PayPal Registration (PP for Short): Registration and Operation Guide

PayPal Registration (PP for Short): Registration and Operation Guide

PayPal (PP for short) is currently one of the most popular online banks and the main way to receive money online. It is open to nearly 190 countries and regions worldwide. Almost every online earning company supports PP payments!

A PP account has two possible states: activated and unactivated (that is, verified and unverified). An unactivated account can still receive and send money. However, an unactivated PP account has usage limits: the total amount each account can send (that is, pay online) cannot exceed USD 500; monthly withdrawals from the account cannot exceed USD 500, and total withdrawals cannot exceed USD 3,000.

PayPal can be verified (activated) with domestic bank cards (ICBC, China Merchants Bank, China Construction Bank) to remove usage limits; alternatively, it can be activated with an international credit card (an overdraft-enabled MasterCard or Visa card). Beginners who have just registered and do not have a credit card do not need to activate it immediately, because beginners generally take a long time to use up the USD 500 quota. You can wait until your online earning grows larger before activating your PP. After activation, PP withdrawals cannot exceed USD 2,500 per month, but there is no limit on sending money or total withdrawals.

Whether activated or not, the US dollars in PP can be withdrawn by check or bank wire transfer. If the amount is small, such as USD 100-1,000, check withdrawal is recommended. The fee is USD 5 per transaction, and it takes longer, around one month to receive the check. If the amount is large, such as over USD 1,000, wire transfer is recommended. The fee is USD 35 per transaction, and the money can be wired within a week to your domestic dual-currency bank account. If you only have USD 10-100, it is recommended that you find a private exchange on forums, because most intermediaries such as the Guangdong Online Currency Exchange Center have now stopped PP exchange services.

Friendly reminder 1: PP can only send and receive international currencies such as US dollars and euros; “PayPal China” can only send and receive RMB. The two accounts are not interchangeable! “PayPal China” is simply the Chinese branch opened by the PP company. To register for “PayPal China,” please click here.

Friendly reminder 2: An ordinary PayPal account must be reset before it can accept euro payments: after logging in, click Manage Currencies, then tick Euro, and click Create Balance below. To accept foreign currencies other than US dollars and euros, repeat a similar process!

Friendly reminder 3: PayPal has three types of accounts, but most online earning companies pay personal accounts. The differences among the three account types are as follows:

  • Personal Account: no fee for receiving payments, but it cannot accept funds from credit cards or business transactions such as eBay.
  • Premier/Business Account: fees apply when receiving payments, but it can accept all kinds of incoming funds.

PayPal has a rule: one user may have two PP accounts (same personal information, different email addresses): one Personal Account and one Premier/Business Account. This way, you can use both types of accounts at the same time to accept money from different online earning companies.

The fees for the three types of PP accounts for Chinese users are shown in the table below:

| PayPal fees | Personal Account | Premier/Business Account |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Sending money | Free | Free |
| Receiving payments | Free | Total received x 2.4%-3.4% + $0.30 |
| Receiving credit card payments | Limited to 5 times per year, 4.9% + $0.30 | Total received x 2.4%-3.4% + $0.30 |
| Transferring money to a bank | US: free; Canada: $0.55; China: withdraw by check, fee of $5 each; wire transfer, $35 each | US: free; Canada: $0.55; China: withdraw by check, fee of $5 each; wire transfer, $35 each |

Friendly reminder: Currently, payments sent and received by personal accounts follow a one-way fee model, with the sender choosing who pays the fee!

1. How to Register

  1. Click here to enter the registration page (free), then click the registration link near the bottom of the page.

After entering the new page, first select your nationality in the upper drop-down box: China WorldWide; then select 简体中文 (Chinese) in the second drop-down box. After the page jumps to the Chinese interface, click the button under the corresponding account type. (Beginners are advised to register for a Personal Account first, which is the most commonly used; then register for a Premier Account, which is occasionally used to receive credit card payments. Entrepreneurs can choose a Business Account.) A Chinese registration form will then appear. Fill it in according to the prompts.

