Departure Tax Refund Policy Optimized: Minimum Purchase Threshold Lowered to 200 Yuan, "Buy Now, Refund Now" Rolled Out Nationwide
In 2025, the departure tax refund policy saw multiple improvements: the minimum purchase threshold was lowered from 500 yuan to 200 yuan, the cash refund limit was raised to 20,000 yuan, and the "buy now, refund now" service was rolled out nationwide, making tax refunds on shopping more convenient for overseas travelers.
For overseas travelers, the convenience of the tax refund policy directly affects their willingness to "shop in China." In 2025, departure tax refunds will see a package of optimization measures, with a lower threshold, simpler procedures, and faster receipt of funds.
Three Major Core Changes
- Lower Minimum Purchase Threshold: The minimum purchase threshold for departure tax refunds has been lowered from 500 yuan to 200 yuan, allowing more everyday purchases to qualify for tax refunds;
- Higher Cash Refund Limit: The cash refund limit has been raised from 10,000 yuan to20,000 yuan;
- "Buy now, refund now" rolled out nationwide: from pilot programs in selected cities tonationwide coverage.
What Is "Buy and Refund Immediately"?
"Buy and Refund Immediately" means you no longer have to wait until departure to claim your tax refund. When overseas travelers shop at a "Buy and Refund Immediately" store, they can sign an agreement and complete a credit card pre-authorization toreceive on the spotan RMB advance payment equal to the refund amount; upon departure, once customs verification is passed, the credit card pre-authorization is released. The whole process can be summarized as:
Store issues receipt and pays in advance → Customs verification → Refund agency review → Tax authority settlement.
Supporting improvements are being rolled out in tandem.
- Encourage the addition of tax refund shops in commercial districts, pedestrian streets, tourist attractions, airports, hotels, and other locations;
- Enrich the range of tax refund goods, covering time-honored brands, intangible cultural heritage products, trendy domestic goods, smart health products, and more;
- Advance paperless processing, significantly shortening the time required to issue documents;
- Promote mutual recognition of "buy and refund immediately" across regions, allowing tax refunds to be completed at ports in other regions.
The actual effects of the policy
After the policy optimization, the departure tax refund business has grown rapidly: the number of tax refund transactions has risen sharply year on year, the volume and sales of the "buy now, refund now" service have multiplied, and the number of tax refund stores has continued to increase. The opening up of the "last mile" of tax refunds is adding new appeal to "Shopping in China."