HS Code 9816.00 : Accompanying a person, arriving in the United States (exclusive of duty-free articles and articles acquired in American Samoa, Guam or the Virgin Islands of the United States)
The 6-digit Harmonized System (HS) code for accompanying a person, arriving in the united states (exclusive of duty-free articles and articles acquired in american samoa, guam or the virgin islands of the united states) is 9816.00. Under the 2026 China (GACC / 中国海关), the representative MFN general duty rate is 12.00 %[GACC / 税委会 2026].
Articles for personal or household use, or as bona fide gifts, not imported for the account of another person, valued in the aggregate at not over $1,000 fair retail value in the country of acquisition, if the person claiming the benefit of subheading 9816.00.20 or 9816.00.40, or both, has not received the benefits thereof within the 30 days immediately preceding his arrival
Articles for personal or household use, or as bona fide gifts, not imported for the account of another person, valued in the aggregate at not over $1,000 fair retail value in the country of acquisition, if the person claiming the benefit of subheading 9816.00.20 or 9816.00.40, or both, has not received the benefits thereof within the 30 days immediately preceding his arrival
Subheading .00
.00
Accompanying a person, arriving in the United States (exclusive of duty-free articles and articles acquired in American Samoa, Guam or the Virgin Islands of the United States)
Qualifying originating goods from RCEP member countries (ASEAN, Japan, South Korea, Australia, New Zealand) satisfying product-specific rules enter China under RCEP preferential rates with a valid Certificate of Origin.
Notice: Chinese customs entry, MFN tariffs, provisional rates, VAT, and Consumption Tax are governed by GACC (海关总署) and the Customs Tariff Commission of the State Council (税委会). Always declare entry via an authorized Customs Broker (报关行) on the China International Trade Single Window (国际贸易单一窗口).
TRACK THIS HS CODE
Get Real-Time Tariff & Trade Remedy Change Alerts for HS 9816.00
Receive an automated email notification whenever GACC or 税委会 publishes duty rate adjustments or customs notices for 9816.00.
MODULE 6: Mandatory Customs Entry Document Matrix
Rule-Derived Customs Entry Package Checklist
UNIVERSAL DOCUMENT
Commercial Invoice
Itemized description, currency, Incoterms, seller/buyer details, and country of origin.
UNIVERSAL DOCUMENT
Packing List & Bill of Lading
Gross/net weight, container/seal numbers, piece count, and transport B/L or Air Waybill.
PREFERENTIAL RULE
Certificate of Origin (If Claiming FTA)
Required only when claiming zero-duty preference under USMCA, KORUS, or GSP.
MODULE 7: Regulatory Compliance & Partner Government Agency (PGA) Flags
Standard EntryThis commodity does not carry mandatory PGA pre-clearance flags under the ACE message set.
MODULE 8: Chinese Trade Remedies (MOFCOM AD/CVD) & Safeguards
Must satisfy RCEP product-specific origin rules and certificate of origin.
ACFTA
China-ASEAN Free Trade Area (ACFTA)
Free / Preferential
Form E Certificate of Origin issued by ASEAN authority.
ChAFTA
China-Australia Free Trade Agreement (ChAFTA)
Free
ChAFTA Certificate of Origin or declaration on origin.
MODULE 10: Logistics, Freight & Transport Specifications
Standard 20ft Container
~28 CBM / 28,000 kg Payload
Standard 40ft High-Cube
~68 CBM / 28,600 kg Payload
Stowage Factor & Handling
Standard commercial packaging for Accompanying a person, arriving in the United States (exclusive of duty-free articles and articles acquired in American Samoa, Guam or the Virgin Islands of the United States)
MODULE 11: GACC Advance Ruling (海关预裁定)
Legally binding tariff classification decisions issued by the General Administration of Customs of China (GACC) for HS 9816.00.
Query official GACC Customs Advance Ruling (海关预裁定) portal criteria:
What is the 6-digit WCO tariff classification and China (GACC / 中国海关) general duty for Accompanying a person, arriving in the United States (exclusive of duty-free articles and articles acquired in American Samoa, Guam or the Virgin Islands of the United States)?
Under WCO Harmonized System 2022 and China (GACC / 中国海关), Accompanying a person, arriving in the United States (exclusive of duty-free articles and articles acquired in American Samoa, Guam or the Virgin Islands of the United States) is classified under HS 9816.00 (Heading 9816, Chapter 98). The representative CN MFN general duty rate is 12.00 %.
How is HS 9816.00 distinguished within Heading 9816 (Articles for personal or household use, or as bona fide gifts, not imported for the account of another person, valued in the aggregate at not over $1,000 fair retail value in the country of acquisition, if the person claiming the benefit of subheading 9816.00.20 or 9816.00.40, or both, has not received the benefits thereof within the 30 days immediately preceding his arrival)?
