01 Please choose the right channel

The Customs Service adopts a dual customs clearance system which involves two channels, the Red Channel “Goods to Declare,” and the Green Channel “Nothing to Declare”.

The inward and outward passengers who have nothing to declare are not required to complete China Customs Baggage Declaration for Outward Passengers or China Customs Baggage Declaration for Inward Passengers (hereinafter referred to as Declaration Form), and shall choose the “Nothing to Declare Channel” (Green Channel).

All inward and outward passengers carrying articles to declare, except those who are exempted from examination or control in accordance with relevant regulations and those under the age of 16 traveling with adults, shall complete the Declaration Form, declare to the Customs in written form, and shall choose the “Goods to Declare Channel” (Red Channel). Passengers who are not certain about the above instructions shall voluntarily choose the “Goods to Declare Channel” (Red Channel) and make a written declaration at the customs counter, as any other form of declaration, made in any other manner, and at any other time and place, will not be recognized as a valid declaration.

All inward and outward passengers holding diplomatic, courtesy visas issued by administrative departments of China shall take the initiative to show their valid certificates to the Customs, so that they may be exempt from the inspection.

02 The list of declarable articles

Fundamental Principle:

Personal articles carried by international passengers shall be limited to personal use only and subject to reasonable quantity control. The exceeding part or amount above the limitation set by the Customs shall be declared truthfully to the Customs.

Declarable articles carried by inward passengers:

Inward passengers carrying any following articles shall truthfully fill in the Declaration Form, show the articles to Customs for inspection, and conduct related formalities:

1) Animals and plants, animal and plant products, microbes, biological products, human tissues, blood and blood products;

2) Personal articles from overseas, valued at RMB 5,000 or above, carried by Chinese residents;

3) Personal articles intended to remain in the territory, valued at RMB 2,000 or above, carried by non-Chinese residents;

4) 1,500 ml or above of alcoholic drinks (containing 12% or above alcoholic content); 400 sticks or above of cigarettes; 100 sticks or above of cigars; 500 g or above of tobacco;

5) RMB 20,000 cash or above, or any other foreign currencies in cash equivalent to USD 5,000 or above;

6) Separately transported baggage, goods, samples of goods, advertisements;

7) Other articles to be declared to the Customs.

Declarable articles carried by outward passengers:

Outward passengers carrying any of the following articles shall truthfully fill in the Declaration Form, show the articles to Customs for inspection, and conduct related formalities:

1) Cultural relics, endangered animals or plants and products thereof, biological species resources, and precious metals including gold and silver;

2) Camera, video camera, laptop computer, or other trip necessities valued each at over RMB 5,000, and intended to be brought back at the end of the trip;

3) RMB 20,000 cash or above, or any other foreign currencies in cash equivalent to USD 5,000 or above;

4) Goods of commercial value, samples, and advertisements;

5) Other articles to be declared to the Customs.

03 Prohibited Articles

If carrying articles listed among the PRC List of Prohibited Items for Import and Export, the Customs Service will confiscate such articles, order passengers to return such articles or destroy such articles under the supervision of the Customs. In serious cases, the passenger shall be penalized in accordance with the law for his/her criminal responsibility.

Articles Prohibited from Importation:

1) Arms, imitation arms, ammunition, and explosives of all kinds;

2) Counterfeit currencies and counterfeit negotiable securities;

3) Printed matter, films, photographs, gramophone records, cinematographic films, loaded recording tapes, video tapes, compact discs (video and audio) , storage media for computers, and other articles which are detrimental to the political, economic, cultural, and moral interests of the People’s Republic of China;

4) Deadly poison of all kinds;

5) Opium, morphine, heroin, marihuana, and other addictive drugs and psychotropic substances;

6) Fruits, Solanaceae vegetables, live animals (except dogs and cats as pets), animal products, pathogenic microorganisms of animals and plants, pests and other harmful organisms, animal carcasses, soil, genetically modified organisms, relevant animals and plants, their products and other objects subject to quarantine from countries or regions with prevalent epidemic animal or plant diseases;

7) Foodstuff, medicine, and other articles coming from epidemic-stricken areas or harmful to humans and livestock or those which might spread disease.

Articles Prohibited from Exportation:

1) All articles enumerated as articles prohibited from Importation;

2) Handwriting documents, printed matter, films, photographs, gramophone records, cinematographic films, loaded recording tapes and video tapes, compact discs (video and audio), storage media for computers, and other articles that involve state secrets;

3) Valuable cultural relics and other relics prohibited from Exportation;

4) Endangered and precious rare animals and plants (including their specimens), their seeds, and reproducing materials.

Information Related to Outward Pet

Please search for relevant regulations on the official websites of the inspection and quarantine department and the Customs in the destination country, contact the pet relocation service provider in the destination country, or consult the Chinese embassy at the destination country about needed relocation formalities, documents (for example, the official inspection and quarantine certificate) and fees.

