Last reviewed October 2026 · Sources: National Immigration Administration, General Administration of Customs

Arrival card, customs and cash

Three pieces of paperwork decide how smoothly you get through your first hour in China: the arrival card, the customs declaration, and — if you are carrying equipment — the temporary import paperwork for your gear.

1. The foreign arrival card

Every arriving foreign national completes an arrival card. Since 20 November 2025 you can fill it in online before you fly through:

• the National Immigration Administration website or government service platform
• the "12367" immigration app
• WeChat or Alipay mini-programmes
• scanning the arrival-card QR code at the port

Paper cards remain available at the port. Travellers making a direct 24-hour transit without leaving the port's restricted area are exempt from the declaration.

2. Customs declaration

On arrival you pass through customs with your luggage. Two channels: nothing to declare (green) and goods to declare (red). You must declare if you are carrying:

• Cash above the thresholds (see below)
• Goods subject to duty — notably items clearly beyond personal use, such as multiple units of the same product, commercial samples of value, or professional equipment
• Restricted or prohibited items — the standard international list (weapons, drugs, certain publications and media, fresh agricultural products, and so on)

Cash thresholds

Declare if you carry more than RMB 20,000 in cash, or foreign currency cash exceeding the equivalent of USD 5,000. When in doubt, declare — undeclared cash above the limit is far more trouble than the declaration itself.

In practice, very little of this matters for most business travellers: China runs largely on mobile payment, and you will mainly need cash for taxis and small vendors. See apps, SIM & payments.

3. Bringing samples and exhibition equipment

If you are bringing commercial samples, demonstration units, or professional equipment (camera gear, measuring instruments, trade-show stand materials), do not simply walk them through as personal luggage.

• ATA Carnet — the international customs document that allows temporary duty-free import of professional equipment, samples and exhibition goods, and their re-export. Issued by your national chamber of commerce / guaranteeing association; handled in China by the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT). Start the application several weeks before travel — it is not a same-week document.
• Temporary import declaration — the alternative route if you do not hold a carnet: declare the items on arrival, keep the declaration form, and present it when you leave. Lose the form and re-export becomes a painful conversation.
• Commercial samples of low value — a handful of small samples in a suitcase is normally fine, but keep them itemised and keep invoices handy in case of questions.

4. On the way out

• Departure tax refund is available to eligible overseas visitors on purchases made at participating tax-refund stores, subject to a minimum spend and presentation of goods, receipts and passport at the departure port. Thresholds and procedures change — confirm the current rules with the store and on official customs channels at the time of purchase.
• Re-export any temporarily imported equipment against the paperwork you were given on arrival.
• Allow extra time: refund counters and customs re-export checks both queue.