International destination listing

When an item is restricted, it means that special provisions must be met before the item will be released from customs and allowed to enter the destination. These special provisions may include, but are not limited to, a:

• Certificate
• License
• Form
• Certification of disinfection

As a sender, you should determine import restrictions from the country's authorities before posting:

Personal items

Items for genuine personal use to the value of 100 yuan per item and 800 yuan per addressee family per year, subject to payment of customs duties are admitted. Other restrictions are:

• 1 electronic pocket calculator per year
• 5 magnetic cassette tapes
• 10 metres of cotton or synthetic cloth not wider than 130 cm
• 100 philatelic stamps
• 40 yuan of medicines or materials used in Chinese medicines
• alcohol liquors and articles containing alcohol
• bees, leaches and silkworms
• baby formula
• cereal products
• endangered plants and species
• fish and crustaceans
• flies of the family Drosophilidae
• fruits and nuts
• live plants
• military weapons
• organic chemicals
• pharmaceutical products
• radio reception equipment, transmission equipment and coding equipment
• renminbi (national currency)
• rice without husk, milled or unmilled
• rough diamonds
• transmission apparatus
• watch cases of base metal, whether or not gold or silver plated
• watch straps, bands and bracelets
• watches with case of precious metals or metal clad with precious metals
• wildlife controlled by CITES and health restrictions
• wine.

Gifts

Gift shipments are acceptable. Duties and taxes will be assessed.

Foodstuffs

Food processing product require an examination by the Department of Health.

Infant formula and dairy products require certification by the China Certification & Accreditation Administration (CNCA).

Prohibited items

When an item is prohibited from importation, it means the item isn’t allowed to enter the international destination. If the item does enter the destination, customs will most likely seize and destroy it. Only in some instances do customs return prohibited items to the sender.

As well as items considered non-mailable matter, the following items are prohibited:

• addictive narcotics and poisons
• animal carcasses
• animals and/or plants and their products carrying dangerous viruses, bacteria and injurious insects
• articles infringing upon intellectual property rights; and counterfeit and shoddy products
• banned chemicals as listed in the List of Toxic Chemicals Banned or Severely Restricted in the P.R.C. (The First Group) published by the State Environmental Protection Agency (SEPA)
• biological and chemical products; contagious and infectious substances such as germ, anthrax, parasite, excreta, medical waste, skeleton, animal organ, limb, hide not tanned, animal bone not medicated, etc
• carcasses of any animal
• chinese securities
• clothing or bed linen, used
• coins, bank notes, currency notes, securities
• controlled knives
• corrosive substances
• cubilose
• dairy products
• deadly poisons
• drugs and drug paraphernalia
• documents, files and other articles that involve state secrets
• drugs and drug paraphernalia; narcotic drugs and psychotropic drugs not being used for legitimate purposes; and precursor chemicals not being used for legitimate purposes
• egg and egg products
• electronic smoking devices, associated substances and products
• espionage equipment
• explosives
• endangered wild animals and their products; including ivory, tiger bone, rhinoceros horn, etc
• fans, electric
• fat and grease, hides, hair, hooves, bones, and horns
• firearms and guns
• flammable liquids and solids
• food, medicine and other commodities which are harmful to the health of humans and animals and/or from epidemic infected areas
• food, unclean or from regions affected by epidemic diseases
• fresh pork and all by-products
• fruits and vegetables
• genetically modified biomaterials
• illegally forged or counterfeit articles
• genetically modified matter
• herbal cigarettes
• illegally forged articles
• items marked "Made in ROC" (Republic of China). The label "Made in Taiwan" is acceptable.
• ivory
• imitation of envelope, wrapper, card, form or documents issued by any postal authority
• jewels and precious stones
• liquids
• lottery tickets and items of a seditious nature
• live animals (except cats and dogs) including all mammals, birds, fish, amphibians, reptiles, insects and other invertebrates.
• meat and meat products, raw or cooked
• manuscripts
• oxidizing agents and peroxides
• organic cultivation media
• paint, varnishes, enamels
• painting or drawings of an obscene or indecent character
• plants, seeds or plant products with microbes or insects
• platinum, gold or silver (manufactured or not)
• printed matter, films, photos, records, audio and video tapes, VCDs, computer storage media and other commodities which are harmful to China's politics, economy, culture, and/or ethics
• products made by prisoners
• products marked " Made in China," except for products being returned for repair
• publications that are politically, economically, culturally or morally detrimental to the People's Republic of China
• radioactive or corrosive substances
• radios, radio-telegraphic receivers and transmitters and parts for such apparatus
• records
• rhinoceros horns
• securities of any kind payable to bearer
• seeds
• sewing machines
• smokeless or heated tobacco products
• specialized espionage equipment
• soil is prohibited unless a special approval is given to import for scientific research only
• tape recorders
• televisions
• the importation of beef and beef products originating from the USA
• tiger bones
• toxic substances
• tobacco leaves (except cut tobacco)
• traveller's cheques
• used electrical equipment and machinery
• watches
• weapons.

Packaging

China prohibits items in opaque, sealed containers.

Documentation required

You can find information about customs on our Customs requirements page.

The following documentation may be required:

Import Shipment Classifications

There are three Customs entry categories each with specific documentation requirements and procedures.

