No. The refund applies only to offline purchases at brick-and-mortar stores displaying the «Tax Free Shopping» sticker. Online orders shipped to your hotel are excluded.
China Tax Refund for Tourists: How to Claim 11% VAT Back in 2026
Since 2024 China has expanded its tourist tax-refund scheme: VAT of 13% is refunded at 11% (2% goes to the operator). It is available in 100+ cities and every major airport. A separate Hainan off-shore duty-free regime refunds up to 30%.
Who is eligible
Any foreigner who has spent at most 183 days in China in the past 12 months can claim.
- Foreign passport holder.
- Leaving China within 90 days of purchase.
- Bought from a participating store (look for the «Tax Free Shopping» sticker).
- Single-receipt amount of CNY 500+ (≈ USD 70).
How to claim
Four-step process:
- In-store: ask for the Tax Refund Form and show your passport.
- Keep receipts and forms until departure.
- At the airport, before check-in, present goods, form, receipt, passport at the Customs desk.
- After the stamp, proceed to the Tax Refund desk (post-passport control) → cash CNY or card refund.
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Where the scheme works
Available in 100+ cities. The densest networks are:
- Shanghai: Pudong, Hongqiao airports + Nanjing Road.
- Beijing: Capital, Daxing airports + Wangfujing, Sanlitun.
- Guangzhou: Baiyun airport + Beijing Lu.
- Shenzhen: Bao'an airport + Luohu.
- Chongqing, Xi'an, Chengdu — major airports only.
- Hainan (Haikou, Sanya) — separate off-shore programme (see below).
Hainan duty-free — a special regime
Hainan is a tax-free zone for both Chinese residents and foreigners.
- Annual cap: CNY 100,000 (≈ USD 14,000).
- No VAT or customs duty — saves 25–35%.
- Categories: cosmetics, watches, jewellery, perfume, alcohol.
- Anchor store: CDF Sanya International Duty Free Mall (world's largest).
- Buy in-store; goods are delivered to the airport the day before your flight.
What is NOT refundable
Excluded categories:
- Alcohol, tobacco (except Hainan duty-free).
- Antiques, gold bullion.
- Services (hotels, restaurants, transport).
- Cash purchases without a fiscal QR-coded receipt.
ІВ
10+ years of experience in China visa support and business travel. Author of 40+ articles.
All author articlesFrequently Asked Questions
At Pudong and Capital it's 15–30 minutes in evening peak. Add +1 hour to your schedule and arrive at the airport 3.5 hours before departure.
Cash CNY is instant but capped at CNY 10,000 per refund. Card (Visa/Mastercard/UnionPay) is uncapped but takes 5–10 business days and converts via USD.
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Questions about money in China?
Free consultation on your trip budget, payments and cash on the ground.
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