New Regulations for Mainland China Travel SIM Cards: China Mobile HK, Duck Chat, CMLink, and Banana Travel SIM require prior activation outside mainland China. Lucky SIM and Lucky 2 are unaffected.
Many Hongkongers who travel to mainland China for tourism, family visits, or business trips hope to continue using overseas network services such as Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, WhatsApp, and Google. In the past, in addition to using VPNs, many travelers would also choose Hong Kong SIM cards with international roaming functionality to connect directly to overseas networks via roaming.
However, China Mobile Hong Kong (CMHK) recently announced that starting from June 17, 2026, all its stored-value card products will no longer support initial activation in mainland China. The affected products include not only CMHK stored-value cards and Duck Chat, but also CMLink under China Mobile International, as well as some Mobile Virtual Network Operator (MVNO) products that use China Mobile's network, such as Banana Travel SIM.
In other words, the common practice of many travelers unpacking their SIM cards and activating services only after arriving in cities like Shenzhen or Guangzhou will officially no longer be valid in the future.
Various Lucky SIM and Lucky 2 products are available for purchase online: https://1worldsim.com/collections/lucky-sim
What are the new regulations?
According to China Mobile's latest arrangements, users must complete the initial activation process in Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan, or other regions outside mainland China before entering mainland China to use the relevant roaming services normally.
For physical SIM cards, simply inserting the SIM card into a mobile phone and successfully receiving a network signal means the basic activation process is complete. For eSIMs, users need to scan the QR code to install it on their phone and successfully connect to the network to display a signal. After completing these steps, the system will record that the SIM card has been successfully activated.
It is worth noting that China Mobile specifically mentioned that users should ideally complete the relevant procedures within 72 hours before entering mainland China, and keep their phone turned on for about 3 to 5 minutes to complete network authentication.
Why did China Mobile introduce this measure?
China Mobile stated that the new arrangement is part of mainland China's compliance requirements for operation, and emphasized that these products are primarily for short-term roaming services for foreign visitors to China and do not support long-term purchase and use by mainland Chinese residents.
In recent years, there has indeed been an increase in cases where roaming SIM cards are resold in mainland China, with some even being used for cross-border e-commerce or other commercial purposes. Users who frequently browse Xiaohongshu or related discussion forums would easily notice that some roaming cards are very popular in the mainland market, and have even been subject to speculative trading. Therefore, the industry generally believes that this new regulation is mainly aimed at strengthening cross-border traffic management and implementing regulatory requirements.
For typical Hong Kong travelers, as long as the activation process is completed before departure, the actual user experience will not be significantly affected.
Will already activated annual cards be affected?
If you are currently using a Banana Travel SIM annual card or other China Mobile related products that have already been activated, they will generally not be affected by this new regulation. The real impact will be on new SIM cards used for the first time after June 17, 2026, so remember to complete the activation process in Hong Kong after purchasing a new card.
Lucky SIM and Lucky 2 become popular alternative choices
For travelers who don't want to remember additional activation times or are worried about forgetting to activate their SIM card before departure, there are still many other options available on the market.
Among them, Lucky SIM and Lucky 2 have been increasingly used by Hongkongers traveling north in recent years. These two products primarily use China Unicom and China Telecom networks and are currently not affected by China Mobile's new policy. Even if they are inserted and used for the first time after arriving in mainland China, services can still be activated normally.
Especially Lucky 2, which can connect to both China Unicom and China Telecom networks, with the system automatically selecting the network with the best signal based on the location, is quite convenient for travelers who frequently travel to mainland China, Japan, Korea, Taiwan, Macau, and other regions.
Official authorized agent Stepstepinfo offers priority sales of various LuckySIM and Lucky2 eSIMs. For prices and ordering, please refer to:https://1worldsim.com/
Demand for high-data travel cards continues to increase
In recent years, many travelers to mainland China no longer just check maps or send messages, but also need to watch YouTube, conduct video conferences, live stream, or use cloud services. Therefore, the demand for high-data solutions has significantly increased.
Taking Lucky 2 as an example, the most popular annual card for China, Japan, Korea, Taiwan, and Macau has been upgraded from 30GB to 40GB of data. For travelers who frequently visit multiple Asian countries, roaming solutions covering 17 or 46 countries are also available.
If you work, reside, or frequently watch video streaming services in mainland China for extended periods, you can consider the higher-capacity 20-country 60GB plan, or even the high-data annual card specifically for mainland China, Taiwan, and Macau, which is sufficient for several months of usage.
On the other hand, Lucky SIM provides a Hong Kong phone number. After completing real-name registration, users can still receive Hong Kong bank verification codes and SMS messages even while in mainland China. For those who need to retain their Hong Kong number, receive OTP verification codes, or use Hong Kong communication services long-term, it offers advantages over data-only cards.
