Promulgation Authorities:  General Administration of Customs

Promulgation Date:  2018.11.23

Effective Date:  2018.11.23

Validity Status:  valid

Provisions on Declarations for Inbound and Outbound Inspection and Quarantine

Provisions on Declarations for Inbound and Outbound Inspection and Quarantine

（Promulgated on 17 December 1999 via State Administration for Entry and Exit Inspection and Quarantine of the People's Republic of China Order No. 16

Revised on 6 March 2018 pursuant to the Decision of General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine on Abolition and Revision of Certain Rules (General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine Order No. 196)

Revised on 28 April 2018 pursuant to the Decision of General Administration of Customs on Revision of Certain Rules  (General Administration of Customs Order No. 238)

Revised on 29 May 2018 pursuant to the Decision of the General Administration of Customs on Revision of Certain Rules (General Administration of Customs Order No. 240)

Revised on 23 November 2018 pursuant to the Decision of the General Administration of Customs on Revision of Certain Rules (General Administration of Customs Order No. 243)）

　　Chapter 1 General Principles

　　Chapter 2 Declaration Qualification

　　Chapter 3 Declaration for Inbound Inspection

　　Chapter 4 Declaration for Outbound Inspection

　　Chapter 5 Amendment to Inspection Declaration and Certificates

　　Chapter 6 Timeframe and Venue for Inspection Declaration

　　Chapter 7 Supplementary Provisions

Chapter 1 General Principles

Article 1    These Provisions are formulated pursuant to the Law of the People's Republic of China on Import and Export Commodity Inspection and its Implementation Regulations, the Law of the People's Republic of China on Quarantine of Inbound Animals and Plants and its Implementation Regulations, the Border Health and Quarantine Law of the People's Republic of China and its Implementation Regulations, the Food Hygiene Law of the People's Republic of China and related laws and regulations for the purposes of strengthening administration of declarations for inbound and outbound inspection and quarantine, and standardising declaration for inspection.

Article 2    These Provisions shall apply to handling of application/declaration for inbound and outbound inspection and quarantine pursuant to the provisions of laws and regulations.

Article 3    Scope of declaration for inspection

(1) The State laws and regulations stipulate that inspection and quarantine is required;

(2) The importing country or region stipulates that approval for embarkation is based on presentation of an inspection and quarantine certificate;

(3) The relevant international treaty stipulates that inspection and quarantine is required; and

(4) Application for issuance of certificate of origin and GSP certificate of origin.

Article 4    The declarant shall, at the time of declaration for inspection, complete a standard format declaration form, provide all documentary materials relating to inbound and outbound inspection and quarantine, and pay all inspection and quarantine fees pursuant to the provisions.

Article 5    The requirements for completion of a declaration form shall be as follows:

(1) A declarant shall fill in the information required on the declaration form; the form shall be completed in writing carefully and neatly in clear handwriting and without any alteration; the date of declaration shall be stated as per the date of acceptance by the Customs.

(2) The seal of the declarant shall be affixed on the declaration form.

Chapter 2 Declaration Qualification

Article 6    A declarant enterprise shall file record with the inspection and quarantine agency, the enterprise's declaration personnel whose records are filed with the inspection and quarantine agency shall handle the declaration formalities.

Article 7    For declarations made by an agent, a letter of authorisation shall be provided to the Customs; the letter of authorisation shall be completed by the entrusting party in the form stipulated by the Customs.

Article 8    In relation to declaration activities of a non-trade nature, the declarant may, relying on effective certificates, directly complete inspection and quarantine procedures.

Chapter 3 Declaration for Inbound Inspection

Article 9    A declarant for inbound inspection shall complete a declaration form for inbound goods, and provide relevant documents, such as contracts, receipts, and bills of lading, etc.

Article 10    An application for inbound inspection shall be handled pursuant to the provisions of   Article 9, and shall also comply with the following requirements.

(1) For goods subject to licensing administration implemented by the State, the relevant certification shall be provided.

(2) For quality inspection, the overseas quality certificate or quality assurance certificate, product manual and the relevant standards and technical materials shall also be provided; for transactions based on samples, the concluding samples shall be attached; for pricing and settlement based on grade or weight, an application for weight appraisal shall be made simultaneously.

(3) For declaration of inbound waste raw materials, the pre-loading inspection certificate shall be obtained; where the waste raw material falls under the restricted category, the import permit shall be provided. The Customs shall conduct system automatic comparison and verification for the electronic data of the import permit.

(4) Where an application for valuation of damage is made, the relevant proof documents on damage to the goods, such as damage tally sheet, railway business records, air transport accident records or maritime accident reports etc shall also be provided.

(5) For weight (quantity) appraisal, the weight breakdown, tally list etc shall also be provided.

(6) Where the goods are inspected by the consignee or the user or any other organisation, the inspection report or findings and the weight breakdown etc shall be attached.

(7) Inbound international tourists shall fill in a "Traveller Health Declaration Card" when there is a major epidemic in China or overseas.

(8) For inbound animals and plants and products thereof, the declarant shall, in addition to the trade contract, invoice, certificate of origin, provide the official quarantine certificate issued by the exporting country or region; where inbound quarantine examination and approval formalities are required, an inbound animal and plant quarantine permit shall also be obtained.

(9) At the time of application for transit inspection of animals and plants and products thereof, the waybill and the official quarantine certificate issued by the exporting country or region shall be presented; At the time of transporting and transiting animals through China, an animal and plant transit permit issued by the General Administration of Customs shall also be obtained.

