Payment rejected?
Recover safely.
First confirm whether money actually moved. Then identify which layer failed—connection, QR flow, payment app, merchant or card issuer—and switch to an independent backup if you need to pay now.
- 01Check payment history
- 02Identify the failed layer
- 03Switch to a safe backup
- 04Escalate to the right owner
Pause. Check. Then choose another method.
Open the app’s transaction history before trying again. If there is no completed payment and the purchase is urgent, ask for another checkout method: the opposite QR direction, a supported physical card, a second independent card or RMB cash.
Check whether the first payment completed
Look at the payment app’s transaction history and the merchant’s result—not only the last screen you saw. Save a screenshot and receipt if the status is unclear. Do not approve a second payment until you understand the first one.
Transaction status
Completed, failed or pending? Record the time, amount and merchant name.
Checkout result
Ask whether the cashier received a successful confirmation for the same amount.
Evidence
Keep the receipt and privacy-safe screenshots before leaving the counter.
PHOTO NEEDED · 16:9 · Traveller and cashier checking a payment result together; no readable personal or payment data.
Start with what you can see
Choose the symptom that best matches the current screen. If more than one is true, start with connection and power before changing payment settings.
01The app will not load or the QR code will not appear
Check mobile data or Wi-Fi, airplane mode, roaming settings and battery. Reopen the official app only after the connection is stable. If you cannot reconnect quickly, use a physical card or RMB cash.
02The QR code cannot be scanned
Increase screen brightness, clean the camera or screen, and confirm whether you should scan the merchant’s code or show your payment code for the cashier to scan. Never scan a replacement code supplied by an unknown person.
03The app shows rejected, declined or a funding-source error
Confirm the merchant name, RMB amount and selected card. Do not keep retrying. Switch to an independent payment method, then use the app’s official support or contact the card issuer to identify the decline owner.
04The merchant cannot accept this method
Ask whether the opposite QR direction or the payment-network logo on your physical card is supported. Merchant acceptance varies. If it is not supported, pay with another card or RMB cash.
05The card will not link or verification will not complete
This is a setup problem rather than a checkout problem. Official guidance says card linking requires issuer verification. Use the separate Alipay card-link checklist, contact official support or the issuer, and do not pay an unofficial helper.
VIDEO NEEDED · 20–30s muted · One failed QR attempt, transaction-history check, then a safe switch to card or RMB cash.
Use an independent backup
Change QR direction
Ask whether the cashier can scan your payment code, or whether you should scan the merchant code.
Use a physical card
Ask whether the terminal accepts the network logo shown on your card.
Use a second account
A card from another account or network is more useful than retrying the same funding source.
Pay in RMB cash
RMB cash is an official payment option. Smaller notes make change easier.
Do not split or restructure a purchase to bypass a provider limit. Limits, fees and card support vary by product; follow the current in-app prompt and service agreement.
Do not pay twice blindly
- 01
Preserve the record
Save the app status, time, amount, merchant name and receipt. Hide payment codes, card numbers and identity details before sharing a screenshot.
- 02
Ask the merchant to check the same transaction
A cashier confirmation can help distinguish a display or connection problem from a completed payment.
- 03
Use official support
For an unclear app transaction, contact the payment product. For an issuer decline or card posting, contact the bank that issued the card. We do not promise a refund or settlement time.
SCREEN IMAGE NEEDED · 3 examples · Failed, pending and completed states with all names, codes, balances and card details removed.
Contact the service that owns the failure
App error, QR result or unclear transaction
Use the Help or Support area inside the official app. Beijing’s official visitor guidance also lists English service hotlines for Alipay and Weixin Pay.
Card-link failure, decline or overseas-use control
Use the number on the back of the card or the issuer’s official app. The issuer controls card authorization.
Terminal, checkout or merchant QR acceptance
Ask the cashier to confirm the supported method and whether a transaction was received.
Official provider information lists Alipay China Wallet English service at +86 571 2688 6000, while Tencent lists Weixin Pay service for overseas users at +86 571 95017. Verify the number on the official provider page before calling because support details can change.
Protect the account while asking for help
- Do not hand an unlocked phone to a stranger.
- Do not share a one-time code, payment password or full card number.
- Do not scan a random replacement QR code sent by an unofficial helper.
- Do not send passport images to a person claiming they can “verify” the account.
- Do not pay a verification agent or accept a guaranteed refund-time promise.
Payment rejection FAQ
Why was my mobile payment rejected in China?
A rejection can come from the phone connection, the QR flow, the payment app, the merchant, or the card issuer. The error screen alone may not identify the owner of the problem, so check the transaction history first and then work through one layer at a time.
Should I keep retrying a rejected payment?
Do not retry repeatedly without checking the app transaction history and the merchant result. If the payment is urgent, use an independent backup method and keep the receipt or screenshots for any transaction that looks pending or duplicated.
Who should I contact when an international card fails in Alipay or Weixin Pay?
China’s official guidance says a card link must be verified by the issuer. For a failed card link or issuer decline, use the payment product’s official support or contact the issuing bank. Do not use an unofficial verification agent.
Can I use cash when a QR payment fails?
Yes. RMB cash is an official payment option. Carry smaller notes when possible, because a merchant that mainly handles digital payments may not have change for a large note.
Build a three-layer payment stack
Set up mobile payment, carry the physical card and keep RMB cash as an independent reserve.
Open the complete payment guide →How this checklist was checked
Last reviewed 17 August 2026. The checklist separates stable recovery actions from provider-specific rules that can change. The official product prompt and card issuer remain the final authority for a particular transaction.
- State Council — Guide to Working and Living in China (2025)Issuer verification, failure escalation, payment-product variation and RMB cash guidance.
- Shanghai Government / PBOC Shanghai Head Office — Payment methods for foreignersUpdated 24 July 2026; bank-card, cash and mobile-payment options.
- Beijing Government — Payment services for new arrivalsScan/show flows, cash backup and official English support details.
- Alipay / Antom — Regulatory informationCurrent Alipay China Wallet English-speaking support number.
- Tencent — Welcome to China, easy pay with Weixin PayCurrent overseas Weixin Pay support number.