Diagnose your payment issue

What's happening

Alipay and WeChat both restrict foreign accounts that show unusual activity: rapid repeated failed payments, login from a new device/location, transactions flagged by anti-fraud, or simply being a new tourist account that made too many payments in a short window. Restriction is usually temporary and reversible.

Steps to fix it

1. 1STOP retrying payments immediately — repeated failed attempts extend the restriction.
2. 2Open the app and look for a banner or notification explaining the restriction. It usually says 'verify identity' or 'wait 24 hours'.
3. 3If it asks for identity re-verification, upload your passport photo again (follow the passport-verification guide — clean photo, no glare).
4. 4If it says 'try again later', wait the full time shown (often 24 hours) without attempting any payment.
5. 5Don't switch cards repeatedly or unlink/relink during a restriction — this looks like fraud and deepens it.
6. 6If 24 hours pass with no change, contact Alipay/WeChat support via the in-app help center, or message them on Twitter/X (AlipayGlobal / WeChatPay) — they respond to tourist account issues.