Getting hold of tourist SIM card in Shenzhen, China
How can I as a foreign national get hold of a prepaid (tourist) SIM card with a Chinese phone number in Shenzhen, China?
I am looking for a near mainland-Chinese equivalent of obtaining one from a convenience store in Hong Kong. I understand that in mainland China any phone number will have to be tied to a personal id, so it may be necessary for me to visit a post office, or similar, for passport and/or visa control.
I'd be interested both in the procedure as such and in a concrete venue close to Luohu (or another major) metro station in town.
Best Answer
On 8th Aug 2019, I bought a China Unicom prepaid data SIM card at Lo Wu Shenzhen Border. It cost me RMB200 for the SIM card while getting a usage credit of RMB100. The phone number was +86. I used a non-PRC passport to register. This package automatically deducts RMB6 for 800MB, which was the data usage incurred on that day. If there's no data usage incurred, it will not deduct any amount. You can even choose a different data package, if you want to. For example, 7 days 14GB for RMB20 or 10GB for RMB for 30 days. Apart from that, every month it will automatically deduct RMB6 as the monthly subscription, despite this being a prepaid SIM card. The shop keeper told us that, if there was no money available in the main account, the card will be automatically expired and unusable. You can find this China Unicom shop right after you go through Lu Wu immigration. As it is just outside of immigration, you can even purchase it even though you are not traveling from Hong Kong to Lo Wu. All you need to do is just walk to the exit of immigration.
I heard that you can purchase a SIM card at the Baiyun Airport Guangzhou. So, when I fly out from Baiyun Airport Guangzhou, I went to the arrival hall to check it out. Indeed, you can purchase a SIM card after you get your luggage and outside the place where you get your bag. The price is the same RMB180 for the SIM card with RMB100 credit. It comes with 3GB data. Will automatically deduct RMB19 per month as your subscription.
When I need to use Facebook & other blocked apps, I just use a VPN. However, a lot of apps in China are tagged to China Mobile.
Although this SIM card is expensive, it's very useful. I would not be able to purchase one if I were in a smaller location in China. From past experience, I was only able to get the SIM card at the airport or border of immigration. The best price was still from Lo Wu, where the monthly deduction was only RMB6. To keep the SIM card active, all you need to do is top up the account to enough to cover the monthly deductions and let it automatically deduct until your next visit to China.
Note: I've previously posted this information on a couple of other sites.
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How do I get a Chinese SIM card in China?
SIM card shops are widespread in China, and you can easily find them at major airports such as the Beijing Capital International Airport, Shanghai Pudong, Guangzhou Baiyun, Chengdu Shuangliu, and Shenzhen Bao'an. You can also get Chinese SIM cards at kiosks and shops in most cities, or even from street vendors.Can I buy a China SIM card?
Purchase a SIM Card in China: If you're already in China or if it's too late to purchase a prepaid China SIM card, you can always visit the office of a local service provider in China to get a SIM card.How much does it cost to buy a SIM card in China?
ConclusionsSIM cardVPN*PriceChina Mobile (purchased in China)Yes26 USDChina Unicom (purchased online)Yes37.95 USDChina Unicom Hong Kong (purchased in Hong Kong)No25 USDChina Unicom Hong Kong (purchased online)No20.95 USD4 more rows•Mar 4, 2022Is The Sims available in China?
The Sims has been banned in China and several Middle Eastern countries because it allows same-sex relationships, it has been claimed. The game developer is reported to have informed fans online that it would no longer be available seven countries because of 'regional standards'.How to Get Chinese SIM card | Procedure | China | Shenzhen
More answers regarding getting hold of tourist SIM card in Shenzhen, China
Answer 2
The prepaid data sim card wiki on fandom.com has them all: Prepaid Data SIM Card Wiki
Including the ones you can buy in Hong Kong.
nb. it says "data" but for China it doesn't really make a difference.
You might want to get a Wechat account with wallet for easy topup btw.
Sources: Stack Exchange - This article follows the attribution requirements of Stack Exchange and is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.
Images: Mikhail Nilov, Mikhail Nilov, Pixabay, Brett Sayles