A traveler asked:
“What would you recommend for VPN if I need to use my iPhone 11 Pro?
What are the steps if I am coming from Europe? Also I need a SIM card.”
For an iPhone 11 Pro coming from Europe, I would keep the setup as simple as possible.
For most short-term travelers, my preferred arrangement is:
Keep your European SIM for your normal phone number and SMS verification codes + add an internationally routed travel eSIM for mobile data in China.
You may not need a physical Chinese SIM at all.
Apple confirms that the iPhone 11 Pro supports Dual SIM using a nano-SIM and an eSIM, although eSIM availability can vary by the region in which the phone was originally sold. (Apple Support)
Step 1: Check Your iPhone Before Leaving Europe
First, make sure your iPhone is carrier-unlocked.
Then check that your particular iPhone 11 Pro supports eSIM. Most European versions do, and Apple lists the iPhone 11 Pro as supporting nano-SIM + eSIM. (Apple Support)
Do all of this before flying to China, when you still have your normal internet connection and can easily contact your mobile provider if something isn’t working.
Step 2: Keep Your European SIM
I would not remove your European SIM.
Keeping your normal number active can be extremely useful in China because your bank, email provider, credit-card company or another service may suddenly send an SMS verification code.
Instead:
- Keep the European SIM switched on.
- Turn Data Roaming OFF for that line unless your European provider offers an affordable China roaming package.
- Use the second line/eSIM for mobile data.
Be aware that your European carrier may still charge for calls or SMS depending on your plan, so check its China roaming charges before departure.
Step 3: Add a Travel eSIM for China
For an ordinary vacation, this is often the easiest solution.
Buy a travel eSIM that specifically covers mainland China, install it before departure, and follow the provider’s instructions about when to activate it.
Once you arrive in China, set that eSIM as your Cellular/Mobile Data line.
An important question to ask the provider is not merely:
“Does your eSIM work in China?”
Ask:
“Is the data internationally routed, and which international websites and apps can I access while using it in mainland China?”
That distinction matters.
An internationally routed travel eSIM or your European carrier’s international roaming can behave differently from ordinary mainland Chinese internet access.
What About a VPN?
I would not build the entire connectivity plan around a VPN.
VPN performance in mainland China can change, and a service that works reliably at one time may behave differently later.
For that reason, I wouldn’t promise that one particular commercial VPN will definitely work throughout a future trip.
Instead, think of the connectivity plan in layers:
Primary: internationally routed travel eSIM or suitable international roaming.
Backup: VPN installed and configured before entering China, particularly if you expect to use hotel or other local Wi-Fi.
Emergency backup: your European SIM’s roaming service, assuming you understand the charges.
This gives you alternatives if one method doesn’t behave as expected.
Do You Need a Chinese SIM Card?
Probably not for a normal short vacation.
Foreign visitors can obtain mainland Chinese mobile service using their passport through operators such as China Mobile, China Unicom and China Telecom. China’s 2026 guidance also notes that some operators support eSIM services, although travelers should check availability with the operator.
A local Chinese SIM can be useful if you specifically need:
- A mainland Chinese mobile number
- Local voice calls
- A longer stay
- Services that work better with a Chinese number
But don’t assume you need one simply because you’re visiting China.
For many tourists, European SIM + travel eSIM is considerably simpler.
What About Hotel Wi-Fi?
This is where travelers sometimes get confused.
Your international travel eSIM and your hotel’s mainland Wi-Fi are two different internet connections.
Something accessible through internationally routed mobile data may behave differently after you switch your phone to local hotel Wi-Fi.
So if an international app suddenly stops working after you return to the hotel, check whether your phone has automatically switched from mobile data to Wi-Fi.
Sometimes the problem isn’t your phone or the app at all — you’ve simply changed networks.
My Recommended Setup
For a European traveler using an iPhone 11 Pro, I would prepare the phone like this:
- Confirm that the iPhone is unlocked and supports eSIM.
- Keep the European nano-SIM installed.
- Disable expensive data roaming on the European line.
- Install an internationally routed China travel eSIM before departure.
- Set the travel eSIM as the mobile-data line after arrival.
- Keep the European number available for important SMS codes.
- If you want a VPN as backup, install and configure it before entering mainland China.
- Don’t buy a mainland Chinese SIM unless you discover that you actually need a Chinese number.
That is much easier than arriving at the airport believing you need a Chinese SIM + VPN + European SIM + several different apps just to make your phone work.
For most travelers, you don’t.
Further Reading
Internet in China Made Easy
Start here if you’re confused about eSIMs, roaming, Chinese SIM cards, Wi-Fi and internet access in mainland China.
15 Essential Apps Every First-Time Visitor Should Install Before Flying to China (2026)
Once your internet connection is sorted, this explains which apps are genuinely useful before arriving in China.
About This Answer
This article is based on a real traveler question answered by the ChinaTravelBUG AI Travel Planner. We publish selected questions because the practical decisions faced by one traveler often help many others planning similar journeys.
Verification Note — August 16, 2026: Apple currently lists the iPhone 11 Pro as supporting Dual SIM with nano-SIM and eSIM, subject to regional/model availability. Chinese official guidance also confirms that foreign nationals can apply for mainland mobile services using their passports. (Apple Support)
Internet routing, eSIM products, roaming arrangements, VPN availability and access to particular online services can change. Travelers should therefore confirm their chosen eSIM/roaming provider’s current mainland-China routing and service compatibility shortly before departure rather than relying on an old recommendation.
Traveler questions may be lightly edited or anonymized for privacy and readability. The planning answer is preserved as practical travel guidance, with editorial context and verification added where appropriate.
Planning Your Own China Trip?
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