Hong Kong Customs cash declaration system：https://www.cds.customs.gov.hk/sc.html

Hong Kong Customs cash declaration system

Hong Kong Customs cash declaration system：https://www.cds.customs.gov.hk/sc.html

Cash items
Reporting and disclosure requirements
Under the Cross Boundary Movement of Physical Currency and Bearer Negotiable Instruments Ordinance (Cap. 629) (the Ordinance), a person arriving in Hong Kong through the specified control points listed in Schedule 1 to the Ordinance who is in possession of a large amount (i.e. a total value of more than HK $120,000) of currency and bearer negotiable instruments (" cash-type articles "), You must use the Red channel under the Red Green Channel system to make a written declaration to customs officers.

Persons arriving in Hong Kong outside the specified control points (e.g. passengers and crew arriving in Hong Kong via vessel anchorage by passenger ferry) or departing from Hong Kong are required to disclose whether they are in possession of large amounts of cash-type items if requested by customs officers; If so, a written declaration must be made.

If an adult knows that a child (i.e. a person under the age of 16) with whom he is accompanying is in possession of a large amount of cash-type items, the adult is required to declare or disclose it for the child.

The "Declaration Form for Cash Articles" can be obtained at the Red Channel of the Immigration Hall of the Customs and Excise Department at all control points or downloaded from the Customs website. A sample of the completed return is attached for your reference.

Definition of "cash-type articles"
Cash items refer to:

Notes or coins which are legal tender within or outside Hong Kong; or
Negotiable instruments that meet the following requirements (Note 1) :
Negotiable instruments in the form of holders;
Negotiable instruments endorsed without limitation;
Negotiable instruments issued to fictitious payees;
In its form, its ownership is a negotiable instrument that is transferred with delivery; or
Negotiable instrument signed but not stating the name of the payee.
Note 1: Examples of instruments include traveller's cheques, bearer cheques, promissory notes, bearer bonds, money orders and postal notes.

Not applicable
The above declaration and disclosure requirements do not apply to passengers in transit at the Hong Kong International Airport who have not undergone immigration clearance at any specified control point while in Hong Kong.

Determining the value of cash-type items denominated in other currencies
The value of cash-type articles (such as foreign currencies) in the possession of a passenger and denominated in a currency other than Hong Kong dollars is calculated according to the foreign exchange selling opening reference rate published by the Hong Kong Association of Banks on the day of the passenger's arrival or departure. If the Hong Kong Association of Banks does not publish the relevant quotation on that day; If the passenger arrives or is about to leave Hong Kong earlier than the time of publication of the price, the value of the cash items will be calculated according to the latest price published by the Hong Kong Association of Banks before that date. (Note 2)

If the Hong Kong Association of Banks does not publish a reference rate for a particular currency, the value of the cash items concerned is calculated at the United Nations operational rate of exchange (" UN rate ") in force in respect of the currency on the day of arrival or departure. The Hong Kong dollar equivalent of cash items should be calculated by converting the face value of cash items to US dollars at the United Nations rate of exchange and then to Hong Kong dollars.

It should be noted that when making a written declaration, the value of cash items should be stated in the relevant currency and there is no need to convert them into Hong Kong dollars. For example, if $20,000 is declared, the relevant value should be "$20,000".

Travellers who are unsure of the exchange rate applicable on arrival or departure should check with Customs officers.

Note 2: For example, if a visitor arrives in Hong Kong on 29 July 2018 (the date falls on a Sunday and the Hong Kong Association of Banks generally does not publish the exchange rate), reference should be made to the rate published on 28 July 2018. The website of the Hong Kong Association of Banks (HKAB) contains the quotations published in the past.

Penalty provision
Any traveller who has breached the reporting/disclosure requirement for the first time and has never been convicted of money laundering or terrorist financing, and whose cash-type items are not reasonably suspected to be proceeds of crime or terrorist property, can be relieved of liability by paying HK $2,000. Other cases will be dealt with through criminal proceedings, with a maximum penalty of a fine of HK $500,000 and imprisonment for 2 years.