Short answer: yes, a foreigner can open a bank account in China, but only with the right documents and only after the bank has checked you properly. You need your passport plus a valid visa or residence permit; in practice most branches also want proof of a local address and a mainland mobile number. On a short tourist stay, a refusal is common.
What the law requires
Under Article 6 of the Anti-Money Laundering Law, revised in 2024 and effective from 1 January 2025, banks and other financial institutions must run customer due diligence, keep identity records, and report large or suspicious transactions. Article 10 of the same law states that no unit or individual may launder money or provide convenience for money laundering, and everyone must cooperate with the due diligence a bank carries out. That is why a teller photocopies your passport, asks for your residence permit or entry record, and asks what the account is for and where the money comes from. It is a legal duty, not a personal whim.
What to bring to the branch
Your passport with a valid visa or residence permit; the registration slip from the police station for the address where you live (foreigners in China must register their address with the local police); a mainland phone number, because most banks verify by SMS; and, if you work here, your work permit or employment letter. Large branches in Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Shenzhen deal with foreign customers every day.
The criminal risk most foreigners ignore
The real danger is not opening the account, it is letting somebody else use it. Article 287-2 of the Criminal Law punishes anyone who, knowing that others are using the internet to commit a crime, provides payment and settlement help: up to three years of imprisonment or criminal detention, plus a fine. Article 312 punishes hiding, transferring or otherwise concealing criminal proceeds: up to three years, and three to seven years where the circumstances are serious. In practice the account is frozen first and the questions come later.
Scenario (hypothetical): a foreign teacher in Shanghai opens an account and lends the card to a friend who says he cannot open one himself. Within weeks, RMB 300,000 from fraud victims passes through the account. Police freeze it and interview the teacher, who is investigated under Article 287-2. Being helpful is not a defence.
The point: open the account yourself, keep the card, the app and the phone number in your own hands, and refuse every request to receive or move money for someone else.
FAQ
Q: Can a foreigner open a bank account in China on a tourist visa?
A: Some banks will refuse. The Anti-Money Laundering Law requires the bank to verify who you are and why you need the account, and a short stay leaves little to verify. A residence permit or a longer visa makes it far easier.
Q: What documents do foreign customers need?
A: A passport with a valid visa or residence permit, the police registration for your address, a mainland mobile number, and usually a work permit or an employment letter.
Q: Is it illegal to lend my bank card to a friend in China?
A: It can be a crime. Article 287-2 of the Criminal Law punishes providing payment and settlement help to criminal activity with up to three years in prison, and Article 312 punishes concealing criminal proceeds.
Q: Why was my Chinese bank account frozen?
A: Usually because money linked to a suspected crime passed through it. A freeze is a protective measure taken by police; keep your documents and speak to a lawyer before explaining anything.
Q: Can I open the account before I arrive in China?
A: Generally no. Customer due diligence means the bank must identify you in person, which is why branches want the customer at the counter.
Wang Guan | Co-founder, Beijing Haolue Law Firm | +86 17813108512