News from China Inspection and Quarantine Times: On April 27, the State Council Information Office held a press conference. Relevant officials from six departments, including the Ministry of Commerce and the GACC, introduced the optimization of the departure tax refund policy and measures to expand inbound consumption.
Customs verification of departure tax refund items at the port is a crucial step for overseas travelers in completing their departure tax refund procedures. When travelers undergo verification for their departure tax refund procedures at the exit port, they are required to present to customs the items eligible for tax refund, the departure shopping tax refund application form, the sales invoice for the refundable items, and their valid personal identification document. During the specific verification process, customs will also examine the tax refund items and supporting documents submitted by travelers. In this regard, Xia Jun, Director of the Port Supervision Department of the General Administration of Customs (GACC), reminded overseas travelers to focus on three key aspects. First, departure tax refund items must be personally carried or checked in by the traveler when exiting the country. When processing the relevant procedures, customs officials will verify whether the outbound traveler’s valid identification matches the information of the shopper listed on the tax refund application form. Secondly, during the physical inspection process, if the tax refund items presented by the traveler match those listed on the application form, customs will confirm and stamp the form. If there is a discrepancy between the number of items presented and the quantity listed, customs will confirm based on the actual quantity and stamp accordingly, which the traveler can then use as proof to complete the tax refund formalities. Third, the tax refund items subject to verification must remain unused or unconsumed. When international travelers present these items to customs upon departure, customs will inspect their usage status.
Xia Jun stated that the Customs has consistently proactively implemented the State Council’s work directives regarding tax refund policies for outbound travelers. It has formulated regulatory measures for customs oversight of departure tax refund operations and offers streamlined services to international passengers undergoing tax refund verification procedures at departure ports. To further enhance the efficiency of tax refund verification procedures, this policy adjustment explicitly encourages eligible regions to package and label tax refund items with QR codes. When verifying sealed items, Customs can scan the QR code to retrieve relevant departure tax refund information. Upon confirming that the tax refund items are intact and properly sealed, physical verification can be completed swiftly. This approach will significantly reduce on-site verification time, making it more convenient and efficient for travelers to process tax refunds at ports. In the next step, the General Administration of Customs (GACC) will continue to enhance coordination and cooperation with relevant departments. By optimizing processing procedures and adding guidance signage at ports, among other measures, it aims to provide greater convenience for international travelers and ensure the swift and effective implementation of the new policy on tax refunds for departing passengers. (Guan Wen)
Disclaimer：The above content is translated from Chinese version of China Inspection and Quarantine Times. The China Inspection and Quarantine Times version shall prevail.