Relocating from China to the United States is one of the more paperwork-heavy corridors in the world: you must clear Chinese export controls on one side and satisfy U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) on the other, all while navigating strict CDC rules for dogs — because mainland China is classified as a high-risk country for dog rabies. This guide walks through both ends of the move, door to door, with the specific authorities, forms and fees that actually apply in 2026.

Key takeaways

• China caps what leaves the country. You may carry out no more than RMB 20,000 in cash, and foreign currency above the equivalent of USD 5,000 must be declared to China Customs (GACC) on departure (China Customs — passenger clearance guide).
• Antiques and cultural relics need an export permit and a red wax seal. Items created before 1949 are regulated; genuine national treasures cannot leave China at all (GACC — cultural relics export).
• U.S. duty-free entry hinges on the one-year rule. Household effects used abroad for at least one year enter the U.S. free of duty; newer items are dutiable (CBP — moving household goods, Article 1392).
• CBP Form 3299 is mandatory for unaccompanied household goods and personal effects that don’t travel with you (CBP Form 3299 PDF).
• Dogs from China face the strictest CDC tier. A microchip, minimum age of 6 months, a CDC Dog Import Form receipt, and rabies documentation are all required (CDC — high-risk countries).
• Bringing over USD 10,000 into the U.S. (cash or monetary instruments) must be reported to CBP on FinCEN Form 105 (CBP — currency reporting).
• Your U.S. visa status shapes everything — returning residents, green-card holders and long-term visa holders can qualify for the household-effects exemption, but you must hold valid status at entry (CBP — moving to the U.S., Article 1040).

1. Confirm your U.S. immigration status first

Nothing else matters until your right to enter and reside in the United States is settled. Your household-goods exemption depends on it: CBP grants duty-free entry of used personal and household effects to U.S. citizens, lawful permanent residents (green-card holders), and non-residents arriving on long-term work or study visas who are importing goods for their own use (CBP — Article 1040).

Sort out the immigrant or non-immigrant visa (issued by the U.S. Department of State) or the adjustment of status (handled by USCIS) before your shipment sails. A container arriving at a U.S. port ahead of a valid visa is a recipe for storage charges and complications. Keep a copy of your passport photo page and the U.S. entry visa — CBP asks for both when you file Form 3299.

2. Chinese export side: GACC clearance from Shanghai, Shenzhen or Ningbo

Almost all sea freight leaves through the giant ports of Shanghai, Ningbo-Zhoushan or Shenzhen (Yantian/Shekou); air cargo typically routes via Shanghai Pudong, Beijing or Guangzhou. Your goods are cleared for export by the General Administration of Customs of the People’s Republic of China (GACC).

For a personal move, GACC treats your consignment as an export of used personal effects. In practice your Chinese origin agent files an export declaration (the declaration framework was updated by GACC Announcement 277, effective 1 May 2025) supported by a detailed packing inventory, your passport, and the bill of lading or air waybill (GACC Announcement 277 summary, USDA). Unaccompanied (separately shipped) luggage is handled under China’s standard customs procedure for goods that travel apart from the passenger.

Currency and valuables at departure. China enforces hard limits on what leaves the country. You may carry no more than RMB 20,000 in cash, and you must declare foreign currency exceeding the equivalent of USD 5,000 when exiting (China Customs — passenger clearance guide). Don’t try to move large sums physically; use compliant bank transfers.

3. Restricted and prohibited exports from China

China regulates the outbound side more tightly than most origin countries, and the categories below are the ones that trip up personal shippers:

• Cultural relics and antiques. Any item created, manufactured or published before 1949 may be a regulated cultural relic. Exportable pieces must pass appraisal, receive a Cultural Relic Export Permit and carry an official wax seal; rare and precious relics, revolutionary relics, and anything deemed harmful to national honour or unity are prohibited from export (GACC — cultural relics export). This covers ceramics, jade, bronzes, lacquerware, furniture, paintings and calligraphy, stone inscriptions and old books. If you own genuine antiques, get them appraised early — the seal process is not fast.
• Endangered species products. Ivory, certain traditional-medicine items, and specimens of protected animals and plants (and their seeds) are prohibited (China Customs — passenger clearance guide).
• The usual dangerous goods — weapons, ammunition, explosives, flammable liquids and unsealed batteries — cannot go in a household shipment.

When in doubt about a specific heirloom, confirm with GACC before packing; a single unsealed relic can hold an entire container.

4. U.S. import side: CBP and Form 3299

Your container arrives at a U.S. seaport — commonly Los Angeles/Long Beach, New York/Newark, Seattle-Tacoma or Savannah — where it is cleared by U.S. Customs and Border Protection.

The core document is CBP Form 3299, "Declaration for Free Entry of Unaccompanied Articles." It’s required whenever your household goods and personal effects arrive as freight rather than in your hand luggage (CBP — Article 1392). Your U.S. destination agent files it on your behalf, together with an itemised inventory (usually the origin packing list) and copies of your passport and visa.

The one-year rule is what makes it duty-free. CBP admits furniture, carpets, paintings, tableware, books, libraries, artwork and other usual household furnishings free of duty provided they were used abroad for at least one year and are not intended for sale (CBP — Article 1392; 19 CFR Part 148). Items you’ve owned for less than a year — a newly bought sofa, for example — are dutiable, so list purchase dates honestly and keep receipts for recent, high-value goods.

Cash you carry with you. If you personally bring more than USD 10,000 in cash or monetary instruments into the U.S., you must report it on FinCEN Form 105; failing to do so risks seizure (CBP — currency reporting).

Watch for U.S. restrictions too. Alcohol, firearms, certain foods, plants, and products containing wildlife are restricted or prohibited on the U.S. side. Leave food, seeds and soil-contaminated garden items out of the shipment.