  1. The form is simple, but pay attention to the following points:

a. The Chinese interface can be filled in Chinese (you must use your real identity). Items marked optional do not need to be filled in.

b. Address line 1: enter your street address. It may be used to receive checks in the future, so the postal worker must be able to find you.

c. The default nationality in the form is China, and the primary currency is US dollars. Do not change these.

d. Home phone is required (though generally not used). If you do not have one, you can enter your work number or a friend's number. If you really do not have one, you can enter a fake one, but do not make it too obviously wrong. Format: 86 + your area code (must be correct) + phone number (if you do not have one, use a fake one; for example, I entered 8607198228888).

e. Beginners do not need to link a credit card when first registering. Remove the default checkmark (selected state).

  1. The email address is your PayPal account and is used both for logging in and receiving money. The password (different from your email password) must be at least 8 characters and is case-sensitive. When online earning companies send money to your PP account, they need to know your PP account, that is, the email address you used to register PP.
  1. Fill in the password security questions carefully and remember them. If you forget your password, answering the security questions correctly allows you to reset it. Note that you only have 5 chances to answer, otherwise it becomes very troublesome.

After submitting the registration form, follow the web page prompts, go to your email inbox to receive the letter from PayPal, click the activation link in the email to confirm your email address, enter your password on the new page, confirm, and log in to your PP account.

At this point, congratulations: your PayPal has been registered successfully!

Friendly tip 1: When you register with an online earning company and use PayPal as the payment method, the account is the email address you used to apply for PayPal! For example, if the email address you entered when applying for a PP account is start2006@yahoo.com, then your PP account login is start2006@yahoo.com.

Friendly tip 2: When the first payment arrives in your PayPal account, be sure to click the Accept button (future incoming payments will be accepted automatically). Do not click the Reject button!

2. How to Activate (Beginners Can Skip This)

PayPal can be verified (activated) with domestic bank cards (ICBC, China Merchants Bank, China Construction Bank) to remove usage limits! (Recommended)

The following is the process for activating with a credit card:

First, apply at China Merchants Bank, China Construction Bank, or another bank for a MasterCard or Visa card (an international credit card that supports overdraft spending and dual currencies). At China Construction Bank, it is also called a Long Card dual-currency credit card (international standard credit card). Competition among major domestic banks is currently intense. If you have friends at those banks, you can very likely apply for an international credit card for free.

The previously popular “Peony International Debit Card” from Industrial and Commercial Bank of China can no longer activate PayPal, so everyone should apply for a proper VISA or MasterCard. International credit cards from major domestic banks are all acceptable. Credit cards are now being promoted gradually, and the application process is no longer as complicated as it used to be. I used a China Merchants Bank credit card to activate PayPal and found it relatively convenient, so I have organized the whole process here in the hope that it will help everyone. In fact, the major banks are quite similar, so this can serve as a useful reference by analogy.

Step 1: Apply for a Credit Card

  1. Application requirements:

Chinese citizens over the age of 18 with full civil capacity, foreign nationals with fixed occupations and residences in China, and compatriots from Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan may all apply for a credit card. No guarantor or deposit is required. You only need to provide your relevant personal information and supporting documents to apply for a China Merchants Bank credit card. If you are a student, you can go directly to China Merchants Bank to ask what materials are required, or you can have a parent apply for the primary card and apply for a supplementary card yourself. The minimum age for a supplementary card is only 16.

  1. Application method:

You can apply at the local China Merchants Bank credit card department. If there is no China Merchants Bank locally, you can log in to the China Merchants Bank credit card website http://www.8008205555.com, download the application form online, or call the toll-free number 800-820-5555 to request a form. It is best to keep a copy of the information you fill in when applying for the card as a backup.

  1. Required documents:
  • Copy of the applicant's identity document
  • Original employment certificate stamped with the employer's official seal
  • Original income certificate issued by the employer
  1. Card processing time:

After the application form and required documents are submitted or mailed to the China Merchants Bank Credit Card Center, you can usually receive the credit card in about 2 weeks. During this period, you can also call the toll-free number 800-820-5555 to ask about the progress of your card application.

  1. Card activation:

In about 2 weeks, the credit card center will mail the credit card to you. The letter will tell you how to activate the card, and you can call the toll-free number 800-820-5555 to activate it. After answering the credit card center staff's questions confirming your card information, your credit card can be used. The credit card center will then mail the cash withdrawal PIN for the credit card to you within 10 working days. Although you do not have the PIN at this point, you can already use the card to activate PP, because the credit card cash withdrawal PIN is not required when filling in card information for PP activation.

