First Week in China: A 7-Day Orientation for New Expats
You landed. Now what? Here is a calm, day-by-day plan for your first seven days in China — order matters more than effort.
TL;DR — the 30-second version
- Day 1: internet and payment. Everything else is easier once you can search and pay.
- Day 2: a local SIM and a working phone number. Many accounts (bank, delivery apps) need SMS verification.
- Days 3–5: the practical depth of life — housing check, hospital registration, getting around.
- Days 6–7: slow down, explore, and fix the small things that bug you.
Day 1 — Get online, get paying
Before anything else, you need two things: a way to search the internet and a way to pay for things. In practice that means setting up WeChat Pay or Alipay (or both) and confirming your phone can work on a local data plan. Many newcomers spend their first week carrying cash and living out of a hotel because they skipped this step.
- Buy a temporary eSIM or local SIM with data if you don’t have roaming.
- Set up WeChat Pay or Alipay with your passport and a supported card.
- Ask your hotel or landlord which delivery apps the neighborhood actually uses.
Day 2 — Your Chinese phone number
A local number unlocks nearly everything: bank apps, hospital registration, delivery services, and government mini-programs all send SMS codes to it. Do this before opening a bank account, because the bank will want a working number they can verify.
Days 3–5 — The practical core
Now that you can search and pay, work through your real-life checklist:
| Task | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Housing: confirm your lease, utilities, and building access | Silence the biggest stressor before it grows |
| Register with your local police station (residence registration) | Required within 24 hours in most cities |
| Hospital registration walkthrough | Know the process before you need it |
| Open a bank account (if staying long-term) | Makes rent, salary, and transfers much simpler |
| Download the top 3 apps for your city | Meituan/Ele.me (food), DiDi (transport), maps app |
Days 6–7 — Own your city
Take a weekend to walk your neighborhood, find a supermarket, test a delivery order, and visit one place you’d actually enjoy. The goal of week one is not to do everything — it’s to make the city feel like yours. Consistency beats intensity.
Editorial review: EasternReset Team · Snapshot: 2026-09. Found an error? Report it