Leaving China — the actual checklist

Leaving mainland China after extended residence requires more paperwork than arriving. Here is the actual sequence in the 6 weeks before departure.

6 weeks out: notify and plan

• Notify employer: standard 30-day notice triggers the work-permit cancellation timeline.
• Schedule final tax reconciliation with your accountant or HR.
• Book international relocation specialist if shipping personal effects (sea freight 6-10 weeks transit).
• Schedule home-country embassy paperwork if needed (medical records, document apostilles).

4 weeks out: tax and permit

• Tax reconciliation: file the final IIT for the year. Get the Final Tax Payment Certificate (完税证明) — needed at the airport or for transferring funds out.
• Work permit and residence permit cancellation: employer files at the PSB. You receive a 30-day notice-to-depart visa as a transitional document.
• Notify schools of children's last attendance date.

3 weeks out: shipping

• Sell or ship personal effects:
• - Large items via second-hand WeChat groups (refrigerators, sofas, TVs go fast in expat-zone groups).
• - Sentimental items by international shipper.
• - Donated items to local charities.
• Pet relocation (if applicable): start home-country import paperwork; rabies titer test, microchip verification, health certificates.

2 weeks out: financial

• Close mobile and internet contracts: most chains process closure online.
• Cancel utility contracts: electricity, water, gas, building management. Arrange the final bill payment before departure (some require cash settlement on the day).
• Cancel any subscriptions (gym, streaming, food delivery memberships).
• Transfer remaining CNY out: under the standard quota (USD $50,000 equivalent per year per person), with the tax clearance certificate. Larger transfers need additional documentation.
• Cancel any investment accounts at Chinese banks.

1 week out: return and final

• Return the apartment: landlord inspection, deposit settlement, utility final bills. Document with photos.
• Cancel building registration at the local police station (this is the foreigner-residence registration the landlord did at move-in).
• Final hand-over with employer: documentation, equipment, contacts list.

Day 0-3: bank closure

• Visit the original bank branch (the branch where you opened the account). Bring passport, debit card, USB key, bank book.
• Cancel Alipay and WeChat Pay card binding before account closure.
• Close the account: teller closes it, returns balance in CNY cash or transfers to another account.

Day of flight

• Final cash out: ATM if you need it.
• Pet customs paperwork: if travelling with pets, allow 4-6 hours at the airport for customs clearance.
• Carry-on essentials: passport, residence permit (technically should be cancelled, but bring just in case), tax certificate, marriage/birth certificates if relevant for child documentation.

Common things people forget

• Old subscriptions on Chinese platforms (iQiyi, Tencent Video, gym memberships): cancel before leaving.
• Investment accounts at Chinese banks: hard to close from abroad. Liquidate before departure.
• Hong Kong stock accounts opened via Stock Connect: close if not maintaining.
• WeChat balance: transfer to bank account before departure; foreign WeChat accounts work but have transaction limits.
• Apartment deposit delays: landlords sometimes drag for 30+ days. Don't fly out before the deposit is back unless you have a trustworthy intermediary.

What happens if you don't

• Skip tax reconciliation: visa renewal denials at any future Chinese embassy. Bank account remains in stuck state.
• Don't cancel residence permit cleanly: future Chinese visa applications get scrutinised.
• Leave with an active mobile contract: the bill keeps accumulating; eventually goes to a Chinese collection agency.
• Don't transfer CNY out via tax certificate route: balance becomes hard to access from abroad.

After leaving

Your residence permit is no longer valid. To re-enter mainland China, you'll need a fresh visa. Multi-entry tourist or business visas are reasonably easy to get if you have a recent China residence history.

The standard pattern: people leaving China for good are surprised by how much paperwork the exit involves. Plan for 6 weeks of focused logistics. The successful leavers do this; the unsuccessful leavers spend a year afterward dealing with loose ends from abroad.