No customs declaration form upon exiting China

[joshuawbb]

Hello, just a quick one that has been on my mind a while...

When I arrived in China back in June, a high temperature at Xiamen airport got me quarantined for 24 hours. While I was in the airport waiting area, waiting for the ambulance to take me and the other unfortunate fellows to hospital, my luggage was fetched for me by the on-duty nurse with no customs inspection.

Initially I was chosen for temperature inspection in the passport queue - after being told I was going to hospital the nurse took my passport somewhere and returned with the X visa examined and comfirmed. However since I never went through the customs gate and just got carted off in an ambulance, customs never checked my luggage. If they had, they would have broken my padlock or gotten the key from me. I never had to write a customs declaration form (the type you write in the airport, and present to customs upon leaving China).

On December 14th I'm going home for Christmas and a short visit, and I know that one is supposed to retain the declaration form for inspection. As I don't have one, will this be a problem at all? I do still have my flight ticket stubs from the previous flight. I got the impression from my classmates that it doesn't matter much, as those who didn't bring theirs just got them replaced somehow. For information, I'm not bringing back much with me except for some clothes, study materials and some Christmas gifts (not many). I have a resident permit and study at Xiamen University, so I will be of course returning. All the things I brought to China with me initially were general life essentials, gifts for my girlfriend, clothes and a few small things from home, so they obviously won't be going home with me

[adrianlondon]

When I flew into Beijing a couple of weeks ago the customs form was handed in as I left the airport. I kept nothing.

When I left Beijing a week later, all I had was my passport (with visa inside obviously). I had to grab a departure form and fill that in.

So you don't need anything to leave, apart from a visa with an entry stamp somewhere near it, and a departure slip which you can get at the airport.

[imron]

No one will care whatsoever about your customs form or lack thereof

[Erbse]

When I was in Shanghai in September I didn't keep anything (different from earlier visits). They probably changed it.

[889]

You'd only need that customs declaration when leaving China in special circumstances.

For example, there's a limit on the amount of foreign currency you can take out of China, but notwithstanding the limit you can take out whatever foreign currency you declared when entering China.