Travelers leaving Shenzhen just got another reason to shop before they depart: Luohu Port officially launched departure tax refund services on July 31, making Shenzhen the Chinese city with the most tax refund points.
Image via Office of Port of Entry & Exit of Shenzhen Municipal People’s Government
Image via Office of Port of Entry & Exit of Shenzhen Municipal People’s Government
International visitors can now claim refunds at six locations: Futian Port, Shenzhen Bay Port, Wenjindu Port, Shenzhen Bao’an International Airport, Shekou Cruise Homeport, and the newly added Luohu Port.
Shenzhen is quickly cementing its status as China’s hotspot for departure tax refunds.
In the first half of 2025 alone, 33.7 million travelers passed through its borders—up 11.7% year-on-year—while tax refund transactions soared nearly fourfold.
And it’s not just souvenirs; DJI drones and Huawei gadgets now make up over a third of all refunded purchases, showing the city’s appeal for trend-savvy global shoppers.
How to Claim Your Refund
Getting your VAT back is easy if you:
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Are international travelers or non-mainland residents (including Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan) staying less than 183 days in mainland China
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Exit the border within 17 days of buying tax-free goods
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Spend at least RMB200 per store per day
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Keep goods unused, packaging intact, and take them with you (carry-on or checked)
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Carry a valid credit card for pre-authorization
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Enjoy a 9% refund rate out of the 11% VAT (2% is a handling fee), with cash refunds up to RMB20,000, and higher amounts via bank transfer
Bring your goods, VAT invoices, and the store-issued tax refund application form to customs for stamping, then submit the stamped documents at the departure tax refund agency counter.
Finally, release your credit card authorization to complete the entire process.
Instant Tax Refund & Digital Perks
To speed up the process and encourage shopping, Shenzhen now offers:
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Instant tax refund service aligning 1,000+ tax refund shops across 12 major malls, including Luohu MixC, Shenzhen Bay MixC, and King Glory Plaza. Travelers can claim their refunds right inside the mall through the convenient Buy and Tax Refund counter.
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A One Order, One Sealed Bag scheme, where each tax-free purchase linked to an application form is packed in a standardized sealed bag. This smart move cuts customs inspection time from about 10 minutes to under 5, making the whole process faster and smoother.
Image: on the Left via Shenzhen Special Zone Daily, on the right/homepage of the mini-program
For even less hassle, the city has rolled out a tax refund mini-program in 14 languages, which lets travelers submit claims online and receive refunds to their registered bank account or straight to Alipay.
Alipay users get the ultimate shortcut: tap to generate a refund code, get verified at the Buy and Tax Refund counter, and watch the refund hit your account instantly.
Image via Shenzhen Special Zone Daily
All these upgrades speed up the refund process, but you still need to go through Customs on departure.
Keep all documents ready, and never break the tax-free package seal, as doing so could jeopardize your refund.
With Luohu Port now in the mix and both instant and digital refund options, Shenzhen is turning shopping into a travel incentive, giving international visitors one of the fastest, easiest, and most rewarding tax refund experiences in China.
Let us know your experience of the instant tax refund service in the comment section below!
[Cover image via Pexels]
