fee · SRC-CU-007
- Beijing Unicom 7/10/15/30-day tourist packages, ~5 minutes · SRC-CU-009
- 幂方卡 and 畅游通 all-in-one cards at Beijing airports · SRC-CU-009
- 来华通 app: SIM reservation, eSIM handling, store finder · SRC-CU-008
- China Unicom phone eSIM trial, in-person activation, 2 per phone · SRC-CU-006
- Short tourist plans ~¥80–200 in some regions, auto-cancel · SRC-CU-003
- China Mobile and China Telecom: same real-name rule, passport accepted · SRC-CU-010
- Hotlines 10010 / 10086 / 10000 · SRC-CU-001
- App interface is Simplified Chinese per store listing · SRC-CU-004
- Call ahead: some branches do not accept foreign applicants · SRC-CU-007
