This guide is provided on an informational basis to assist you in going through the Customs formalities when you enter or leave China through international airports, seaports, train or bus stations.
GENERAL PROVISIONS
In accordance with “Customs Law of the People’s Republic of China”, inward and outward passengers shall enter or leave the territory at the place where the Customs is established. Passengers shall be subject to Customs control, and shall declare honestly to the Customs.
All inward and outward passengers entering or leaving China, except those who are exempted from examination or control in accordance with relevant regulations and those under the age of 16 traveling with adults, shall complete <CHINA Customs BAGGAGE DECLARATION FOR OUTWARD PASSENGERS> or <CHINA Customs BAGGAGE DECLARATION FOR INWARD PASSENGERS> (hereinafter referred to as <DECLARATION FORM>) and declare truthfully to the Customs.
The inward and outward passengers who have nothing to declare shall choose the “Nothing to Declare Channel” (GREEN CHANNEL). Personal articles, carried by inward passengers, within the limitation set by the Customs, are exempted from duty, and personal articles carried by outward passengers shall be released.
The inward and outward passengers carrying articles to declare shall choose the “Goods to Declare Channel” (RED CHANNEL).
The <DECLARATION FORM> verified and endorsed by the Customs shall be kept properly, and shall be re-submitted to the Customs at the time of return if necessary.
Seals affixed by the Customs on the baggage shall not be opened or broken without Customs prior authorization.
Passengers who are not certain about the above instructions shall ask the Customs officers for details or choose the “Goods to Declare Channel” (RED CHANNEL).
CUSTOMS RELEASE CRITERIA AND PROCEDURES
CAUTION: Inward or outward baggage effects, personal articles carried by international passengers shall be limited to the PERSONAL USE only and subject to REASONABLE QUANTITY control.
CAUTION: Inward passengers with the articles listed below SHALL choose “GOODS TO DECLARE” (RED CHANNEL).
| Items | Customs Control | |
| 1 | Personal articles from overseas, valued at RMB5,000 or above, carried by Chinese residents. | The exceeding part or amount (subject to reasonable personal use) above the limitation set by the Customs shall be levied duty upon. |
| 2 | Personal articles intended to remain in the territory, valued at RMB2,000 or above, carried by non-Chinese residents. | |
| 3 | 1,500ml or above of alcoholic drinks (containing 12% or above alcoholic content); 400 sticks or above of cigarettes; 100 sticks or above of cigars; 500g or above of tobacco. | |
| 4 | RMB20,000 cash or above, or any other foreign currencies in cash equivalent to US$5,000 or above. | Items will be dealt with according to the current regulations.
Passengers carrying foreign currencies in cash worth more than US$5,000 and intending to take the currencies out of China in the future shall fill out two declaration forms. After being endorsed by the Customs, one copy of the declaration forms will be returned to the passengers for future use at the time when leaving China. |
| 5 | Animals and plants, animal and plant products, microbes, biological products, human tissues, blood and blood products. | Items will be dealt with according to the current regulations. |
| 6 | Radio transmitters, radio receivers, communication security equipments. | |
| 7 | Other articles which are prohibited or restricted from being brought into the territory in accordance with the law of the People’s Republic of China. | |
| 8 | Goods of commercial value, samples, advertisements. | |
| 9 | Unaccompanied baggage. |
CAUTION: Outward passengers with the articles listed below SHALL choose “GOODS TO DECLARE” (RED CHANNEL).
| Items | Customs Control | |
| 1 | Camera, video camera, laptop computer or other trip necessities valued each at over RMB5,000, and intended to be brought back at the end of the trip. | Passengers shall fill out two declaration forms. After being endorsed by the Customs, one copy of the declaration forms will be returned to the passengers for use at the time when re-entering China. |
| 2 | RMB20,000 cash or above, or any other foreign currencies in cash equivalent to US$5,000 or above. | Items will be dealt with according to the current regulations. |
| 3 | Gold, silver and other precious metals. | |
| 4 | Cultural relics, endangered animals or plants and products thereof, biology species resources. | |
| 5 | Radio transmitters, radio receivers, communication security equipments. | |
| 6 | Other articles which are prohibited or restricted from being brought out of the territory in accordance with the law of the People’s Republic of China. | |
| 7 | Goods of commercial value, samples, advertisements. |
TIPS! The onsite clearance flow for the inward and outward passengers:
Obtain the declaration form
Read the instruction on the reverse side carefully.
Fill out the declaration form
Choose the Customs declaration channel
Submit the declaration form
Conduct the Customs formalities.
OTHER USEFUL INFORMATION
- PROHIBITED AND RESTRICTED ARTICLES
CAUTION: Please don’t bring such articles into or out of China, or you are liable for the violation of the law and the following consequences.
Your are subject to punishment if you fail to declare to the Customs when carrying the articles listed above.
Articles Prohibited from Importation：
Arms, imitation arms, ammunition and explosives of all kinds.
Counterfeit currencies and counterfeit negotiable securities.
Printed matter, films, photographs, gramophone records, cinematographic films, loaded recording tapes and video tapes, compact discs ( video and audio ), storage media for computers and other articles which are detrimental to the political, economic, cultural and moral interests of China.
Deadly poison of all kinds.
Opium, morphine, heroin, marihuana and other addictive drugs and psychotropic substances.
Fruits, solanaceae vegetables, live animals (except dogs and cats as pet), animal products, pathogenic micro-organisms of animals and plants, pests and other harmful organisms, animal carcasses, soil, genetically modified organisms, relevant animals and plants, their products and other objects subject to quarantine from countries or regions with prevalent epidemic animal or plant diseases.
Foodstuff, medicine and other articles coming from epidemic stricken area or harmful to man and livestock or those which might spread disease.
Articles Prohibited from Exportation：
All articles enumerated as articles prohibited from Importation.
Manuscripts, printed matter, films, photographs, gramophone records, cinematographic films, loaded recording tapes and video-tapes, compact discs ( video and audio ), storage media for computers and other articles which involve state secrets.
Valuable cultural relics and other relics prohibited from Exportation.
Endangered and precious rare animals and plants (including their specimens), their seeds and reproducing materials.
- EXCHANGE CONTROL
CAUTION: Passengers fail to observe the exchange regulation are subject to the administrative penalty fine or even get their currencies confiscated.
Foreign exchange:
There are no quantitative restrictions imposed on the foreign currencies, traveler’s checks, or letters of credit brought in.
However, inward passengers shall accurately declare to the Customs if carrying foreign currencies in cash worth more than 5,000 U.S. dollars. The Customs shall release it on passengers' departure upon the declaration made at the last entry.
Without last time declaration record of foreign currencies in cash, or if the recorded amount is less than what the passengers carry this time, the Customs shall release the discrepancies upon certificate issued by the Foreign Exchange Bureau or its authorized banks.
RMB
The limit of RMB allowed to bring in or take out is 20,000 yuan. The exceeding part is prohibited.
Source: General Administration of Customs of the People's Republic of China