Category 1: Documents

This category includes documents, contracts, tickets, accounting statements, invoices, training materials & etc. These items have no commercial value. Books, Diskettes, CD's, VCD's, and DVD's are not included. The quantities and values of these should be reasonable. Documents of this category are declared through the simplified clearance process and the KJ1 Declaration Form of Import and Export Express Shipment are required and must be completed by the broker.

Since China Customs does not accept declaration of shipments without a commercial value, the minimum declared value should be US $1.

Category 2:

refer to separately shipped passenger's luggage, gifts exchanged between relatives and friends, and other must be declared as, be of a reasonable quantity and must be for personal use.

Shipments from Hong Kong, Macao, must show the declared value less than 800 CNY and the assessed duty and tax value must be less than 400 CNY.

For other countries, the declared value must be less than 1,000 CNY and the assessed duty and tax value must be less than 500 CNY. Goods valued at more than 1000 CNY require a formal entry.

The shipments are declared through the simplified clearance process and the KJ1 Declaration Form is required.

When items imported for personal use exceed this limit in value, three outcomes are possible:

1. The items will be returned;
2. If Customs determines that the item is actually intended for personal use and the item only includes one article which cannot be segmented, item will be released by customs after duty/tax payment process.
3. If Customs determines that the items are not for personal use but are actually intended for commercial use, the items will be cleared using commercial customs procedures. Supporting documents such as a trade contract, commercial invoice, packing list, waybill, customs declaration brokerage authorization agreement, import and export licence, or other similar documentation will need to be provided.

Category 3: Cargo

Import cargo is further classified into 3 subcategories:

1.) Non-dutiable samples and advertising material:

Samples are goods imported as reference items for placing an order, and advertising material is advertising or promotion material imported for the promotion of the relevant product. Non-dutiable samples and advertising materials include:

1. Samples and advertising material without a commercial value
2. Samples and advertising material with a commercial value less than 400 CNY
3. Shipments in which the assessed duty and tax is less than 50 CNY

Non-dutiable samples and advertising material must be declared as "XXX as sample" or "XXX as advertising material" on the Airway Bill and the Commercial Invoice. Samples and advertising material are cleared through the simplified clearance process, and the KJ2 Declaration Form of Import and Export Shipment is required and must be completed by the broker.

Note: Commodities controlled by a license or those for which foreign exchange is required and need to be paid upon import, are excluded from this category.

2.) Dutiable samples and advertising material:

Shipments of this category are those samples or advertising material for which customs duties shall be levied. They must be declared as "XXX as sample" or "XXX as advertising material" on the Airway Bill and the Commercial Invoice. Samples and advertising materials are cleared through the simplified clearance process, and the KJ3 Declaration Form of Import and Export Express Shipment is required and must be completed by the broker.

NOTE:

1. Commodities controlled by a license or those for which foreign exchange needs to be paid upon import are excluded from this category.
2. Samples and advertising material of mechanical and electronic products valued at 5,000 CNY or less are not subject to the Mechanical and Electronic Product Import Certificate, but they are still subject to import duty and tax.

3.) Formal Entry Shipments:

This category includes:

• shipments not belonging to the above categories
• shipments containing commodities requiring an import license/permit, quota, or other special clearance documentation
• shipments for which foreign exchange need to be paid upon import. In this case, the shipment is automatically classified as a category D regardless of its value and the consignee is required to obtain an individual declaration form, which serves as an import certificate. The declaration can then be used by the bank to make payment to the foreign vendor. In summary, if a consignee needs an individual declaration form, or individual Customs invoice, the shipment is classified as category "D" regardless of its value.

Document Requirements

Import Documentation

The following are some basic clearance documents. Please note that different declared values, commodities, and types of trade may require additional documents not noted below.

1. Commercial Invoice: A Commercial Invoice is required for all non-document shipments. A specific format is not required, although the following basic information must be included:

• The shipper's and consignee's name and address and telephone number
• a detailed description of the goods
• currency used
• freight and Insurance Charges as applicable
• harmonized code of shipment
• the FOB value of each item
• the country of origin
• the place and date of shipment
• the quantity and weight

PLEASE NOTE: ELECTRONIC INVOICES (ECI) ARE NOT ACCEPTED.

2. Pro Forma Invoice: A Pro Forma Invoice is permissible for customs clearance of non-trade shipments, with no commercial value.

3. Certificate of Origin: A Certificate of Origin is required for non-document shipments. The certificate has a specified format. The information supplied should be consistent with that of the shipment's other documentation. When required, two copies should be provided.

Documents to be presented to customs vary according to the products. Some additional documents which may be required are: Insurance Policy, the sale contract or the inspection certificate of the AQSIQ (General Administration of the PRC for Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine), or other licenses of safety and quality.

Custom Procedures:

Most goods entering into China are subject to mandatory inspection before clearing customs and lodging declaration. Pre-shipment inspection is required for importing wastes such as; metal, plastic, wood, textiles as well as raw materials to ensure wastes meet environmental protection standards. All waste products must be inspected by the General Administration for Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine (AQSIQ).

Limit of responsibility

We can’t assume responsibility when mail is returned or seized outside of Canada because the item is:

• Prohibited at the destination

or

• Special mailing or import requirements weren’t met

Please note: If U.S. Customs seizes an item, they’ll send a letter to the recipient.