Foreign Temporary Driving License

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1. Why Should You Know How Customs Declaration Works?

Many foreign travelers assume customs declaration is entirely the travel agency's job — something they don't need to understand at all.

In reality, understanding the declaration rules helps you answer two critical questions: first, how customs distinguishes a "tourist car passing through" from a "vehicle being permanently imported to sell in China"; and second, exactly how long your car can stay in China, when it must leave, and how extensions are processed. These details directly affect your itinerary planning and budget.

According to 2018 Announcement No. 12, there are very specific format requirements for declaring temporary entry goods. These rules are not arbitrary — a single wrong field can delay your car at the border, or cause it to be classified incorrectly.

2. What "Supervision Mode" Must Be Selected?

The first key field on the customs declaration form is the "supervision mode." For tourist self-drive vehicles, this must always be:

"Temporarily Imported/Exported Goods (code 2600)"

Note: this is not general trade, not freight shipment, not personal effects. It is a dedicated supervision mode for items that enter China temporarily and must leave in the same condition — including exhibition goods, sports equipment, scientific research instruments, and, most importantly for us, tourist self-drive vehicles.

If your vehicle is categorized under any other supervision mode, it is no longer a temporary entry: you would either have to pay full duties for permanent import, or be denied entry entirely.

3. What Goes in the "Marks and Remarks" Field?

This is the most important field on the form. All the special information about temporary entry goods goes here. Per the announcement, you must fill in three items in order:

3.1 Goods category

First, you must state which category of temporary entry goods (from Decree No. 233) your vehicle falls into. Tourist self-drive vehicles are category (10), so the declaration will note "Temporary Entry Category 10" — corresponding to Article 3, item 10: "tourist self-drive vehicles and their contents."

This tells customs at a glance: this is a foreign tourist car, not exhibition cargo, not construction equipment — apply the tourist self-drive supervision process.

3.2 Re-export/re-import deadline

The second item must clearly state the latest date by which your car must leave China. Per regulations, this deadline must be within 6 months of the entry date.

For example, if you enter via Mohan Port on October 25, 2026, the latest re-export date would be April 25, 2027. This date is explicitly written on the declaration — you are not notified later by customs. From day one of entry, you have a firm deadline.

If you plan a shorter trip, fill in your actual planned departure date. If you want the full maximum time, fill in the 6-month deadline and apply for extension later if needed.

3.3 Confirmation book number (if applicable)

If you applied to customs in advance for confirmation that your vehicle qualifies as temporary entry goods, you will receive a "Customs Temporary Entry Goods Confirmation Book" with a reference number. This number must be included in the remarks field, enclosed in angle brackets < >.

Most tour groups processed through a licensed travel agency follow standard declaration procedure and do not need this separate confirmation. It is only for unusual cargo — such as large motorhomes, heavily modified vehicles — where customs needs to clarify which supervision category applies.

4. What Happens When You Exit the Country?

When your trip is finished and you drive out through the exit port, you must file a second declaration for re-export. At this point, the remarks field gains one extra item: if you previously applied for an extension, you must include the customs receipt number from the "Temporary Entry/Exit Extension Form."

This lets the customs system match the record: yes, this vehicle was approved for an extension, and it is exiting within the new extended deadline, not overstaying. If no extension was filed, this item is left blank.

5. Three Standard Format Documents

The announcement also releases three standardized forms that travel agencies use when processing your entry:

• Application for Confirmation of Temporary Entry Goods: submit this if you want customs to confirm in advance that your cargo qualifies for temporary entry treatment.
• Customs Confirmation Book for Temporary Entry Goods: the written confirmation from customs, verifying your cargo falls within the temporary entry scope.
• Form for Extending Temporary Entry/Exit of Goods: use this when the initial 6-month period is not long enough. Each extension is capped at 6 months, and you may apply for up to 3 extensions total.

All three forms have a required official format — they are not freehand letters. A licensed travel agency processes these daily and is familiar with every requirement, so forms are never filled incorrectly.

6. What This Means for Your Trip

Once you understand these rules, several practical points become clear:

First, from the moment your car enters China, there is a legal "exit by" date. It is not open-ended — you cannot stay as long as you like. Build this deadline into your itinerary planning; do not be still exploring when the expiration date arrives.

Second, if 6 months is not enough, apply for extension early — do not overstay. An overstay can trigger fines, delay your deposit refund, and even leave a record that makes future entry to China difficult.

Third, you can exit through any port. Enter via Mohan and leave via Khorgos is fully supported by the declaration process; customs can pull up your entry record electronically, no need to return to the original port.