https://chinawandering.com/tags/customs/Recent content in Customs on China WanderingHugoen-us© 2024. Licensed under [CC BY 4.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)Wed, 15 Jul 2026 00:00:00 +0000https://chinawandering.com/posts/china-departure-tax-refund-guide/Wed, 15 Jul 2026 00:00:00 +0000https://chinawandering.com/posts/china-departure-tax-refund-guide/<h1 id="china-departure-tax-refund-same-store-same-day-200and-customs-before-you-fly">China Departure Tax Refund: Same Store, Same Day, ¥200—and Customs Before You Fly<a class="anchor" href="#china-departure-tax-refund-same-store-same-day-200and-customs-before-you-fly">#</a></h1> <p>China Haul content sells the empty suitcase. This chapter sells the boring half that actually gets you money back: <strong>departure tax refund (离境退税)</strong>—VAT on eligible goods bought at designated stores, claimed when you leave the Chinese mainland through a designated port.</p> <p>I’m not inventing success rates or forever fee tables. Numbers below follow the <a href="https://english.shanghai.gov.cn/en-Individuals-ShoppingandTaxRefund-Departuretaxrefund/20260813/469b30ac4ff348b8ac3a1259f0e12d23.html">Shanghai Municipal Tax Service guide for overseas visitors</a> (updated 18 Sep 2026 on that page) and the national threshold cut to ¥200. Airport counters and the form in your hand win if they disagree. For paying in malls, see <a href="https://chinawandering.com/posts/alipay-credit-card-binding-guide/">Alipay card binding</a> and <a href="https://chinawandering.com/posts/must-download-apps-china-self-guided-tours/">essential apps</a>. Online platforms are a different animal—<a href="https://chinawandering.com/posts/foreigners-china-online-shopping-delivery-guide/">Taobao / JD guide</a>—and usually <strong>not</strong> this airport VAT loop.</p>