Cross-province instant refund service to expand further in July
To make departure tax refunds more convenient for overseas visitors, China will expand its instant refund service to five provincial-level regions in the south, effective July 1, 2026.
Under the new policy, eligible overseas travelers shopping at designated instant refund stores or centralized refund points in Hunan, Fujian, Guangdong, and Hainan provinces, as well as Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region, can claim an advance payment equal to their estimated tax refund amount at the time of purchase. They may then depart from any designated departure tax refund port within any of these five regions within the prescribed timeframe.
Why Xiamen
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Xiamen is one of the most economically competitive cities in China and was one of the first Special Economic Zones on the Chinese mainland. As a vice-provincial city independently listed on the State development plan, it has provincial-level authority in economic administration and local legislative power. In 2010, the Xiamen SEZ was expanded to cover the entire municipality. Today, Xiamen is a modern and international port city.