You can bring up to the equivalent of US$5,000 in foreign currency and up to RMB 20,000 in renminbi into or out of China without declaring it. Anything above those limits must be declared to customs, and undeclared excess can be confiscated, with a fine on top.
The two limits to remember
China runs two separate cash rules at the border.
The first covers foreign currency. Under the SAFE and customs rules on carrying foreign cash in and out of China (the Measures issued as Hui Fa No. 102 of 2003), taking out the equivalent of US$5,000 or less needs no permit; above that you must obtain a Carrying Foreign Currency Outbound Permit, and customs releases the money only against that permit. Bringing in more than the equivalent of US$5,000 must be declared in writing.
The second covers renminbi. Each person may carry RMB 20,000 in cash per trip across the border. Above that, the money has to be declared and the excess is not automatically allowed through.
What happens if you carry more
Undeclared cash is the classic mistake at Chinese airports. If you simply walk through the green channel with more than the allowance, customs can treat the conduct as evading customs control — a smuggling act under Article 82 of the Customs Law — and under the Implementing Regulations on Customs Administrative Penalties it may confiscate the undeclared money and impose a fine. A voluntary declaration at the red channel is what keeps a paperwork problem from becoming a seizure.
What this means in practice
If you are moving money for a house purchase, tuition or a business deal, the sensible route is a bank transfer with the supporting documents the bank and the foreign-exchange authorities require — not a suitcase. Keep the customs declaration receipt if you bring cash in, because it is the record that lets you take a similar amount out again. Remember that the limits count everything on you and in your bags together, not each envelope separately.
A quick scenario
The following is a hypothetical illustration, not a reported case. A foreign engineer flying out of Shanghai carries US$12,000 in a carry-on bag and uses the green channel. A customs scan reveals the cash, and because it was never declared, the undeclared portion is liable to confiscation and a fine. Had he declared at the red channel and produced the outbound permit, the same money could have travelled legally.
Common questions
Q: Is the US$5,000 limit per person or per family?
A: Per person, per trip. Each traveller has their own allowance, and it resets on the next crossing.
Q: Can I carry both renminbi and foreign currency?
A: Yes. They are separate allowances — up to RMB 20,000 and up to the equivalent of US$5,000 in foreign currency. Different foreign currencies are added together toward that US$5,000 figure.
Q: Do I need a permit to take cash out of China?
A: Yes. Taking out more than the equivalent of US$5,000 in foreign currency requires a Carrying Foreign Currency Outbound Permit, obtained through a bank or a foreign-exchange office.
Q: What if customs finds undeclared cash?
A: The undeclared excess can be confiscated and a fine imposed under the Customs Law and the Implementing Regulations on Customs Administrative Penalties.
Q: Does this apply to RMB coins and small change?
A: The rule is about total cash value, so the form of the money does not matter — what counts is the total amount you are carrying.
Wang Guan | Co-founder, Beijing Haolue Law Firm | +86 17813108512