Essential Services Every Foreigner Needs in China (2025 Checklist)

Moving to China? Here's your complete checklist of essential services you'll need to set up, from the moment you land to settling into daily life.

First Week Essentials

• Chinese SIM card — Get this at the airport or a carrier store immediately
• Police registration — Must be done within 24 hours of arrival
• WeChat and Alipay — Set up with your phone number; add bank card later
• VPN — Install before arriving in China (many services are blocked)

First Month Essentials

• Bank account — Required for salary, rent, and daily payments
• Apartment — Find housing in a foreigner-friendly area
• Residence permit — Apply through the Entry-Exit Administration
• Health insurance — International health insurance or local coverage

Ongoing Services

• Tax filing — Annual IIT filing between March and June
• Visa renewal — Start the process at least 30 days before expiry
• Driving license — Convert your foreign license if you plan to drive
• Package forwarding — For receiving international mail and packages

Daily Life Apps

• Didi — Ride-hailing (Chinese Uber)
• Meituan / Ele.me — Food delivery
• Taobao / JD.com — Online shopping
• Ctrip (Trip.com) — Travel booking
• Baidu Maps — Navigation (Google Maps doesn't work well in China)

How ChinaErrand Can Help

Setting up all these services on your own can be overwhelming. ChinaErrand provides comprehensive assistance for every item on this checklist:

• Daily Errands — Package pickup, shopping, queuing ($30/task)
• China Assistance — Bank cards, SIM, government procedures ($30/task)
• Factory Sourcing — Find and verify suppliers ($150/project)
• Local Resources — Apartment hunting, local connections ($50/task)
• Translation & Escort — Hospital, business, government ($50/half day)