Promulgation Authorities:  General Administration of Customs

Promulgation Date:  2010.11.26

Effective Date:  2010.11.26

Validity Status:  valid

Regulations of the Customs of the People's Republic of China on the Clearance of Inbound and Outbound Passengers (Revision 2010)

Regulations of the Customs of the People's Republic of China on the Clearance of Inbound and Outbound Passengers

Article 1    These Regulations are formulated in accordance with the Customs Law of the People's Republic of China and other relevant regulations and rules.

Article 2    For the purpose of these Regulations, the term "Customs clearance" refers to the inspection and release formalities such as the making of declarations to Customs by inbound and outbound passengers, the inspection of baggage and articles by the Customs in accordance with the law, and the levying or exemption of duty on inbound and outbound articles by the Customs in accordance with the law, or other relevant Customs supervision and control formalities.

For the purposes of these Regulations, the term "declaration" refers to the written statement which inbound or outbound passengers submit to the Customs, in performance of the obligations prescribed in the Customs laws and regulations of the People's Republic of China, concerning the actual condition of baggage and articles they carry or ship into and out of China.

Article 3    A passenger entering or departing China who is required to carry out declaration formalities with the Customs pursuant to relevant regulations when passing through the Customs must first submit a " Declaration Form of the Customs of the People's Republic of China for Baggage and Articles Carried by Inbound/Outbound Passengers" or other stipulated Customs declaration forms to the Customs at the declaration desk to truthfully declare the baggage and articles he or she carries in or out of China.

Statements made by inbound and outbound passengers on the state of baggage and articles they carry or ship, in a manner or at a time or place other than those specified above will not be recognized as declarations by the Customs.

Article 4    Declaration formalities must be handled by inbound and outbound passengers with the Customs on declaration forms completed by the passengers themselves. When a passenger entrusts others to handle declaration formalities, the declaration forms must be signed by the passenger himself or herself. Those who are entrusted to handle the declaration formalities must observe the relevant provisions of these Regulations which apply to the entrusting passenger and bear corresponding legal liability.

Article 5    When making a declaration with the Customs, an inbound or outbound passenger must present a valid travel document and a certificate of identity. The passenger must also submit for examination the relevant permits for relevant articles carried in or out of China as issued by the relevant competent authorities of the People's Republic of China, commercial documents and other necessary papers.

Article 6    The special declaration document which has been handled, signed and stamped by Customs and received by the passenger concerned must be kept properly by the passenger within the term of validity of the document or within the time limit of Customs supervision and control. These documents must be voluntarily presented by the passenger concerned when applying to collect a separate shipment of baggage and articles or purchasing dutiable or duty-free commodities with foreign exchange or handling other relevant formalities.

Article 7    At the Customs surveillance area, the Customs will establish special declaration desks at the Customs channels for passengers to complete the formalities for declaration of inbound or outbound articles.

At the Customs surveillance area which has established a dual channel system with the approval of the General Administration of Customs of the People's Republic of China, the Customs will establish a "Goods to Declare" channel (also known as a "Red" channel) and a "Nothing to Declare" channel (also known as a "Green" channel) provided for selection, pursuant to these Regulations, by passengers entering or departing China.

Article 8    The following inbound passengers must make declarations to the Customs and submit declaration forms to Customs offices so that the formalities for inbound articles may be handled:

(1) passengers who carry articles which are subject to Customs duty or duty-free allowance and are listed in the second, third and fourth categories of the "Classification Table of Baggage and Articles carried by Passengers Entering or Departing China" (not including cigarettes and wines within a duty-free allowance);

(2) non-resident passengers and resident passengers with re-entry visas to their countries (or regions) of destination who carry more than one of each of the following travel items for personal use: camera, portable tape-recorder, mini-movie camera, portable video camera and lap-top word processor;

(3) passengers who carry more than 6,000 yuan in cash or more than 50 grams of gold and silver or gold and silver products;

(4) non-resident passengers who carry cash in foreign currencies equivalent to more than 5,000 US dollars;

(5) resident passengers who carry cash in foreign currencies equivalent to more than 1,000 US dollars;

(6) passengers who carry goods, samples and articles which exceed the limit for baggage and articles for personal use; and

(7) passengers who carry animals or plants or their derivative products which are restricted under the provisions of China's quarantine laws and regulations or who carry other articles which are required to go through Customs inspection and release formalities.

Article 9    The following departing passengers must make declarations to the Customs and submit declaration forms to the Customs so that the formalities for outbound articles may be handled:

(1) passengers who carry the following travel items for personal use which must be subsequently brought back into China: camera, portable tape-recorder, mini-movie camera, portable video camera and lap-top word processor;

(2) passengers who fail to take out the original goods which were to be taken abroad again or who fail to complete the Customs formalities for articles which have been brought into China for a temporary duty-free period;

(3) passengers who carry foreign currency, gold and silver and gold and silver products for which the relevant exit permits have not been obtained or which exceed the quantities declared at the time of entry;

(4) passengers who carry more than 6,000 yuan in cash;

(5) passengers who carry antiques;

(6) passengers who carry goods and samples;

(7) passengers who carry articles in excess of the value, quantity or other limits stipulated by the Customs; and

(8) passengers who carry animals, plants or their derivative products which are restricted under the provisions of China's quarantine laws and regulations or who carry other articles which are required to go through Customs clearance formalities.

Article 10    At the Customs surveillance area which implements the dual channel system, those passengers who are specified in Article 8 and 9 of these Regulations must select the "Goods to Declare" channel to pass through the Customs.

Article 11    Passengers who do not understand the Customs regulations or who are unsure as to how to select the correct channel must select the "Goods to Declare" channel to go through the declaration formalities with the Customs.

Article 12    Passengers other than those specified in Articles 8, 9 and 11 of these Regulations need not go through the declaration formalities with the Customs and may select the "Nothing to Declare" channel for entry or exit at the Customs surveillance area which implements the dual channel system.

Article 13    Non-resident passengers who hold diplomatic or courtesy reception visas granted by the competent departments of the People's Republic of China, and other passengers to whom Customs has granted courtesy reception for exemption from Customs inspection must, when going through Customs, show their passports (or other valid entry or exit papers) and certificates of identity to the Customs.

Article 14    These Regulations and other supplementary regulations for the implementation of these Regulations which have been promulgated by relevant Customs as authorized by the General Administration of Customs of the People's Republic of China must be observed by all passengers entering or departing China.

Article 15    Passengers entering or departing China who carry articles or goods and who fail to go through declaration formalities with the Customs pursuant to relevant regulations and those passengers specified in Article 8, 9 and 11 of these Regulations who fail to select the correct channel, in accordance with relevant regulations, to pass through the Customs will be dealt with by the Customs in accordance with the relevant provisions of the Customs Law of the People's Republic of China and the Implementation Regulations of the Customs of the People's Republic of China on Administrative Penalties a.

Article 16    These Regulations will take effect from 1 January 1996.