Step 2: Activate PayPal

  1. Log in to your account and click Add credit card in the upper left corner.
  2. After entering the new page, enter the 16-digit international credit card number in Credit card number.
  3. Expiration date: enter the expiration date, which can be found on the front of the card (for example, mine is 06/09, which means it expires in June 2009).
  4. In Card verification number, enter the verification number of the debit card, which is the last three digits after the card number on the back (not the last three digits of the card number, but the separate three digits after the card number).
  5. First Name requires you to enter again the given name you used during registration; the surname has already been filled in.
  6. Enter again the relevant information you used when registering PP.
  7. Press Add credit card, and another page will appear.
  8. Scroll to the bottom of this page:

Click Get Number to authorize PayPal to charge $1.95 USD to your credit card ending in ****.

Click the Get Number button below. After the prompt page appears, the initial step is complete.

  1. At this point your PayPal has not truly been activated. You still need a 4-digit transaction code. You can check your credit card spending details with the credit card center after 4 working days to obtain a PayPal four-digit transaction code, and then you can activate PayPal. Be sure to call the credit card center for the transaction code after the 4th working day following the PayPal transaction. If the credit card center complains to PayPal, PayPal will permanently cancel your account!
  1. Obtaining the transaction code:

After completing the steps above, your credit card will be charged USD 1.95. Four working days after the transaction is completed, you can call 800-820-5555 and ask to check the card's spending details. After verifying the card number, name, ID number, and mobile phone number, ask the staff to check what the “merchant” entry says. She will tell you it is “PayPal ****” (4 digits). Write down these 4 digits. This is the four-digit transaction code generated when PayPal charged the $1.95 fee.

  1. Activation successful:

Log in to your PayPal account, click Complete Expanded Use Enrollment under the Action List, enter the 4-digit transaction code you obtained into the Expanded Use Number box on the new page, and click the Submit button below. After entering the new page, your PayPal is now fully activated! You will find that your PayPal account status has become China - Verified. After the PayPal account is activated, PayPal will email you: success! You can then make full use of PayPal.

Step 3: Repay on Time

  1. China Merchants Bank credit cards provide up to 48 days of interest-free overdraft. When you receive the credit card, there will be an instruction sheet for your credit card account. For example, if your statement date is the 5th, then the repayment date is the 23rd. That means if you overdraw on the 6th of this month, no interest is counted within the 48 days before the 23rd of next month; if you overdraw on the 7th, there are 47 interest-free days, and so on.
  1. When you transact with PayPal and the credit card is charged USD 1.95, we can deposit sufficient RMB repayment funds into the credit card based on the exchange rate. For example, if I overdraw USD 1.95, I can deposit at least RMB 16. The deposited money reaches the account in 2 working days. At that point, you can call the toll-free number 800-820-5555 and request repayment in US dollars based on that day's RMB-to-USD exchange rate.
  1. You can also designate an RMB account for the bank and let it automatically settle the payment for you each time it comes due, so you do not need to do anything. A statement will be mailed to you every month. I recommend that everyone open a separate account for saving repayment funds. Because credit cards are different from debit cards: they encourage overdraft followed by timely repayment, not depositing money into them. They give you interest-free credit when you overdraw, but if you deposit money, they may charge certain fees instead! Please pay attention to this point.

Additional notes:

  1. The reason China Merchants Bank credit cards are recommended is that CMB's credit card service is the best among all banks.
  2. The card is dual-currency. Overseas US dollar spending and RMB purchase of foreign exchange for repayment can avoid the trouble some cards have where you must first deposit US dollars before use. It is very suitable and convenient for friends who do not have US dollars.
  3. Both primary cards and supplementary cards enjoy the same annual fee waiver (swipe the card 3 times per year, with no limit on the spending amount).
  4. If you have questions about using the card, you can inquire at the local China Merchants Bank or log in to the China Merchants Bank credit card website http://www.8008205555.com.
  5. The $1.95 will be automatically returned to your PP account after your PP conducts business.

