Quick Answer
When leaving China with leftover RMB, you have several options: exchange it back to foreign currency at the airport, visit a bank counter, or refund your Alipay or WeChat Pay balance. At the airport departure area, you can exchange up to $1,000 equivalent per day using only your passport — no exchange receipt needed. The RMB cash export limit is ¥20,000 per person per trip; foreign currency up to $5,000 equivalent requires no declaration. Digital wallet balances should be settled before departure.
Exchanging RMB Back to Foreign Currency
Under State Administration of Foreign Exchange (SAFE) regulations:
- Documentation — Original exchange receipt and passport
- Time limit — Within 24 months of the original exchange date
- Amount — Up to the original exchange amount
Simplified small-amount exchange:
- Bank counter — Up to $500 equivalent/day with passport only (no receipt needed)
- Airport departure area — Up to $1,000 equivalent/day with passport only (no receipt needed)
Bank of China exchange network:
- 1,300+ hotel and airport exchange counters nationwide
- Self-service machines support 20 currencies
- Airport limits: ≤¥10,000/person/day, ≤¥50,000/year
Cash Export Limits
- RMB — ¥20,000/person/trip; excess will not be released by customs
- Foreign currency — Up to $5,000 equivalent: no declaration; excess must be declared
Alipay Balance Refund
Tour Pass users:
- Valid for 90 days; remaining balance is automatically refunded upon expiration
- Top-up limit: ¥10,000; top-up fee: 5%
- Annual limit: ¥50,000
Linked international card users:
- Each transaction is charged directly to the linked card — no balance to refund
- Transactions under ¥200: no fee; over ¥200: 3% fee
- Annual limit: ¥350,000
WeChat Pay Balance Refund
Linked international card users:
- Each transaction is charged directly to the linked card — no balance to refund
Balance ("Change") holders:
- Can withdraw to a linked bank card
- Per-transaction limit: ¥6,500; monthly: ¥50,000; annual: ¥65,000
- Transactions under ¥200: no fee; over ¥200: 3% fee
Bank Exchange
Bank of China supports 38 foreign currencies for exchange. Present your passport — no account required. Five channels: counter, online banking, self-service terminal, mobile banking, and phone banking.
Recommend visiting a bank one day before departure for better exchange rates than at the airport.
Practical Tips
- Exchange at the airport for convenience: up to $1,000/day with just your passport
- Keep your exchange receipt — valid for reconversion within 24 months
- Settle digital wallet balances before departure
- Do not exceed the ¥20,000 cash export limit
- Small amounts can be spent at airport duty-free shops
- Bank counter rates are generally better than airport rates
The following are the author's personal QR codes (not merchant codes), with a fixed amount of ¥10.00 set for testing whether your card binding was successful.
About Personal QR Codes: This website is maintained by an individual. The QR codes are for personal daily use, not merchant codes. Since personal QR codes may not be able to accept international credit card payments, the transaction may fail. However, this does not mean your card binding failed — the fact that you reached the payment page itself confirms that your binding was successful.
About the Amount: Please do not modify the preset amount. This is simply a payment test. If the payment goes through, consider it as buying me a coffee. The fixed amount is set to avoid any inconvenience caused by accidentally entering the wrong amount.
Important: The primary purpose of these codes is to help you verify whether your registration and card binding were successful, not to generate profit. If you're not comfortable, feel free to skip this step.
