Embodiments of the present invention provide a roaming network access method and apparatus, where the method includes: obtaining a mobile country code MCC of a roaming area; obtaining a preferential roaming list, where the preferential roaming list is used to indicate information about at least one network that a user preferentially attempts to register with when the user is roaming; selecting a network that matches the MCC from the preferential roaming list and searching for the selected network; and each time a network is found by the searching, attempting to register with the found network. By means of the roaming network access method and apparatus provided in the embodiments of the present invention, duration of network searching performed by user equipment is shortened, time spent by the user equipment on initial network access in the roaming area is reduced.