Practical info for China
Emergencies, embassy, entry requirements, money: the essentials before you go, with the official source and the date each piece of information was checked.
Embassy and entry requirements shown for travellers from: United Kingdom.
Emergency numbers
- Single emergency number120
- Police110
- Police122
- Medical emergencies120
- Fire brigade119
- Policein Hong Kong, according to France Diplomatie, 15/09/2026999
- Single emergency numberin Macao, according to France Diplomatie, 15/09/2026999
Source: France Diplomatie, GOV.UK, French embassy, Portal das Comunidades Portuguesas, Ministerstwo Spraw Zagranicznych RP · verified on 26/10/2026
Embassy and consulates
- British Embassy BeijingEmbassy
- Address
- 11 Guang Hua Lu, Jian Guo Men Wai, Beijing, 100600, China
- Consular emergency line
- To call us in an emergency or send us an online enquiry use our contact form: https://www.contact.service.csd.fcdo.gov.uk/posts/china/british-embassy-beijing
- British Consulate-General ShanghaiConsulate
- Address
- The British Centre, 17F Garden Square, 968 West Beijing Road, Shanghai, 200041, China
- Consular emergency line
- To call us in an emergency or send us an online enquiry use our contact form: https://www.contact.service.csd.fcdo.gov.uk/posts/china/british-consulate-general-shanghai
- British Consulate-General GuangzhouConsulate
- Address
- 22/F Guangzhou International Finance Centre, 5 Zhujiang Road West, Zhujiang New Town, Guangzhou, 510623, China
- Consular emergency line
- To call us in an emergency or send us an online enquiry use our contact form: https://www.contact.service.csd.fcdo.gov.uk/posts/china/british-consulate-general-guangzhou
- British Consulate-General ChongqingConsulate
- Address
- Suite 2801, Metropolitan Oriental Plaza, 68 Zourong Road, Yu Zhong District, Chongqing, 400010, China
- Consular emergency line
- To call us in an emergency or send us an online enquiry use our contact form: https://www.contact.service.csd.fcdo.gov.uk/posts/china/british-consulate-general-chongqing
Consular emergency numbers (emergencies only): FCDO, London (24 hours): +44 20 7008 5000.
Entry requirements
The rules depend on your passport: check them here before you book, for every traveller, children included.
Official page: GOV.UK (FCDO), updated 27/08/2026 ›
Source: GOV.UK · verified on 26/10/2026
Safety and travel advice
The FCDO does not currently advise against travel to any part of this country.
Source: GOV.UK · verified on 26/10/2026
Currency and payments
Currency: Renminbi-yuan (CNY).
ECB reference rate on 26/10/2026: €1 = 7.4603 CNY.
Source: SIX Group (ISO 4217), European Central Bank, EU Publications Office · verified on 26/10/2026
Time difference
Several time zones: +6 h to +8 h compared with London (calculated on 26/10/2026).
The clocks change in London on 28/03/2027: the difference may change that day.
Source: IANA (time zones) · verified on 26/10/2026
Driving
Driving licence, according to GOV.UK (FCDO): “You must have a Chinese driving licence and valid insurance to drive in China.”
Source: GOV.UK · verified on 26/10/2026
Mobile networks
Networks listed by the eSIMs we checked: China Unicom (Sirocco, Airalo); China Mobile (Sirocco); China Telecom (Sirocco).
eSIM prices for China
7 days, 5 GB · prices checked on 26/10/2026
3 brands compared, not an exhaustive listWhy this ranking?
Ranked by price: for each brand, the cheapest plan that covers 7 days and 5 GB.
Not an exhaustive comparison: 3 brands out of the dozens that sell eSIMs. The list of brands compared is in our Methodology.
eSIMeter is published by Mocom SAS, which sells Sirocco: the site is funded by those sales. No other brand pays us.
Frequently asked questions
What are the emergency numbers in China?
Single emergency number: 120 ; Police: 110 ; Police: 122 ; Medical emergencies: 120 ; Fire brigade: 119 ; Police: 999 (in Hong Kong, according to France Diplomatie, 15/09/2026) ; Single emergency number: 999 (in Macao, according to France Diplomatie, 15/09/2026)
How do I contact the embassy or consulate in China?
British Embassy Beijing, 11 Guang Hua Lu, Jian Guo Men Wai, Beijing, 100600, China ; British Consulate-General Shanghai, The British Centre, 17F Garden Square, 968 West Beijing Road, Shanghai, 200041, China ; British Consulate-General Guangzhou, 22/F Guangzhou International Finance Centre, 5 Zhujiang Road West, Zhujiang New Town, Guangzhou, 510623, China ; British Consulate-General Chongqing, Suite 2801, Metropolitan Oriental Plaza, 68 Zourong Road, Yu Zhong District, Chongqing, 400010, China. Consular emergency numbers (emergencies only): FCDO, London (24 hours): +44 20 7008 5000.
What are the entry requirements for China?
The rules depend on your passport: check them here before you book, for every traveller, children included. Official page: GOV.UK (FCDO), updated 27/08/2026.
What is the travel advice for China?
The FCDO does not currently advise against travel to any part of this country.
What currency is used in China?
Currency: Renminbi-yuan (CNY). ECB reference rate on 26/10/2026: €1 = 7.4603 CNY.
What is the time difference in China?
Several time zones: +6 h to +8 h compared with London (calculated on 26/10/2026). The clocks change in London on 28/03/2027: the difference may change that day.
What should I know about driving in China?
Driving licence, according to GOV.UK (FCDO): “You must have a Chinese driving licence and valid insurance to drive in China.”
Which mobile networks operate in China?
Networks listed by the eSIMs we checked: China Unicom (Sirocco, Airalo); China Mobile (Sirocco); China Telecom (Sirocco).