Customs clearance guide for inbound passengers

This guide aims to assist you in going through the Customs formalities when you enter China through international airports, seaports, trains or bus stations.

Declare your items at customs

All inbound passengers entering China shall complete the China Customs Baggage Declaration for Inbound Passengers and declare truthfully to the Customs.

Inbound passengers who have nothing to declare shall choose the "Nothing to Declare Channel" (GREEN CHANNEL). Personal articles, carried by inbound passengers, within the limitation set by the Customs, are exempted from duty.

Inbound passengers carrying articles listed below shall choose the "Goods to Declare Channel" (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 Customs shall be levied duty.
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 $5,000USD or above.	Passengers carrying foreign currencies in cash worth more than $5,000USD and intending to take the currencies out of China in the future shall fill out two declaration forms. After being endorsed by Customs, one copy of the declaration forms will be returned to the passengers for future use when leaving China.
5	Animals and plants, animal and plant products, microbes, biological products, human tissue, blood and blood products.	Items will be dealt with according to the current regulations.
6	Radio transmitters, radio receivers, communication security equipment.
7	Other articles which are prohibited or restricted from being brought into the territory in accordance with the law.
8	Goods of commercial value, samples and advertisements.
9	Unaccompanied baggage.

TIPS! The onsite clearance flow for the inbound passengers

Obtain the declaration form
Read the instructions on the reverse side carefully
Fill out the declaration form
Choose the Customs declaration channel
Submit the declaration form
Conduct the Customs formalities.

Prohibited and restricted articles

Arms, imitation arms, ammunition and explosives of any kind.
Counterfeit currencies and counterfeit negotiable securities.
Printed matter, film, 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 any kind.
Opium, morphine, heroin, marijuana and other addictive drugs and psychotropic substances.
Fruits, solanaceae vegetables, live animals (except domesticated pet dogs and cats), 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.
Foods, medicine and other articles coming from epidemic-stricken areas or that are harmful to man and livestock or those which might spread disease.

Foreign exchange control

There are no quantitative restrictions imposed on foreign currencies, traveler's checks, or letters of credit brought in.

However, inbound passengers shall declare to Customs if carrying foreign currencies in cash worth more than $5,000USD. Customs shall release the cash at passengers' departure upon the declaration made at the last entry.

Without a previous declaration record of foreign currencies in cash, or if the recorded amount is less than what the passengers carry at the current time, Customs shall release the discrepancies upon certificate issued by the Foreign Exchange Bureau or its authorized banks.

Source: General Administration of Customs