Articles prohibited from being carried into China and articles allowed entry but were subject to mandatory declaration to the inspection and quarantine department

Articles Prohibited from Being Carried into China:

1) Blood and blood products;

2) Fruits, peppers, eggplants, and tomatoes;

3) Animal carcasses and animal specimens;

4) Soil;

5) Pathogenic microorganisms of animals and plants, pests, and other harmful organisms;

6) Live animals (except cats and dogs as pets) and genetic materials including semen, zygotes, and embryos;

7) Eggs, raw hides and skin, hair, hooves, bones, horns, fat and grease, animal meat (including viscera) and its products, fresh milk, cheese, butter, cream, whey powder, chrysalis, silkworm eggs, animal blood and its products, and aquatic animal products;

8) Genetically modified organisms;

9) Waste and used clothes.

If you carry any of the above-mentioned objects, please hand them over to the inspection and quarantine officials or dispose of them in the quarantine bin.

Objects Allowed Entry Subject to Mandatory Declaration:

1) Seeds, nursery stocks and other propagation materials, tobacco leaves, cereals, and beans. All these require a pre-entry quarantine permit;

2) Fresh flowers, cut flowers, and dried flowers;

3) Plant samples, exhibits, and specimens;

4) Nuts, dried vegetables, pickled vegetables and frozen vegetables;

5) Bamboo, rattan, willow, straw, and wooden handcrafts;

6) Cats and dogs (companion animals). Each passenger is allowed to carry only one pet with a rabies vaccination certificate and animal quarantine certificate issued by the competent quarantine authorities of the departing country or region. Pets are required to be quarantined in the designated area by the quarantine authorities for 30 days upon entry.

7) Human blood and its products, micro-organisms, human tissues and bio-products with special permit.

Regulations on Exit and Entry of Chinese Citizens

Chinese citizens bound for other countries or regions shall submit their passports or other travel documents to the frontier inspection agency for verification, complete the prescribed procedures, and obtain permission before leaving or entering the country.

Chinese Mainland residents bound for the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region and the Macao Special Administrative Region shall hold the Exit-Entry Permit for Travelling to and from Hong Kong and Macao and valid visas.

Chinese Mainland residents bound for Taiwan region shall hold Taiwan Travel Permit for Mainland Residents and valid visas. (The Chinese Mainland residents who hold Group L visas to Taiwan shall exit and enter with the tourist group.)

Exit and Entry of Hong Kong and Macao Residents: Hong Kong and Macao residents shall hold valid Mainland Travel Permits for Hong Kong and Macao Residents to handle the frontier inspection procedures.

Exit and Entry of Taiwan Residents: Taiwan residents shall hold valid Mainland Travel Permits for Taiwan Residents to handle the frontier inspection procedures.

Regulations on Exit and Entry of Foreigners

Inward foreign passengers shall present their passports or other international travel documents, visas, or other entry permits to the frontier inspection agency, and are permitted to enter the country after fulfilling the required procedures and passing inspection.

Outward foreign passengers shall present their passports or other international travel documents to the frontier inspection agency, and are permitted to leave the country after fulfilling the required procedures and passing inspection.

Foreign passengers are required to fill out the foreigner entry card in accordance with regulations, provide biometric information, and complete the entry frontier inspection procedures. After that, the frontier inspection agency will collect the foreigner entry card. Foreigners entering China with a group visa do not need to fill out the foreigner entry card.

Regulations on entry and exit of firearms and ammunition

Passengers carrying firearms and ammunition shall apply for approval from the authority in advance, report faithfully to the frontier inspection station, and handle relevant inspection procedures.

Passengers who stay in China beyond the prescribed time limit or need to separate from the tourist group after entry for special reasons shall go through relevant procedures with the exit and entry administration authority of the public security organ of the local people’s government before exiting the country.

Passengers who lose their passports in China after entry shall apply for a new passport from the embassy (consulate) of the mother country in China and go through relevant procedures with the exit and entry administration authority of the public security organ of the local people’s government before exiting the country.

With the approval of the State Council, the National Immigration Administration decided to resume the Visa-Free Entry Policy for tourists from 59 countries in Hainan Province. The list of 59 countries includes Russia, the UK, France, Germany, Norway, Ukraine, Italy, Austria, Finland, Holland, Denmark, Switzerland, Sweden, Spain, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Ireland, Cyprus, Bulgaria, Romania, Serbia, Croatia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Montenegro, Macedonia, Albania, the United States, Canada, Brazil, Mexico, Argentina, Chile, Australia, New Zealand, South Korea, Japan, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Kazakhstan, Philippines, Indonesia, Brunei, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Monaco, and Belarus. Travelers from the 59 visa-free entry eligible countries to Hainan with ordinary passports will be received by the Hainan travel agency and shall handle the visa-free entry procedure at the ports in Hainan. The maximum length of stay for visa-free travelers in Hainan is 30 days.

Travelers can apply for China visa on arrival:

In case of emergencies or humanitarian reasons requiring urgent entry, passengers shall present relevant proof materials from the competent authorities and can apply for the corresponding visa from the visa-granting agencies at entry ports. 

Compatriots from Hong Kong and Macao may apply for a People’s Republic of China Entry and Exit Permit at the ports in Hainan Island, and Compatriots from Taiwan may directly apply for a Travel Certificate for Compatriots from Taiwan (One-Time Valid).