Recently, Beijing launched trial operations for one of its first centralized instant refund service points at WF Central. Covering more than 100 international brands and traditional Chinese time-honored stores in the Wangfujing commercial area, the program allows foreign visitors to enjoy “citywide tax refunds, one-stop processing, and immediate refunds upon purchase” after shopping in major commercial areas across the city.
The instant refund service point at WF Central (Photo by Dongcheng District Converged Media Center)
On the third floor of the East Wing of WF Central, a newly established brown-colored counter prominently displays bilingual signage: “Beijing Tax Refund - Instant Refund Service.” Behind the counter, dedicated staff stand ready to assist travelers. At around 3 p.m., Mr. An, a tourist from Singapore, arrived with two shopping bags to claim his tax refund. He enthusiastically showed reporters his purchases: “This is a leather handbag, and these are two pairs of Neiliansheng cloth shoes - a brand recommended by my Chinese friends. I liked them the moment I saw them and bought them as gifts for my family.” One pair was a black men’s cloth shoe, and the other a pink women’s embroidered shoe, with elegant lotus leaves and blossoms delicately stitched into the fabric in muted, graceful colors. After receiving his tax refund in cash at the counter, Mr. An wasn’t in a hurry to leave. “There’s no need to go to the airport to claim a refund anymore. I can get it right here after shopping in Wangfujing - it’s super convenient!” he said, planning to continue browsing the area.
“International visitors can claim refunds on a wide variety of purchases, including cosmetics, clothing, children’s toys, luggage, mobile phones, and pharmaceuticals,” said a staff member at the counter. To complete the refund process, travelers are required to present valid identification documents, such as a foreign passport, Mainland Travel Permit for Hong Kong and Macao Residents, or Mainland Travel Permit for Taiwan Residents - along with the tax refund application form issued at the time of purchase (for purchases under RMB 220,000 including tax), the corresponding invoice, and a personal credit card. In addition, proof of departure from a Beijing port of exit within 17 days must be provided.
Liang Wenjie, Tax Refund Supervisor at WF Central, stated that by relocating the tax refund processing from the port of exit to commercial areas, overseas visitors can now receive their refunds immediately at the point of purchase, thereby significantly shortening the refund cycle. To date, nearly 40 international brand retailers at WF Central have adopted the instant tax refund service.
Across the broader Wangfujing commercial area, the number of retailers offering the instant tax refund service has exceeded 100. These brands are concentrated in major shopping centers such as WF Central, Oriental Plaza, Beijing apm, and the Beijing Department Store. They include not only a wide range of leading international brands, but also renowned Chinese time-honored names such as Tongrentang, Wuyutai, and Neiliansheng. In addition, this tax refund service point can also process refunds for eligible purchases made in other commercial areas across Beijing.
Previously, travelers could only claim departure tax refunds at designated counters at ports of exit, namely Beijing Capital International Airport and Beijing Daxing International Airport. In April this year, the instant tax refund service, initially piloted in select regions, was officially extended nationwide. Building on earlier pilot programs that designated several large shopping malls as instant tax refund locations, Beijing has further upgraded and expanded the initiative by setting up the city’s first batch of centralized instant tax refund service points. As one of the selected sites, the Wangfujing commercial area now offers inbound tourists more convenient and diversified options for tax refund services.
The instant tax refund policy has continuously boosted the development of the “first-store economy” in the Wangfujing commercial area. Recently, Beijing’s first “CHINCHIN Qingqing” Thai restaurant and the city’s inaugural creative Cantonese social space “Ding+ DIMBAR” have opened in Wangfujing, while the tea brand “Bonjour”, which is popular in Jiangsu, Zhejiang, and Shanghai, is set to open its first store in Beijing soon.
A relevant official from the Wangfujing Administrative Committee stated that Wangfujing Department Store and Dong’an Department Store were first approved as pilot stores for instant tax refund services. The recent establishment of the new centralized instant tax refund service point at WF Central has significantly increased both the coverage and concentration of tax refund services, connecting cross-regional scenarios including tourism, consumption, and tax refund services for overseas visitors, thereby supporting Beijing’s efforts to build itself into a world-class international consumption center.
