For a departure tax refund in China, shop at a participating store, have the purchase recorded against your passport, and complete the required departure procedure before leaving. Keep eligible goods unused and accessible. A refund received in town can still require final checks at your departure port.
Choose the object before thinking about the refund
A piece of tea ware, a textile or a book can hold a particular memory of a place. Start with the thing you want to bring home: who made it, what it is made from, how you will carry it and whether you can use it there. A tax refund is a separate question.
Before buying something expensive or difficult to transport, confirm the currency, total price, return terms and the seller's description in writing. For a specialist piece, ask for an itemized receipt and a record of its maker or origin, where relevant. Do not rely on a verbal claim that an antique, wildlife product or plant material can be exported.
For payment setup and a backup if a card is declined, use our payment guide. Keep the receipt after the transaction.
Check whether the purchase qualifies
This is a refund of value-added tax (VAT) included in eligible goods, rather than a discount automatically applied at the till.
The departure refund concerns eligible goods from designated stores. It is not a refund for the hotel, restaurant bill or every purchase made during your trip.
| Check | What it means for your purchase |
|---|---|
| Store and spend | At least RMB 200 spent by the same overseas visitor, at the same participating store, on the same day. |
| Timing | Departure within 90 days of purchase, with a mainland stay of no more than 183 consecutive days before departure. |
| Condition of goods | Eligible goods must remain unused and unconsumed. |
| Taking them out | You carry the goods yourself or in your accompanying checked baggage through an eligible departure port. |
Before paying, ask staff whether the specific item and your intended departure route qualify. A refund sign does not answer every product or route question. If the purchase will be shipped separately, check its treatment before assuming it meets the traveller refund conditions.
Have the store record the purchase correctly
- Ask for the departure refund service. Show the passport you will use to leave China and check the spelling and document number.
- Request the sales invoice and refund application record. Ask whether the store issues paper documents, a digital record or both. Keep the invoice and any reference or confirmation.
- Check the figures before leaving. Confirm which goods qualify, the invoice amount, the expected net refund and any handling fee. The headline VAT rate is not the amount you necessarily receive.
- Keep the goods ready for departure. Preserve packaging where useful and avoid using or consuming an item you intend to claim for.
What might come back?
In the current Shanghai guidance, the applicable refund rate is 11% or 8%, with a 2% handling fee deducted. For example, an eligible RMB 1,000 purchase at the 11% refund rate gives RMB 90 back: 1,000 × (11% − 2%). Ask the shop which rate applies; the verified claim determines the final amount.
A useful question at the shop
Can you arrange a departure tax refund for this purchase?
这笔购物可以办理离境退税吗？
Then show your passport and confirm your departure port and date with staff.
Finish the departure checks before leaving China
Find the refund and customs service locations for your actual departure terminal before travel. Leave time beyond ordinary check-in. Keep the goods accessible and ask staff whether customs verification must be completed before the relevant bag is checked.
From July 2026, the national process includes online document verification and selective physical inspection for smaller claims involving goods valued under RMB 10,000. Follow the current instructions at your port: a physical inspection is not required for every such claim, but goods selected for inspection must be available.
Shanghai Pudong example: self-service enquiry kiosks let visitors check whether their purchases need customs inspection. Follow the result and staff instructions for your claim.
After the required customs verification, complete the authorized refund agency's procedure and check the payment details. Keep supporting documents even where the agency retrieves the record electronically. Departure refunds cannot be claimed after you have left China.
If you fly domestically before the international leg, ask where the refund formalities take place and whether your bags remain accessible there. The domestic flights guide covers connections and baggage questions.
An instant refund still has conditions
Some participating stores or service points offer a refund upon purchase. You sign an agreement and provide a credit-card pre-authorization: a temporary hold used as a guarantee. Receiving the advance does not finish the departure process.
Read the promised departure date, eligible port, verification steps and circumstances in which the advance can be recovered. The current instant-refund departure window is up to 28 days, subject to the arrangement's conditions. A changed route or later departure needs an answer from the service provider. Do not assume that receiving money into a wallet removes these obligations.
Check the border at the other end too
China's departure refund does not settle your home country's import duty, tax or declaration requirements. Check the rules for your country of return and anything you transit through, especially for food, tea ingredients, plants, animal products and cultural objects.
For a fragile item, allow room in the bag and ask how it should be packed. For liquids and batteries, check the packing and transport rules. Keep the purchase invoice and refund record together so you can explain what you bought and what you paid.
Before you move on
Questions you may still have
What is the minimum purchase for a departure tax refund?
The basic threshold is RMB 200 spent by the same overseas visitor at the same participating store on the same day. Other conditions still apply.
Does every refund require a physical goods inspection?
Follow the current departure-port procedure. From July 2026, smaller claims involving goods valued under RMB 10,000 are subject to selective inspection. Keep the goods accessible if selected.
Is an instant refund complete when the shop pays me?
No. Read the agreement and complete the required departure checks and settlement. The advance can be recovered if its conditions are not met.