(10) At the time of declaration for inbound inspection of transport vehicles and containers, the quarantine certificate shall be provided, and the health status of the relevant personnel shall be declared.

(11) For inbound passengers and transport staff traveling with a support animal , the inbound animal quarantine certificate and vaccination certificate shall be provided.

(12) Where prohibited items are required to be imported due to special needs such as scientific research etc, a special licence approval certificate issued by the General Administration of Customs shall be obtained.

(13) Importing special items into China shall provide the relevant approval document or stipulated document.

Chapter 4 Declaration for Outbound Inspection

Article 11    At the time of declaration for outbound inspection, a declaration form for outbound inspection shall be completed, the necessary documentation such as the foreign trade contract (sales confirmation letter or email), invoice, packing list etc shall be provided.

Article 12   A declaration for outbound inspection shall be handled pursuant to the provisions of Article 11 and shall also comply with the following requirements.

(1) For goods subject to licensing administration implemented by the State, the relevant certification shall be provided.

(2) Outbound goods shall have undergone and passed inspection by the manufacturer or business operator and be supported by an inspection clearance certificate or inspection report; an application for weight appraisal shall attach the weight breakdown or weight memo.

(3) For transactions based on samples, the samples confirmed by the seller and the buyer shall be provided.

(4) Outbound travellers shall apply to the Customs for an international traveller health certificate and an international vaccination certificate.

(5) At the time of declaration for outbound inspection of transport vehicles and containers, the quarantine certificate shall be provided, and the health status of the relevant personnel shall be declared.

(6) Enterprises manufacturing packaging containers of dangerous goods shall apply to the Customs for packaging container performance appraisal.

Enterprises manufacturing and exporting dangerous goods shall apply to the Customs for usage appraisal for packaging containers of dangerous goods.

(7) At the time of declaration for inspection of outbound dangerous goods, a "Performance and Usage Appraisal Outcome Statement for Packaging Containers of Dangerous Goods" shall be obtained.

(8) An applicant for certificate of origin and GSP certificate of origin shall provide materials such as commercial invoice etc.

(9) Exporting special items out of China shall provide the relevant approval document pursuant to the provisions of laws and regulations.

Chapter 5 Amendment to Inspection Declaration and Certificates

Article 13    Declarants applying to cancel their declaration shall state the reason in writing, and may only complete cancellation formalities upon approval.

Article 14    Where a declarant does not liaise on inspection quarantine matters within 30 days from application for declaration, the application shall be deemed as automatically cancelled.

Article 15    Under any of the following circumstances, the declarant shall make a new declaration:

(1) The validity period for inspection quarantine has expired;

(2) there is change of importing country or region, and there are different inspection and quarantine requirements; or

(3) The packaging is modified or the goods are re-arranged in different packages; or

(4) The declaration is cancelled.

Article 16    Declarants applying to amend their declaration shall complete an application form for amendment, attach the relevant proof documents such as correspondence etc, and return the original documents, and may only complete amendment formalities upon approval.

Where the amendment will result in inconsistency between key information such as product description, quantity (weight), inspection quarantine outcome, packaging, consignor, consignee etc, and the contract and letter of credit after the amendment, or result in non-compliance with the provisions of the laws and regulations of the exporting or importing country or region, the amendment shall not be made.

Chapter 6 Timeframe and Venue for Inspection Declaration

Article 17    For inbound cargo, declaration for inspection shall be made with the Customs at the port of entry, the designated port or the arrival port before arrival or at the time of arrival; inbound transport vehicles and travellers shall make declaration before disembarkation or at the time of disembarkation.

Article 18    Where a declarant for inbound cargo needs to make a claim against an overseas party, the declaration shall be made with the Customs at the arrival port or place of arrival, no less than 20 days before expiry of the validity period for making the claim.

Article 19    Importing micro-organisms, human tissues, biological products, blood and its products or breeding stock, poultry and semen, embryos and fertilised eggs into China shall make an inspection declaration 30 days before disembarkation.

Article 20    Importing other animals into China shall make a declaration 15 days before disembarkation.

Article 21   Importing plants, seeds, seedlings and other reproductive materials into China shall make a declaration 7 days before disembarkation.

Article 22    A declaration for inspection of outbound cargo shall be made at least 7 days before Customs declaration or loading, and the corresponding inspection and quarantine period shall be arranged for cargo with relatively longer inspection quarantine cycle.

Article 23    Outbound transport vehicles and travellers shall complete inspection and declaration with the Customs at the port prior to embarkation.

Article 24    For outbound animals which are required to be isolated and quarantined, a pre-declaration shall be made 60 days before embarkation, and a declaration shall be made 7 days before the isolation.

Article 25    Where a declarant has special requirements pertaining to the inspection quarantine certificate, this shall be stated on the inspection declaration form and the relevant documents shall be attached.

Chapter 7 Supplementary Provisions

Article 26    Declarant organisations and declarants guilty of forgery, sale and purchase, alteration, misuse of Customs certificate or seal shall be punished pursuant to the relevant laws and regulations.

Article 27    Judicial appraisal, inspection and appraisal entrusted by administrative agencies and other entrusting parties shall be handled with reference to these Provisions.

Article 28   The General Administration of Customs shall be responsible for interpretation of these Provisions.

Article 29    These Provisions shall be implemented with effect from 1 January 2000. The Regulations on Declarations for Import and Export Commodities Inspection issued by the State Commodity Inspection Bureau and the Notice on the Implementation of the Declaration System Relating to Inbound Containers and Goods issued by the former State Health and Quarantine Bureau shall be repealed simultaneously.