5. Pets: China is a high-risk rabies country, so plan early

This is the single biggest reason a China→USA move needs months of lead time. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) classifies mainland China as a high-risk country for dog rabies (Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan are excluded) (CDC — high-risk countries).

Every dog entering the U.S. must meet the CDC baseline: it must appear healthy, be at least 6 months old, be microchipped, and arrive with a CDC Dog Import Form receipt submitted online before travel (CDC — dog import FAQs). Because China is high-risk, additional rules apply, and the path depends on where the dog was vaccinated:

• U.S.-vaccinated dogs: carry the CDC Dog Import Form receipt plus a Certification of U.S.-issued Rabies Vaccination form completed by a USDA-accredited vet and endorsed by USDA before departure (CDC — U.S.-vaccinated dogs from high-risk countries).
• Foreign-vaccinated dogs (vaccinated in China): you need a Certification of Foreign Rabies Vaccination and Microchip form endorsed by an official government veterinarian and a valid rabies serology (titre) result from a CDC-approved laboratory (the blood sample must be drawn at least 30 days after the initial valid vaccination and at least 28 days before import). Dogs without a valid titre — or a result below 0.5 IU/mL — face a 28-day quarantine and must arrive at a U.S. port of entry served by a CDC-registered animal care facility, with a reservation booked in advance (CDC — foreign-vaccinated dogs from high-risk countries).

The microchip must be implanted before the rabies vaccination, or CDC treats the vaccination as invalid. Cats are not subject to CDC dog rules but should still travel with a health certificate. Start the pet timeline at least six months out — the serology titre alone can involve a waiting period, and CDC’s list of approved labs and registered facilities changes periodically, so confirm current entries with CDC before you book travel.

6. Timeline, transit and what to expect

A door-to-door China→USA sea move typically runs 6–10 weeks in transit depending on the destination coast, plus packing and clearance either side. Air freight is far quicker (days) but multiples of the cost, so most people air-ship essentials and sea-ship the bulk.

Build in buffer for: the cultural-relics appraisal if you own antiques; the pet serology window; and a customs examination on the U.S. side, which can add days. Because Chinese rules generally expect the shipment owner to have already entered the destination — and CBP wants you in valid status at import — the cleanest sequence is you fly, then your goods clear behind you.

How Flyto handles this move

Flyto runs the China→USA corridor as a single Platinum door-to-door service — the only tier we offer for intercontinental moves, because these shipments need end-to-end control rather than a patchwork of local agents.

One Flyto move manager owns the whole chain: professional export packing at your home in China; GACC export clearance through Shanghai, Ningbo or Shenzhen (including guidance on antiques appraisal and the wax-seal permit where relevant); sea or air freight; CBP Form 3299 preparation and customs clearance at your U.S. port; and final delivery, unpacking and debris removal at your U.S. address. We coordinate the CDC dog-import paperwork and animal-facility logistics as part of the same plan, so the pet timeline and the freight timeline stay in sync. You get one point of contact, one quote, and one team accountable from door to door. See our overseas moving pillar guide and our https://flytorelocation.com/usa/(/usa/) destination hub for more.

Frequently asked questions

Do I pay U.S. duty on my furniture?
Not if it was used abroad for at least a year and isn’t for resale — those household effects enter duty-free under CBP rules. Items owned less than a year are dutiable (CBP — Article 1392).

Can I ship Chinese antiques to the U.S.?
Only with a Cultural Relic Export Permit and wax seal from Chinese authorities; genuine national treasures cannot be exported at all. Get an appraisal before you pack (GACC — cultural relics).

How much cash can I take out of China and into the U.S.?
Out of China: no more than RMB 20,000, with foreign currency over the equivalent of USD 5,000 declared (China Customs). Into the U.S.: report anything over USD 10,000 on FinCEN Form 105 (CBP).

My dog was vaccinated in China — what do I need?
A microchip (implanted before vaccination), minimum age 6 months, a CDC Dog Import Form receipt, a Certification of Foreign Rabies Vaccination and Microchip form, and a valid rabies titre from a CDC-approved lab. Without a valid titre, expect a 28-day quarantine at a CDC-registered facility (CDC).

Should I be in the U.S. before my shipment arrives?
Yes. It keeps clearance clean on both ends and avoids storage charges. Fly first, then let your goods clear behind you (CBP — Article 1040).

Do I need Form 3299 if I carry everything myself?
No — Form 3299 is specifically for unaccompanied articles that arrive as freight. Goods in your accompanied baggage are declared on arrival instead (CBP — Article 1392).

How long does the move take?
Roughly 6–10 weeks by sea plus clearance, or days by air at higher cost. Antiques and pet serology are the two things most likely to extend the timeline.

Freshness note: customs and biosecurity rules change frequently. Verify every figure, form and fee with the linked official authority before you ship.

Sources

• China Customs (GACC) — Customs Clearance Guide for International Passengers
• China Customs (GACC) — Cultural Relics Prohibited from or Permitted for Export
• GACC Announcement 277 — Regulation on Declaration Management of Import and Export Goods (USDA summary)
• U.S. CBP — Form 3299, Declaration for Free Entry of Unaccompanied Articles (PDF)
• U.S. CBP — Process to move used household goods and personal effects (Article 1392)
• U.S. CBP — Moving to the United States (Article 1040)
• U.S. CBP — What to Expect When You Return (currency reporting)
• eCFR — 19 CFR Part 148, Personal Declarations and Exemptions
• CDC — High-Risk Countries for Dog Rabies
• CDC — Entry Requirements for Foreign-Vaccinated Dogs from High-Risk Countries
• CDC — Entry Requirements for U.S.-Vaccinated Dogs from High-Risk Countries
• CDC — Frequently Asked Questions on Dog Importations