How to get a large amount of money out of China
#46
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: HKG
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I'm rather confused here - my girlfriend's family keeps complaining that they have to physically fly to China to move money to Canada (they are Canadian citizens but still have money in Chinese bank accounts) and are thus restricted by the physical limit of how much they can bring in. In this thread everyone keeps saying that wire transfer wouldn't be an issue at all. Am I missing something obvious? And even if wire-transfer isn't possible, why couldn't they simply declare at the border?
#47
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Wire transfers are only possible if the money is in a foreign currency. You cannot wire RMB out. Also physical carrying capacity is limited by the Chinese exit customs. It's not as simple as just declaring it. You have to get a permit beforehand to get physical currency out when you exceed the limit.
#48
Join Date: Aug 2002
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That's typically how it's done. When I wired my RMB back to the US, they converted the RMB to USD then wired the USD. My account was set up as dual currency so the conversion took place within the bank when I went to do the transfer. If I remember correctly, you typically put down the amount of foreign currency that you want to transfer and they do the conversion to remove the proper amount of RMB from your account (plus fees).
#49
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: HKG
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You cannot just convert RMB to a foreign currency legally. Chinese nationals are allowed to convert up to a maximum of USD50,000 per annum. However, this has been tightened up significantly in the last couple of years due to the currency instability so even getting your fair share might not be straightforward. Foreign nationals can only convert USD500 per day without additional documentation.
#50
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You cannot just convert RMB to a foreign currency legally. Chinese nationals are allowed to convert up to a maximum of USD50,000 per annum. However, this has been tightened up significantly in the last couple of years due to the currency instability so even getting your fair share might not be straightforward. Foreign nationals can only convert USD500 per day without additional documentation.
#51
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#53
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Basically, we need fapiaos for almost all money that comes out of our CNY account. When paying anyone who can't issue fapiaos, we use our HK accounts.
#54
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Since my transfers were salary, I had to have my company create monthly pay statements for me that were chopped so I could get the money out. They basically wanted proof that all taxes had been paid on the money.
#55
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The OP's money is already in USD, and in a personal account.
As such, he has little to worry about.
But, the idea of sending CNY to a foreign contractor shocked me. Maybe it's possible, but plan on getting grilled if you attempt this.
As such, he has little to worry about.
But, the idea of sending CNY to a foreign contractor shocked me. Maybe it's possible, but plan on getting grilled if you attempt this.
#56
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Currently what they're doing is flying to China once a year and come back with the max allowance in CNY in cash (I believe 20'000RMB per person?). It's obviously quite cumbersome. I'm just trying to brainstorm things that might make that easier (without being illegal and could impede their ability to visit China in the future, of course).
#57
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You cannot just convert RMB to a foreign currency legally. Chinese nationals are allowed to convert up to a maximum of USD50,000 per annum. However, this has been tightened up significantly in the last couple of years due to the currency instability so even getting your fair share might not be straightforward. Foreign nationals can only convert USD500 per day without additional documentation.
There was recently a story in the SCMP where a retired People's Bank of China governor was recently turned down when trying to purchase and transfer 20,000 USD overseas. Reason given was he is too old. While that is not an official reason according to SAFE (State Administration for Foreign Exchange) this does show that converting RMB into foreign currency is not as easy as before for anyone.
#58
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I want to add that $18,000 is NOT a lot of money by Chinese standards (e.g. a friend of mine changed Y30 million to USD in Shenzhen last year at one of those liquor store places in less than 30 minutes).
That having been said, I personally dislike wiring more than $10,000 at a time from here to US banks. Instead, I wire to my HSBC HK account.
That having been said, I personally dislike wiring more than $10,000 at a time from here to US banks. Instead, I wire to my HSBC HK account.
My real estate clients from mainland China have pretty much given up on moving any amount over their 50K limit to the USA and our market for real estate investments over here has dried up. I had my HK lawyer come up with a strategy using corporations and stock purchases to move the money out via HK with some light money laundering (ie, quick wash vs heavy soil cycle) but now HK is a full participant in blocking outflows from China into HK accounts without sufficient documentation, everyone figured it's just not worth it anymore.
#59
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How about buying .9999 gold Pandas and carry those in your purse and declare them in the USA despite there being less than complete agreement if bullion coins are cash or not. It would only be 11 or 12 of them.
#60
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I think there is potential for major loss on the redemption side - from a Manufactured Spending point of view, I learned you can buy them here in the US using a credit card, and for a moment I had visions of the dollar coin mileage earning days, singing Happy Days Are Here Again, then I figured out there is too much risk of slippage on the cash-out side to pay off the credit card charge and it's probably not worthwhile.