Promulgation Authorities:  General Administration of Customs

Promulgation Date:  2010.11.26

Effective Date:  2010.11.26

Validity Status:  valid

Customs Regulations of PRC Concerning the Control over Passing Travellers' Luggage and Articles (Amended in 2010)

Customs Regulations of PRC Concerning the Control over Passing Travellers' Luggage and Articles (Amended in 2010)

Article 1    The present regulations are formulated on the basis of the Customs Law of the People's Republic of China and the Customs Regulations of the People's Republic of China Concerning the Supervision and Control over Luggage and Article of Incoming and Outgoing Passengers.

Article 2    For the purpose of the present regulations, the term "passing Travellers" means passengers who come from a place outside the territory and pass through the territory en route to a place outside the territory with valid passing visa (or with valid passport for passengers come from countries which are mutually visa-free with our country); and incoming passengers who do not leave the Customs surveillance zone or not leave the means of transport under the Customs control before leaving the territory.

Article 3    Passing travellers, who do not leave the Customs surveillance zone or not leave the means of transport under the Customs control at the port of entry may be exempted from filling the "Declaration Form for Passengers' Luggage". The Customs shall not examine the luggage of these passengers except those Customs deemed necessary for an inspection.

Article 4    Luggage carried by passing travellers who leave the Customs surveillance zone during the passing period shall be limited as their travelling necessities and be dealt with in accordance with Customs regulations on luggage for inward and outward short term passengers of non-residents, those belong to the Category III in the Classification List of Luggage and Articles of Passengers, shall be released with temporary duty-exemption after being verified and noted by the Customs with in the regulated scope, and the travelling passengers shall take back these luggage and articles when they leave the territory. Luggage and articles beyond the regulated scope shall not be permitted in, except for those to be dealt with according to Article 5 of the present regulations.

Article 5    Articles carried by travelling passengers beyond the releasing scope prescribed in Article 4 of the present regulations shall be undertaken by the Customs approved or appointed company engaged in declaration and transportation which entrusted by the passengers, and the company shall complete the formalities of Customs transit goods for these articles, otherwise the articles shall not be permitted in.

Article 6    Except for those release by the special approval of the Customs General Administration with duty-payment or guarantee, articles not permitted in shall be taken back and cleared with related Customs formalities by the owner of the article within 3 months from the day which the articles are declared for entering the territory. Those do not complete with the above-mentioned formalities within the prescribed time-limit shall be dealt with in accordance with Article 33 of the Customs Law of the People's Republic of China.

Article 7    Transit articles approved by the Customs and travelling necessities with temporary duty-exemption after Customs registration shall not be left within the territory without the Customs authorization. Article unable to be taken back by reasons of lost, stolen or force majeure shall be provided with approving documents issued by the public security office and the person concerned shall go through the Customs clearance procedures. Those without approving documents shall have the duties paid.

Article 8    No passing traveller is allowed to take articles listed in the List of Articles Prohibited by the People's Republic of China from Entering or Leaving the Territory no matter he leaves the Customs surveillance zone or not.

Article 9    Any activity of the passing travellers in violation of the present regulations shall be punished in accordance with the Customs Law of the People's Republic of China and the Regulations for Imposing Administrative Penalties under the Customs Law of the People's Republic of China.

Article 10    The present regulations shall be put into effect as of September 10, 1991.