On July 1, the departure tax refund service point and the first batch of tax-free stores were officially launched at the Guangdong-Macao In-Depth Cooperation Zone in Hengqin, providing Macao residents and global travelers with a more convenient and efficient departure tax refund experience.
The certified tax-free stores cover various business types, including shops and supermarkets at Chimelong Ocean Kingdom, Legend Ponto Square, venues at Hengqin Port, and convenience stores at gas stations.
At present, a total of 74 departure tax-free stores have been registered in Hengqin and Zhuhai, covering categories such as digital products, clothing, daily necessities, cultural and creative goods, and alcoholic beverages. Travelers can apply for a tax refund on a single purchase of 200 yuan or more at any tax-free store.
The refund procedure is clear and simple: after shopping, travelers present their identity documents and purchase receipts, and the store issues a tax refund application form.
Stores can provide disposable tamper-proof sealed bags and use a "one form, one bag, one code" model, where the goods, receipt, and a QR code are included together.
When travelers exit, they declare their items to customs, which primarily checks the integrity of the sealed bag and scans the code for clearance. Eligible goods are exempt from unpacked inspections. With the further implementation of small-sample random checks and a fully paperless process, the time required for customs clearance will be significantly reduced.
After customs verification, travelers can proceed to the tax refund agency to receive the refund.
A traveler displays a tamper-proof sealed bag for departure tax refund.
To optimize services, Hengqin has introduced a three-year tax refund plan, set to run from 2026 to 2028. This plan introduces 12 support measures, including fixed subsidies for stores registered as tax-free stores and incentives for incremental tax-refund consumption. Additionally, it encourages stores to enrich their product offerings in digital home appliances, lifestyle goods, cultural tourism items, and more fields.
In the next step, Hengqin will collaborate with Macao and Zhuhai to unleash cross-border consumption incentives and create Hengqin-Macao consumption routes. In the future, Hengqin aims to build a new global reputation as a "shopping paradise" for visitors.
Reporter | Huang Xinyi
Photo | Hengqin Online
