On April 8, China’s State Taxation Administration officially announced the nationwide rollout of the "instant tax refund at purchase" service for departing foreign visitors.
4月8日，中国国家税务总局正式宣布在全国范围内推广离境外国游客“即买即退”服务。The announcement clarified the key details, processing procedures, and implementation timeline of the initiative, which had previously been piloted in several major cities.
公告明确了该计划的关键细节、办理流程和实施时间表，此前该计划已在几个主要城市进行了试点。
Unlike the traditional process where tourists claim tax refunds at the airport before departure, this new measure advances the refund step to the point of sale. Foreign visitors can receive their refunds on the spot, making the benefit of tax-free shopping more immediate and tangible—potentially encouraging further spending during their trip.
与游客在离境前在机场申请退税的传统流程不同，这一新措施将退税环节提前到销售点。外国游客可以当场获得退税，使免税购物的优惠更加即时和有形，可能会鼓励他们在旅行期间进一步消费。
According to the announcement, once a foreign visitor makes a qualifying purchase at a participating store and completes the credit card pre-authorization, the store can instantly issue a cash refund in yuan equal to the tax rebate amount. Upon departure, customs officers will verify the traveler’s identity and purchased goods. If all refund information is confirmed by the tax refund agency, the credit card pre-authorization will be promptly released, finalizing the refund process.
根据公告，一旦外国游客在参与该计划的商店完成合格购物并完成信用卡预授权，商店可以立即发放相当于退税金额的人民币现金退款。在离境时，海关人员将核实旅行者的身份和所购商品。如果所有退税信息经退税机构确认，信用卡预授权将及时解除，完成退税流程。
The notice also specifies that any tax refund store interested in offering this service can apply to become a designated "instant refund" outlet by reaching an agreement with the local tax refund agency.
通知还明确，任何有兴趣提供此服务的退税商店都可以通过与当地退税机构达成协议，申请成为指定的“即时退税”网点。
