Can I send documents and photos to China?
Yes.
Personal papers and photos are fine. Media judged harmful to China is prohibited.
More rules for China
Not allowed
- Printed matter, films, photos, recordings, discs, and storage media judged harmful to China's politics, economy, culture, or morals
- Live animals and animal genetic material. A pet dog or cat can enter only with its owner, one per person, with official health and vaccination certificates
Allowed with conditions
- Animal and plant products on the quarantine list
- Can enter only with an import permit from the Chinese authorities and an official quarantine certificate from the country of export.
Quantity limits
- Narcotic and Class I psychotropic medicines (travelers only)
- A person may carry up to one prescription's maximum amount with a medical diagnosis certificate and ID, and customs releases reasonable personal amounts at the border. These can't be shipped in a box.
Before you ship to China
- Tax-free limit
- There is no value-based duty-free limit. Instead, if the tax due on a personal parcel is RMB 50 (about $7) or less, customs waives it. Each parcel taxed as personal articles must be worth RMB 2,000 (about $296) or less, unless it holds a single indivisible item that customs accepts is for personal use. The old limits of RMB 1,000 per parcel, and RMB 800 from Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan, ended on December 1, 2024.
- Receiver ID
- Chinese resident ID card number, or passport number for foreigners needed. When an express carrier declares a personal-articles parcel, it must give customs a copy of the receiver's identity document along with the declaration and waybill. Collect the receiver's ID details and mobile number before you ship.
- Transit
- 3-6 business days from Europe or North America; 2-4 from elsewhere in Asia
Questions
Can I send documents and photos to China?
Yes. Personal papers and photos are fine. Media judged harmful to China is prohibited.
Ask about a specific item
Official sources
- 1.
Customs Tariff Commission of the State Council (published by the Ministry of Finance)
进境物品关税、增值税、消费税征收办法 (opens in a new tab) - 2.
Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs and General Administration of Customs
中华人民共和国农业农村部、中华人民共和国海关总署公告第470号 (opens in a new tab) - 3.
General Administration of Customs (gov.cn policy library)
《中华人民共和国禁止进出境物品表》和《中华人民共和国限制进出境物品表》 (opens in a new tab) - 4.
State Council (Ministry of Justice national database of laws and regulations)
麻醉药品和精神药品管理条例 (opens in a new tab) - 5.
General Administration of Customs (reprinted by the Ministry of Commerce)
中华人民共和国海关总署公告2024年第176号 (opens in a new tab) - 6.
General Administration of Customs (State Council Gazette)
中华人民共和国海关总署令（第235号）海关总署关于修改部分规章的决定 (opens in a new tab) - 7.
General Administration of Customs of the People's Republic of China
Customs Clearance Guide for International Passengers (opens in a new tab)
General guidance, not legal advice. Customs in China makes the final decision on every box.