transferring money to Chinese Alipay account from US

[大块头]

I'm trying to pay a calligrapher I've hired... but I think I'm running up against Trump's ban of Chinese payment apps from a few months ago?

 

I've successfully set up an Alipay account with my US phone number, but I am unable to use my Visa check or debit cards to transfer money (转账) to his account. I tried using the Tour Pass mentioned here, but it didn't allow me to use that for the 转账 transaction either. I tried using Western Union, but that gave me a cryptic "compliance catch-all" error...

 

If anybody has managed to do this recently I'd appreciate hearing how you did it. The other payment option I have is his ICBC bank account.

[SunnySideUp]

No experience myself re. this - would you be able to use something like wise.com (formerly transferwise) instead?

 

From their FAQ:

Who can I send CNY to?

You can send CNY to private individuals who have a UnionPay bank card or an Alipay ID. They must have opened their bank account with a Chinese national ID card — we can’t send CNY to accounts opened with a passport, driver’s licence or military document.

https://wise.com/help/articles/2955298?origin=search-china

 

Again, haven't tried this myself, but could be an option. Good luck!

[mungouk]

I also haven't used Wise for transfers into China, but I have done transfers between the UK, Singapore and New Zealand regularly and it's a very good service. Much much cheaper than SWIFT/Telegraphic Transfers. 

 

 

[shawky.nasr]

You can do it by balance not from bank direct.

 

visa only if will you buy something online from taobao.

 

but if your balance has money, you can send to any one.

[shawky.nasr]

Try find someone trust him, give him usd by paybal or whatever, he send money to your alipay account.

that is solution.

[大块头]

I managed to use Western Union to start a transfer to his ICBC account, but it looks like it might take a week to complete.