Step 4: How to Withdraw Cash

Method 1: Apply for a check

You can apply to PayPal for a check and withdraw the money in your PayPal account back to China through domestic bank collection. For ordinary users, the monthly upper limit for check withdrawal is USD 2,500 (or an equivalent amount in another available currency). If the monthly USD 2,500 withdrawal quota can no longer meet your transaction needs, you can email PayPal to apply to raise the upper limit to USD 10,000. This withdrawal method takes longer, generally 1 to 2 months, but the fee is relatively low: USD 5 per check. The fee for withdrawing US dollar checks is USD 5 each time for all three types of PP accounts.

Method 2: China Merchants Bank All-in-One Cross-Border Card

Application process:

Step 1:

Bring your ID card and household registration booklet to your local Exit and Entry Administration Office (1500 Minsheng Road, Pudong, Shanghai); fill in the Hong Kong and Macao travel permit application form and submit the relevant materials. In about ten working days, you will receive the permit (the exact time is subject to local agency regulations).

Step 2:

Bring the permit and your ID card to the designated China Merchants Bank branch to apply for the All-in-One Cross-Border Card: fill in the application form and submit copies of your ID card and permit. The application requires at least ten working days. During this period, CMB staff will tell you the card number and ask you to deposit HKD 55 into the card. They will then produce the physical card. After receiving the physical card, call the CMB Hong Kong Branch to activate it.

The China Merchants Bank “All-in-One Cross-Border Card” application is completed in just 2 simple steps!

Also, here are the necessary documents and certificates:

  • Hong Kong and Macao Travel Permit
  • ID card
  • China Merchants Bank All-in-One Cross-Border Card application form

In addition, some related fees during the application process are as follows:

  • Hong Kong and Macao Travel Permit application fee of about RMB 200
  • China Merchants Bank All-in-One Cross-Border Card application fee of HKD 55
  • For withdrawals from PayPal to the China Merchants Bank All-in-One Cross-Border Card, withdrawals below HKD 1,000 will incur a handling fee of HKD 3.50; HKD 1,000 and above are free
  • Exchange loss

As for withdrawing from PayPal to the CMB All-in-One Cross-Border Card, the main steps are as follows:

  • Register on PayPal.com
  • Add CMB Hong Kong Branch as the withdrawal bank
  • Withdraw from PayPal to the CMB All-in-One Cross-Border Card
  • The entire withdrawal process takes 5-7 working days
  • You can exchange Hong Kong dollars into RMB and withdraw them at a CMB branch in mainland China
  • For any questions about the All-in-One Cross-Border Card, please call: 95555

One more point to note: the bank may ask the purpose of applying for the All-in-One Cross-Border Card. Please answer that it is for travel.

Space is limited. For a detailed introduction, please click the link below:

http://cgi.ebay.com.cn/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=9502096860

Method 3: Open an overseas bank account

In countries and regions such as the United States or Hong Kong, PayPal accounts can transfer directly to local bank accounts. If you have the opportunity to travel abroad, you can use your passport to open a local bank account there. This way, you can first transfer the money in your PayPal account to your personal overseas bank account, and then transfer it from the overseas bank account to a domestic bank account. This withdrawal method has a relatively short cycle, generally completed within 2 weeks, but the transfer cost is higher.

| Account type | Withdrawal time | Unverified withdrawal limit | Verified withdrawal limit | Suitable users |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| PayPal check | 6 weeks | 500US$/month, cumulative maximum limit <= 3000US$ | Check <= 2500US$/month | Small sellers/small exporters |
| US account | 3 working days | 500US$/month, cumulative maximum limit <= 3000US$ | No limit | Sellers with relatives or friends in the US, or who open US accounts through intermediaries |
| CMB All-in-One Cross-Border Card | 5-7 working days | 500US$/month, cumulative maximum limit <= 3000US$ | No limit | Suitable for all sellers |

Frequently Asked Questions

  1. Anyone with an email address can apply for PayPal. Logging in to your PayPal account and receiving money both use this email address!
  2. An unactivated PP account can also receive money (only the cumulative total sent cannot exceed USD 500), can be exchanged with others, and can be used for shopping. For example, Dangdang Online Shopping supports payment through PayPal.
  3. To send money to others, click Send Money.
  4. To withdraw money by check, click Withdraw.

If you have questions while operating PP, you can click Contact to reach the company's customer service directly. Friends whose English is not very good can contact PP's Chinese customer service directly in Chinese at chinesesupport@paypal.com.

Click here to join PayPal now!

Related Links

Latest receipt image

Leave a Reply