China Entry Regulation

When enter into China, people need to go through three procedures normally: Choose Channels – Customs Declaration – Customs Examination

Choose Channels

When inward passengers enter into China, if you haven’t brought anything which needs to be declared, choose the “Nothing to Declare Channel” (Green Channel), and if you have anything need to be declared to the customs with you, choose the “Goods to Declare Channel”(Red Channel). Personal articles which are within the limitation set by the Customs are exempted from duty. For those who are not certain about the Custom Regulation can ask the Customs officers for details or just choose the “Goods to Declare Channel” (Red Channel).

Goods to Declare Channel

Customs Declaration

Inward passengers carrying the following articles shall choose the “Goods to Declare Channel”.

1.Personal articles which are valued at RMB 2,000 or above.

2.Alcoholic drinks of 1500ml or above (containing 12% or above alcoholic content); cigarettes of 400 sticks or above; cigars of 100 sticks or above; tobacco of 500g or above.

3.RMB 20,000 cash or above, or any other foreign currencies in cash equivalent to US $5,000 or above.

4.Animals, plants, animal and plant products, microbes, biological products, human tissues, blood and blood products.

5.Radio transmitters, radio receivers, communication security equipment.

6.Goods of commercial value, samples, advertisements.

7.Unaccompanied baggage.

8.Other articles which are prohibited or restricted from being brought into the territory regulated by the law of China.

Note:

(1). Personal articles shall be limited to PERSONAL USE only and subject to RESONALBLE QUANTITY control. “Personal Use” means private use or as gifts to relatives or friends, but not for selling or lending. “Reasonable Quantity” means the normal quantities based on the travel purpose and the length of residing time.

(2). For No.1 and No.2 clause of above, the exceeding part or amount above the limitation set by the Customs shall be levied duty upon. (subject to reasonable personal use).

(3). For No.3 clause of above, inward passengers who fail to observe the regulation will face administrative penalty fine or even get their currencies confiscated. The limit of RMB allowed to bring in China is 20,000 yuan, and the exceeding part is prohibited. For the foreign exchange, there are no quantitative restrictions. However, if carrying foreign currencies in cash worth more than 5,000 US dollars, inward passengers shall declare to the Customs accurately. And the Customs will release it to the passengers on the departure upon the declaration made at the last entry.

(4). The items in the No.4, 5, 6, 7 and 8 clause of above will be dealt in accordance to the current regulations.

Customs Examination

The Customs will examine the personal articles carried by inward passengers and verify whether the Declaration Form is accurate or not, and if there are any prohibited goods. Then, according to the examination results and related regulations, the Customs will determine the levy, duty free, detention, withdrawal or release of the baggage.

Prohibited and Restricted Articles

In accordance with the law, the following articles are prohibited to bring into China.

1.Arms, simulation arms, ammunition and explosives of all kinds.

2.Counterfeited currencies and counterfeited negotiable securities.

3. Printing materials, films, photographs, records, cinematographic films, audio tapes, video tapes, laser disc, computer storage media and other articles which are detrimental to the political, economic, cultural and moral interests of China.

4.Deadly poison of all kinds.

5.Opium, morphine, heroin, marihuana and other narcotics and psychoactive drugs which cause addiction.

6.Fresh fruit, solanaceous vegetables, live animals (except dogs and cats), animal products, pathogens of animals and plants, pests and other harmful organism, carcasses, soil, transgenic organism materials, relevant animals and plants, their products and other objects from countries or regions with prevalent epidemic animal or plant diseases.

7.Foodstuff, medicine and other articles coming from epidemic stricken area or harmful to man and livestock or those which might spread disease.
Food, medicine or other articles which are harmful to the health of man and livestock, or coming from epidemic stricken area or spreading disease.

In accordance with the law, the following articles are restricted to bring into China.

1.Radio transceiver and communication security machines

2.Alcohol and tobacco

3.Endangered and rare animals, plants (including animal and plant specimen) and their seeds and propagation materials.

4.National currencies

5.Other articles restricted by the Customs

Related Tax Regulations

The imported articles which are limited to regulated quantity and only for personal use are duty free. For the imported self-use articles which excess the regulated quantity, however are limited to reasonable quantity, the owner shall pay import duty for the articles before releasing the imported articles. If the imported articles excess the reasonable self-use quantity, the articles will be taken as imported goods and related formalities shall be followed.

Table of Import Tax Rates on Personal Luggage of Passengers and Personal Postal Parcels

Tax File NumberTax Rate(%)Article Name
110books & papers, publications, movie films specially designed for education, slides, master piece tapes, videotapes, gold and silver and their products, computer, video camera, digital camera, camera, foods, beverages, and other products which are not included in No.2, 3 and 4 items of this table.
220textile and its products, television camera and other electrical appliances, bicycles, wrist watches, horologes(including parts and accessories)
330golf ball and golf clubs, luxury watches
450cigarette, alcohol and cosmetics

Important Notice:

1.In the Customs control area of entry and exit ports, cellphone, camera, video camera and video equipment shall not be used.

2.Printing Materials & Audiovisual Products

Printing materials less than 10 piece and audiovisual products less than 20 plates are free of duty each time for one passenger.

3.Cigarette & Alcohol

Except the above regulation of cigarette and alcohol, passengers under 16 are not allowed to bring cigarette and alcohol with them.

4.Pet Dog & Pet Cat

One passenger can only bring one pet dog or pet cat to China.

Passengers with pet dog or pet cat shall make declaration to the Customs when they enter into China. After receiving the declaration, the Customs will verify related quarantine certificate and rabies vaccination certificate issued by the official organization of exporting country (or region), then inform the port Animal and Plant Quarantine Agency and put the pet dog or pet cat into quarantine. The agency will issue an quarantine certificate to the passenger and the validity of the certificate is 30 days.

If passengers can’t provide the official quarantine certificate and rabies vaccination certificate issued by the official organization of the exporting county (or region) of their pet dog or pet cat, or one passenger bring more than one pet dog or pet cat, the Customs will inform the port Animal and Plant Quarantine Agency to temporarily detain the relaved pet dog or pet cat.

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Questions & Discussions

Following are latest questions and answers from our webusers and customers. You can learn many useful information from the discussion and cases. You can also join in the discussions or ask your own question. Our experts will help you ASAP.

Custom declaration in Beijing airport
I will visit my friends and my ralatives in Beijing and Wuhan. I will bring coffe bean and ground coffe, which is about 5kg for both of its. Should I pass the green channel or red channel??
2017-04-04 13:05
Hello Deeyan,

Since we don't know the price or the value of your coffee bean and ground coffee, so we are not sure which channel you should take. We suggest you ask the Customs officers for details or just choose the “Goods to Declare Channel” (Red Channel).

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