Be sure to confirm the latest arrangements before departure
If you have purchased CMHK, Duck Chat, CMLink, or Banana Travel SIM and plan to travel to mainland China after June 17, 2026, remember to complete the activation process in Hong Kong first. Otherwise, if you insert the card for the first time after arriving in mainland China, you may not be able to successfully activate the service, affecting internet access, navigation, ride-hailing, electronic payments, and daily communication.
For travelers who want to skip the activation process, Lucky SIM, Lucky 2, or other products using China Unicom and China Telecom networks are still viable options. However, as operator policies may change at any time, it is still recommended to check the official latest announcements before departure to avoid disrupting your travel plans.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Can China Mobile SIM cards be activated in mainland China for the first time?
A: Starting from June 17, 2026, CMHK, Duck Chat, CMLink, and some China Mobile related products will no longer support initial activation in mainland China.
Q: Will Lucky SIM and Lucky 2 be affected?
A: As of now, Lucky SIM and Lucky 2 have not announced similar restrictions and can still be activated and used normally in mainland China.
Official authorized agent Stepstepinfo offers priority sales of various LuckySIM and Lucky2 eSIMs. For prices and ordering, please refer to:https://1worldsim.com/
Q: How to use Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube when traveling to mainland China?
A: Many Hong Kong roaming SIM cards and international data cards can connect to overseas network services via roaming. The actual usable range depends on the arrangements of individual operators.
Q: When is the safest time to activate a SIM card?
A: If using China Mobile related products, it is recommended to complete the activation process in Hong Kong within 72 hours before departure to comply with the latest regulations and avoid service disruption.
Other Articles: Lucky SIM Mobile Number Porting to Retain Your Number
Many people choose to retain their Hong Kong phone number, and the "$138 for 3 years" super value plan is their top choice for mobile number porting! In addition to free SMS reception in Hong Kong and overseas, Hong Kong data is increased to 30GB, while prices for other 540-day/2-year/3-year plans remain unchanged, with data upgrades! This is quite a good deal!
An additional 30GB of roaming data for 42 countries/regions has been added, expanding internet access to more global locations! All porting plans can be topped up/renewed later. Whether you are in Hong Kong or overseas, you can purchase additional data according to your needs, so you won't run out of data.
Lucky SIM phone cards are compatible with various devices, including physical cards or eSIM-enabled phones. Regardless of whether you are in Hong Kong or overseas, you can use the official authorized form below to apply for porting, and an official authorized agent will contact you.
Google Form application:https://forms.gle/tY7vCdDgRFTYZd616 (You can choose a physical card or eSIM)
Article details:https://stepstepinfo.com/?p=2694
Official authorized agent Stepstepinfo offers priority sales of various LuckySIM and Lucky2 eSIMs. For prices and ordering, please refer to:https://1worldsim.com/
Lucky2 50 Countries/Regions 365 Days 12GB Unlimited Data Card + 5GB Hong Kong (eSIM)
This annual card provides 365 days of roaming data service, with the first 12GB being high-speed data. After using it up, you can continue to use unlimited data at a reduced speed of 384kbps, plus an additional 5GB for Hong Kong!
This annual card supports 50 popular travel countries and regions worldwide, including China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Macau, Japan, South Korea, the UK, France, Germany, Canada, the US, and major areas in Europe, Asia, North and South America, Australia, and New Zealand.
Except for Hong Kong and Taiwan, where real-name registration is required, no real-name registration is needed for other regions. eSIM version, seize the limited-time offer!
Order online: https://1worldsim.com/products/lucky2-esim-50region12gb-hk5gb
Lucky2 China, Japan, Korea, Taiwan, Macau 5 Regions 365 Days 40GB Unlimited Data Card + 5GB Hong Kong (eSIM)
Best-selling annual card! Upgraded from 30GB to 40GB! High-speed 5G/4G, followed by unlimited internet at a reduced speed of 512K, plus an extra 5GB of Hong Kong data.
Real-name registration is required in Hong Kong or Taiwan, and you only need to register once to use it in both places. No real-name registration is needed for China/Macau/Japan/Korea.
Order online: http://1worldsim.com/products/lucky2-esim-5region25gb
LuckySIM 3 Years 30GB + 2000 Minutes - Recommended for Retaining Hong Kong Phone Number (eSIM)
The phone number retention SIM card is a bestseller! It offers a validity period of up to 3 years, with an additional 30GB of Hong Kong data. Real-name registration is required. This is a super affordable way to retain a Hong Kong phone number.
Order online: https://1worldsim.com/products/luckysim-esim-3years-30gb-keephknumber
Official authorized agent Stepstepinfo, prioritized sales of various LuckySIM and Lucky2 eSIMs, please refer to the order for prices:https://1worldsim.com/