Stage 4 of 4

Departure

Leaving well is part of the trip: getting your tax refund back, clearing customs without surprises, and ending your stay the way you planned it.

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01 Get your VAT tax refund before security China offers VAT refunds (usually about 11%) on goods bought at "Tax Refund" stores when you take them out of the country. You must get customs inspection BEFORE checking in: bring the goods, receipt, and passport to the customs counter at the departure hall. What to do: at the store, ask for the tax refund form; at the airport, find "Tax Refund" before baggage check; choose credit-card refund (fastest) or cash. If stuck: refund counters exist at all major international airports; the apps BOC Compass and Nihao China list refund stores by city.
02 Leave earlier than you think International departures from Chinese airports involve three queues — check-in, security, and exit border control — and major airports are huge. Two and a half to three hours early is the comfortable standard. What to do: check in online the day before; keep your passport and boarding pass accessible until you are airside. If stuck: if a queue is about to make you miss a flight, find any staff member in uniform — they will fast-track genuinely late passengers.
03 Customs: what to declare Exit customs is usually a formality — walk through the green channel. Declare only if you carry unusually valuable goods (over ¥20,000 in value), large amounts of cash (over ¥20,000 or the foreign equivalent of US$5,000), or cultural relics. What to do: keep receipts for expensive items you bought in China (they prove legality and support your tax refund). If stuck: when unsure, choose the red channel and ask — declaring is free and fast; not declaring can cost the goods.
04 Leftover money & app balances Small balances left in Alipay or WeChat can be refunded back to your linked foreign card from inside the app settings. Cash yuan can be changed back at the airport or kept for a future visit — exchange booths airside handle leftover RMB. What to do: in Alipay: Me → Balance → Withdraw; in WeChat: Me → Services → Wallet → change back via your card. If stuck: airport currency exchange counters airside accept RMB back to major currencies; a small fee applies.
05 Final sweep: what to double-check Before leaving your hotel: passport (the same one you entered with), boarding pass, tax-refund forms if any, chargers, and medication in hand luggage. Confirm your onward destination accepts you — some countries require visa or arrival forms filled before landing. What to do: do the sweep against this list the evening before, not in the taxi. If stuck: forgot something at the hotel? Call them — Chinese hotels are excellent at courier-sending items to the airport same day.