A tax-free shop in Chongqing, southwest China, May 2, 2025. (Photo/Xinhua）

Chongqing - Recently, Russian traveler Kurilenko Evgeny became the first foreign visitor to use the new instant cross-regional tax refund service in southwest China’s Sichuan-Chongqing region, a breakthrough in convenient shopping and departure for overseas tourists.

At Chongqing’s MixC Mall, Evgeny bought nearly 60,000 yuan ($8,352) in tax-refunded goods and received an on-the-spot refund of over 5,200 yuan through the new program. The next day, customs at Chengdu Tianfu International Airport verified his Chongqing-issued documents, completing the cross-regional refund process.

Previously, foreign travelers could only complete verification at the airport in the same city where they applied for an immediate refund—Chongqing Jiangbei International Airport for purchases made in Chongqing, and Chengdu Tianfu International Airport for purchases in Sichuan. 

If travelers leave from a different city, the refund becomes invalid and agencies will reclaim the advance through credit card pre-authorization, said Lan Tingyi, Director of Chongqing’s Export Tax Refund Service and Administration Bureau.

To address this, tax authorities in both Chongqing and Sichuan jointly developed a mutual recognition system in late July, standardizing refund limits and procedures. 

Now, overseas travelers can shop at designated tax refund stores in either Chongqing or Sichuan, receive an immediate refund, and freely choose between Chengdu Tianfu or Chongqing Jiangbei international airports for customs verification and credit card pre-authorization release.

According to the regulations, travelers using this service must depart from Chongqing Jiangbei International Airport or Chengdu Tianfu International Airport within 17 days of the refund application being issued.

At departure, foreign travelers present their goods, invoices, refund form, and passport for customs inspection. Once verified, customs stamps the form and records clearance, after which travelers submit documents at the airport refund counter, where agencies confirm eligibility, cancel credit card pre-authorization, and issue the refund.