Bookings via wechat mini program

Question

Hi,

I have managed to set up my wechat account using my home country's number.

However, when I tried to book forbidden city and Mao's memorial hall, it says that my number is not valid/the format is incorrect.

Does any foreigners here (without local Chinese number) managed to book thru wechat?

Thanks!

Answer

In short: yes, some parts of the process for booking tickets via a WeChat mini-program in China *can* work for foreigners, but many travellers report significant hurdles — especially when it comes to using foreign mobile numbers. Here’s a detailed breakdown of what people are experiencing and what you can try.

What travellers are reporting

Many forums say that when using the mini-program for attractions (for example The Forbidden City in Beijing) a Chinese mobile number is required in order to receive a verification (SMS) code. One user: “The crucial part of booking as a foreigner is get a working Chinese simcard, and use it to receive the booking certify code.”
Some sources claim you *can* book with a foreign number. One guide states: “You can use WeChat mini-programs to book tickets with a foreign mobile number (non-Chinese number).”
Others say that even if you access the booking interface, the payment or verification step might fail (because of payment or number verification issues) or you may hit “invalid number/format” errors. This matches your “number not valid/the format is incorrect” scenario.
For the Forbidden City specifically, there’s a strong recommendation for international visitors to use the English-website version rather than the WeChat mini program, because it supports passport booking and credit card payment more clearly.

What this means for your situation

You have set up WeChat with your home (non-Chinese) number. That’s fine for basic WeChat usage — but when you go into the mini-program for ticket booking of many major attractions, the system often expects a mainland Chinese number to receive an SMS verification code. Without that, the flow may error out saying your “number is not valid/format incorrect”. This is exactly what you’re encountering.

So: you *may* be blocked from completing the booking via the WeChat mini program if you cannot provide a Chinese number. This does *not* mean you cannot ever book — but the mini program route may be tricky.

Alternative booking methods & workarounds

Use the official website of the attraction (in English if available) and pay by credit card. For the Forbidden City, you can use the “English version” site where foreign passports are accepted and a foreign number is less critical.
If you really want to use the WeChat mini program, consider obtaining a local Chinese SIM card (pre-paid) so you can receive the required codes. Many travellers report this is the most reliable path.
Use a trusted third-party booking platform (tour operator, ticket reseller) that handles foreigners, perhaps for a slightly higher fee. The key is that they already have the verification, payment etc sorted. Many forums recommend this when direct booking fails.
On-site purchase: Some attractions allow foreigners to buy tickets at the counter on the day (with passport) if online booking fails — though supply might be limited or sold out.

Recommendation for you

Since you’ve already tried the WeChat mini-program and hit the “number invalid” error, I’d suggest you pick one of the alternative methods above rather than persisting solely with the mini program. For example: use the English website of the attraction (if available) or arrange via a third-party. If you’re staying in China for several days, getting a Chinese SIM card might be worthwhile if you plan multiple bookings.

Bookings via wechat mini program

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