Heading 9816 covers Articles for personal or household use, or as bona fide gifts, not imported for the account of another person, valued in the aggregate at not over $1,000 fair retail value in the country of acquisition, if the person claiming the benefit of subheading 9816.00.20 or 9816.00.40, or both, has not received the benefits thereof within the 30 days immediately preceding his arrival. Subheading 9816.00 specifically isolates Accompanying a person, arriving in the United States (exclusive of duty-free articles and articles acquired in American Samoa, Guam or the Virgin Islands of the United States). Importers must verify whether physical characteristics, processing state, or composition require alternative subheadings under Heading 9816.
What are the primary candidate subheadings related to HS 9816.00?
Related subheadings under Heading 9816 include . Classification depends on processing stage, decaffeination, purity, or material form.
What mandatory commercial entry documents are required to import Accompanying a person, arriving in the United States (exclusive of duty-free articles and articles acquired in American Samoa, Guam or the Virgin Islands of the United States) into China?
Importers require a Chinese Customs Entry Declaration (海关进口货物报关单) lodged on the China International Trade Single Window (国际贸易单一窗口), active 18-digit Unified Social Credit Code (USCC / 统一社会信用代码), Custom Brokerage filing (报关行), Commercial Invoice, Packing List, and Bill of Lading.
Can goods under HS 9816.00 enter duty-free under RCEP or FTAs into China?
Yes. Goods originating in RCEP member countries, ASEAN nations (ACFTA), Australia (ChAFTA), or other FTA partners enter China under preferential tariffs with a valid Certificate of Origin (such as RCEP Certificate or Form E).
What express courier and e-commerce de minimis thresholds apply to China for Accompanying a person, arriving in the United States (exclusive of duty-free articles and articles acquired in American Samoa, Guam or the Virgin Islands of the United States)?
China has no general commercial $800 de minimis. Personal postal items (行邮税) enter duty-free up to RMB 50 tax exemption, while Cross-Border E-Commerce (CBEC 跨境电商) allows duty-free entry up to RMB 5,000 per transaction / RMB 26,000 annual limit.
How can an importer obtain a GACC Customs Advance Ruling (海关预裁定) for HS 9816.00?
Importers or foreign trade operators may submit a formal application for a Customs Advance Ruling (海关预裁定) to GACC local customs authorities under GACC Decree No. 236 for legally binding tariff classification.
How is Import VAT (增值税) assessed on commercial imports of HS 9816.00 into China?
Import VAT is assessed at 13.00% standard rate (9.00% for agricultural products, books, utilities) on total entered CIF value plus customs duty plus consumption tax.
What is the Unified Social Credit Code (USCC) and Customs Brokerage requirement in China?
Commercial importers must hold an active 18-digit Unified Social Credit Code (USCC / 统一社会信用代码) registered with GACC and declare entry via a licensed Customs Broker (报关行) on the China International Trade Single Window (国际贸易单一窗口).
What is the difference between GACC MFN rates and Provisional applied tariffs (暂定税率)?
MFN general rates (最惠国税率) apply to all WTO member imports. Provisional rates (暂定税率) are lower temporary rates set annually by the Customs Tariff Commission (税委会) for strategic imports.
Does Consumption Tax (消费税) apply to imports of HS 9816.00 in China?
Consumption Tax applies selectively to luxury goods, tobacco, alcohol, passenger cars, refined oil, and luxury watches under the PRC Consumption Tax Regulations.
What express courier and Cross-Border E-Commerce (CBEC) rules apply in China?
China has no general $800 commercial de minimis. Personal postal items (行邮税) enter duty-free up to RMB 50 tax exemption, while Cross-Border E-Commerce (CBEC 跨境电商) allows duty-free entry up to RMB 5,000 per transaction / RMB 26,000 annual limit.
How are GACC Customs Advance Rulings (海关预裁定) requested in China?
Importers may submit a formal application for an Advance Ruling (海关预裁定) to GACC local customs authorities under GACC Decree No. 236 for binding classification valid across China.
What China Compulsory Certification (CCC / 3C) product safety rules apply to HS 9816.00?
Covered electrical, electronic, automotive, and safety articles under HS 9816.00 require China Compulsory Certification (CCC / 3C) and CIQ inspection prior to customs release.
Are there MOFCOM Anti-Dumping or Countervailing duties applicable to HS 9816.00?
Importers must verify whether active trade remedy measures published by the Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM / 商务部) apply to their specific originating country.
💬Ask Jack — Customs Lookup
🤖 Ask JackAutomated Tool
Deterministic customs lookup for HS 9816.00 (not legal/broker advice)
Select a quick prompt to query verified customs data for HS 9816.00 (China (GACC / 中国海关)):
🔍
Start typing to search 5,755 WCO Harmonized System subheadings...