Hainan duty-free shopping and tax refunds for foreign visitors
Yes. Travelers, foreigners included, who leave Hainan by plane, train or ship for elsewhere in China could always shop there, and since November 2025 so can travelers leaving China straight from Hainan. The allowance is ¥100,000 per person a year. Separately, at shops marked for tax refunds, spend ¥200 or more in one shop on one day and claim the tax back at the airport when you leave China.
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Offshore duty-free
- Who: travelers leaving Hainan for elsewhere in China, foreigners included, have always been able to buy. Since November 2025, travelers leaving China straight from Hainan can buy too.
- Allowance: ¥100,000 per person per year, any number of trips.
- Per-purchase limits include, for example, 30 cosmetics items, 4 phones and 1,500ml of alcohol in total.
- Age: you must be 18 or older (since November 1, 2025).
Departure tax refund
At shops showing the tax refund sign:
- Spend ¥200 or more in the same shop on the same day.
- Keep the goods unused.
- Leave China within 90 days of buying, carrying the goods with you.
- Claim the refund at your departure airport.
Did "island-wide customs closure" change anything?
Hainan started its special customs operations on December 18, 2025. For travelers, nothing changed: you don't need extra documents to come or go, and visa-free entry works the same.
Rules and limits change. Check with the duty-free store or Haikou Customs before a big purchase.
Sources: Moodie Davitt Report on the November 2025 offshore duty-free rules; Haikou Bendibao on tax refunds; Xinhua on Hainan's customs operations.