Your first 48 hours in China: an hour-by-hour survival guide for international students

Your plane touches down in Beijing, Shanghai, or Guangzhou. The seatbelt sign turns off. Two hundred people stand up at once. The signs are in Chinese. Your phone has no signal. You have a suitcase, a folder of documents, and a visa stamped into your passport. Now what?

The first 48 hours in China set the tone for your entire semester. Miss a registration deadline, forget to register with the police, or show up without the right documents, and your first week becomes a string of office visits and fines. Get it right, and you settle into campus life before classes even start.

This guide walks you through those 48 hours hour by hour, from the moment the cabin crew hands you an arrival card to the end of your second day. It draws on official guidance from the Shanghai Municipal Government registration guide, the OLACHina pre-departure checklist, the OLACHina first 30 days guide, and the WanderChina entry process guide.

Hour 0 to 1: before you land

About an hour before landing, cabin crew distribute the arrival card. Fill it out on the plane. If you do not receive one, blank forms are available at the immigration hall, but having it ready saves you ten minutes of queue time.

The card asks for your full name (as it appears on your passport), nationality, passport number, flight number, purpose of visit, and your address in China. For address, write your university name and dormitory building. If you do not know the exact dormitory yet, write the university name and its district. The China Survival Kit arrival guide recommends writing legibly, since the immigration officer checks the card against your passport.

Health declaration requirements change based on global health situations. As of 2025, China intermittently requires digital health declarations during disease outbreaks. When active, you scan a QR code in the arrival area, fill out a short questionnaire on your phone, and receive a confirmation code. When not required, you walk straight to immigration. Check current requirements on your embassy’s website before flying.

Hour 1 to 2: immigration and biometrics

Follow signs to the immigration counters. Look for the line marked “Foreign Passports” or the Chinese characters for entry. Major airports like Beijing Capital Terminal 3 have long walkways from the gate to immigration, so budget 15 minutes just for walking.

At the counter, hand over your passport, arrival card, and boarding pass. The officer will find your visa. Be ready to answer three or four questions:

• “What is the purpose of your visit?” Answer: study
• “Which university?” Give the full name, not the abbreviation
• “How long will you stay?” Give the duration on your visa
• “Where will you stay?” Give your dormitory or university address

Answer briefly and honestly. The officer processes thousands of visitors daily and is not trying to make your life difficult. After the questions, you place your fingers on a fingerprint scanner and look at a camera for a photo. This is standard biometric collection. According to the WanderChina entry guide, travelers under 14 or over 70, and those who have had fingerprints taken on a previous visa with the same passport within the past five years, are exempt from fingerprinting.

The officer stamps your passport with the entry date and permitted stay duration. Check this stamp before you walk away. Errors happen, and fixing them at the counter takes 30 seconds. Fixing them later takes a trip to the Entry-Exit bureau.

Hour 2 to 3: baggage claim and customs

Follow signs to baggage claim. Screens display flight numbers with carousel numbers. Large airports have multiple baggage halls, so confirm you are standing at the right carousel.

If your bag does not appear, wait until the belt stops completely, then find the airline’s baggage service counter. File a claim with your baggage tag. Most delayed bags arrive within 24 to 48 hours and are delivered to your address.

After baggage, you reach customs. China uses a two-channel system:

• Green channel (nothing to declare): for personal items, reasonable clothing and electronics, under 400 cigarettes, two bottles of alcohol (under 1.5 liters each), and gifts under 5,000 yuan total value
• Red channel (goods to declare): for commercial quantities, large amounts of cash (over $5,000 USD equivalent), excess alcohol or tobacco, or restricted items

Even in the green channel, your bags go through an X-ray scanner. Officers watch the screen and may pull bags for random inspection. Stay calm if selected. Open your bag when asked, explain items if questioned, and wait for clearance before repacking. A single laptop, camera, and phone cause no problems. Three laptops still in factory packaging will raise questions.

Hour 3 to 4: SIM card, cash, and payment apps

Before you leave the airport, take care of three things: a phone number, some cash, and a working payment app. China runs on mobile payment. Without Alipay or WeChat Pay, you cannot buy a bottle of water at a convenience store.

SIM card

Airport shops sell SIM cards from China Mobile, China Unicom, and China Telecom. Bring your passport, since real-name registration is required by law. Tourist plans typically cost 200 to 400 yuan for 7 to 30 days of data. Airport prices are marked up, but the convenience of having a working phone number immediately is worth the extra 50 to 100 yuan. You can switch to a cheaper plan at a city store later.

Currency exchange

Airport exchange rates are not great, but exchange just enough for transportation and a meal, around 500 yuan. Better rates are available at banks in the city. ATMs are also available, but check with your home bank about international withdrawal fees before using them.

Alipay and WeChat Pay

The OLACHina checklist recommends telling your home bank that you will use your card in China, so they do not freeze it on your first purchase.

Hour 4 to 6: getting to campus

You exit the arrivals hall with a working phone, some cash, and payment apps. Now you need to reach campus. You have four options:

Many universities offer free airport pickup during the registration period. Check your admission letter or email the international student office before you fly. Share your flight details with them so someone is waiting when you land.

If you set up Didi before flying, follow signs to the ride-hailing pickup area, usually labeled “online car-hailing” in English. Book your ride in the app, match the license plate, and get in. Didi is often cheaper than taxis and always uses a meter.

Major airports connect to city metro systems. Beijing Capital has the Airport Express Line, Shanghai Pudong has Line 2 and the Maglev, and Guangzhou Baiyun connects to Line 3. Metro is the cheapest option but impractical if you have two large suitcases.

Hour 6 to 8: dormitory check-in and first meal

You arrive at campus. Your first stop is the dormitory. The Shanghai government registration guide lists accommodation check-in as step one of the enrollment process. Present your passport and admission letter at the dormitory front desk. Staff assign your room, hand over your key, and give you bedding if it is included.

At this point, the dormitory staff registers your accommodation with the local police on your behalf. This is the accommodation registration that Chinese law requires within 24 hours of arrival. If you live in a campus dorm, the staff handles it. If you rent off-campus, you must go to the police station yourself.

After dropping your bags, eat. The campus canteen is the easiest option if it is still open. If not, use Meituan or Eleme (food delivery apps) to order to your dormitory. You can pay with Alipay or WeChat Pay, which you set up at the airport. A typical canteen meal costs 10 to 25 yuan. Delivery costs about the same plus a 2 to 5 yuan delivery fee.

Hour 8 to 12: first night setup

You are in your room. You have eaten. Now take care of a few things before you sleep.

First, connect to the campus WiFi. Most universities use a system where you log in with your student ID or passport number. If you cannot connect yet because you are not registered, use your mobile data from the SIM card you bought at the airport.

Second, test your payment apps. Buy a bottle of water at the campus convenience store using Alipay or WeChat Pay. If the transaction goes through, your setup works. If it fails, the most common reason is that your international card has not been verified yet, which can take a few hours after linking.

Third, download a few apps you will need tomorrow: Baidu Maps or Amap for navigation, a translation app like Baidu Translate, and Meituan for food delivery. If your university uses DingTalk or WeChat Work for campus communication, download that too.

Then sleep. Jet lag is real, and tomorrow is a full day of registration. The OLACHina first 30 days guide notes that the foreign student office is your anchor for everything that follows, so you want to be rested when you visit them.

Hour 12 to 24: campus registration

Go to the international student office on your first full day. Bring everything:

The Shanghai government guide outlines the full registration process: accommodation check-in (already done), fee payment, medical insurance purchase, student status registration, health check, and residence permit application.

At the office, staff will guide you through these steps. Pay your fees, which typically include tuition, registration, medical insurance, and accommodation. If you are a scholarship student, the staff will confirm your fee waiver. Buy your medical insurance, which is mandatory for all international students studying in China for more than six months. Most universities enroll you in an approved plan during registration.

Get your student card. This piece of plastic is your lifeblood on campus. It gets you into the library, pays for canteen meals, opens dormitory doors, and serves as your campus identity. Load it with money at the campus card recharge machine or through your university’s payment portal.

Ask the staff two questions before you leave: when is the health check, and when is the residence permit appointment? The health check is required for your residence permit application, and the residence permit must be completed within 30 days of your entry date. The OLACHina guide recommends noting every date they give you, because a missed appointment pushes back everything else.

Hour 24 to 48: bank, SIM, and campus card

On your second day, handle the remaining setup tasks. Some of these depend on your residence permit, which may still be processing, so do what you can now and schedule the rest.

Bank account

Opening a Chinese bank account requires your passport and residence permit, or the receipt showing your permit is being processed. Your university’s foreign student office will point you to a nearby branch that handles student accounts. China Merchants Bank, Bank of China, and ICBC are the most common choices for international students. The Tongji University 2025 registration guidebook notes that scholarship students typically need to open a China Merchants Bank account before registration.

Once your account is open, link it to Alipay and WeChat Pay. This gives you a Chinese payment method that works everywhere, with lower fees than using an international card.

SIM card upgrade

If you bought a tourist SIM at the airport, visit a carrier store in the city to switch to a student plan. China Mobile, China Unicom, and China Telecom all offer monthly plans with generous data allowances for 30 to 80 yuan per month. Bring your passport and student card. Your phone number links to your bank account, payment apps, and campus services, so keep the same number.

Campus card and exploration

Activate your campus card for canteens and the library. Walk the campus and find four places: the library, the canteen you want to eat at, the campus clinic, and your department building. The OLACHina guide suggests timing your walk to your first lecture, so you know how long it takes.

Join one student club or activity if orientation has started. It is the fastest way to meet people and practice Chinese. Most universities run a buddy program that pairs international students with local volunteers. Sign up if your university offers it.

The two deadlines you cannot miss

The residence permit application requires several documents: your passport, visa, admission letter, JW202 form, passport photos, enrollment proof from your university, the accommodation registration form from the police, and the health check certificate. Processing takes one to two weeks, during which your passport stays at the office. You cannot travel outside your city during this period without special arrangements.

The 24-hour police registration and the 30-day residence permit are the two legal deadlines that apply to every international student. Everything else in your first 48 hours, from SIM cards to canteen meals, can be adjusted. These two cannot.

Common mistakes in the first 48 hours

• Not checking the entry stamp. The immigration officer stamps your passport with the entry date and permitted stay. If the date is wrong, fixing it at the counter takes 30 seconds. Fixing it later requires a visit to the Entry-Exit bureau.
• Forgetting police registration. Dormitory staff usually handle this, but if you arrive after hours or stay somewhere else first, you must register yourself. The WanderChina guide notes that the 24-hour rule applies from the moment you enter China, not from when you reach campus.
• Not setting up payment before leaving the airport. Without Alipay or WeChat Pay, you cannot pay for a taxi, buy food, or do much of anything. Set it up at the airport using WiFi.
• Bringing too much cash. China’s daily economy runs on mobile payment. You need a small amount of cash as backup, but 500 yuan is enough for the first day. Carrying large amounts triggers customs declaration requirements.
• Skipping the international student office on day one. Even if you feel fine, go to the office on your first full day. They need to start your paperwork, and delays cascade into the residence permit timeline.