You can send up to 50,000 US dollars a year out of China per person, plus your after-tax salary with the right paperwork, and here is exactly how to do it from a Shanghai bank.
The short version: as an individual you can convert and send up to the equivalent of 50,000 US dollars out of mainland China each calendar year, the quota resets every 1 January, and if you are an expat working here you can remit your after-tax salary abroad on top of that once you show the paperwork. The rest of this guide is the how, the documents, and the mistakes that get transfers bounced.
I have done this more times than I can count, for rent going home, for family, for a deposit on a flat in another country. It is not hard once you know the rules, but the bank will not hold your hand, and half the "just use an app" advice online quietly ignores that most of those apps cannot legally move renminbi out of China for you. Here is what actually works.
What is the annual limit for sending money out of China?
Every individual, Chinese or foreign, has an annual foreign-exchange purchase quota of the equivalent of 50,000 US dollars per person, per calendar year. It resets on 1 January. This is the amount you can freely convert from renminbi into a foreign currency and send abroad through a bank without special approval. Going over it is possible but you then have to apply to the local State Administration of Foreign Exchange (SAFE) with supporting documents, which is slow and not something a bank counter can wave through.
One thing people miss: the quota is about converting currency. If you already hold foreign currency in a China account (say your salary was partly paid in US dollars), moving that abroad does not always draw down the same quota. Ask your bank how your specific account is treated.
Can expats send their Shanghai salary home?
Yes, and this is the part that trips people up. As an expat legally employed in China, you can remit your after-tax salary abroad, and this generally sits alongside the standard quota rather than eating into it, because it is treated as legitimate income repatriation. What the bank wants to see is proof that the money is real, taxed salary:
- Your passport and valid residence permit or work-type visa.
- Your employment contract.
- Individual income tax payment records (the tax receipts or a printout from the tax system) covering the amount you want to send.
- Recent salary slips or bank statements showing the salary landing in your account.
Some banks, including Bank of China and ICBC, can set up a standing arrangement where a fixed share of your after-tax salary is remitted to your home account automatically each month. If you send money home regularly, ask for this. It saves a counter visit every single time.
How do I wire money abroad from a Chinese bank, step by step?
1. Go to your bank branch in person
Outward international transfers for individuals almost always mean a counter visit, not an app. Bring your passport, bank card, phone (for the SMS code), and the documents above if you are remitting salary. Go earlier in the day; forex desks can take a while.
2. Have the recipient details ready
You need the beneficiary's full name exactly as on their account, their account number or IBAN, the bank's SWIFT/BIC code, and the bank's name and address. A wrong SWIFT code is the most common reason a transfer stalls, so double-check it with the receiving bank.
3. Fill in the outward remittance form and purpose
You will state the purpose of the transfer (family support, savings, property, tuition). Be honest and consistent; the stated purpose should match your documents. For salary repatriation the purpose is your own income.
4. Pay the fees and keep the receipt
Expect a remittance fee (often around 100 to 260 RMB depending on the bank and amount) plus a telegraphic transfer charge, and the receiving bank may deduct an intermediary fee too. Keep the stamped receipt and the transaction reference. Money usually lands in one to three working days.
What about Wise, PayPal, and paying with an app?
This is where the honest answer matters. Alipay and WeChat Pay are brilliant inside China, but they do not let an ordinary individual send renminbi to a foreign bank account abroad. PayPal's usefulness for moving money out of a mainland China balance is limited and comes with its own fees and restrictions. Wise and similar services are excellent for sending money into China and between other countries, but funding a transfer out of China with renminbi from a Chinese card is not something they can generally do for you, because the currency conversion and outbound step is exactly what China's forex rules govern.
So for genuinely moving your money out of the country, the regulated bank wire is still the reliable route. Apps are for spending and for inbound transfers. If a service promises to move large renminbi sums abroad instantly and cheaply outside the banking system, treat it as a red flag, not a shortcut.
What changed for transfers in 2026?
From 1 January 2026, banks apply stricter identity verification on cross-border transfers. In practice, outbound transactions above roughly 5,000 RMB or 1,000 US dollars now trigger closer identity checks on the person sending the money. It does not lower the 50,000 dollar quota, but it does mean your documents need to be clean and your stated purpose needs to match. Budget a little extra time at the counter and bring more paperwork than you think you need.
How much does a bank transfer actually cost?
Less than most people expect. A Chinese bank charges a telegraphic-transfer fee of about 0.1 percent of the amount, with a floor near 50 RMB and a ceiling near 1,000 RMB, plus a fixed cable charge of roughly 100 to 150 RMB. On a normal salary-sized transfer that lands around 200 to 250 RMB all in, so the fee is not the thing eating your money.
The bigger cost is usually the exchange-rate spread, not the wire fee, so on a large sum check the rate your bank quotes on the day against a reference rate first. The receiving bank abroad may also take a small handling fee at its end, so tell whoever is waiting for the money to look out for it.
The legal, low-stress way people actually do it
- Plan around the January reset. If you have a big transfer, splitting it across late December and early January uses two years' quotas legitimately.
- Repatriate salary as salary. Keep your tax records tidy from day one; they are the key that unlocks sending your earnings home without touching the quota.
- Do not "borrow" other people's quotas. Splitting one person's money across friends' or colleagues' 50,000 dollar allowances to dodge the limit is not legal and banks watch for it. Stay clean.
- Keep every receipt. A tidy paper trail is what makes the next transfer painless.
Once your bank account and payment apps are set up, this becomes routine. If you have not sorted those yet, start with my guide on opening a Chinese bank account in Shanghai, and on setting up Alipay and WeChat Pay as an expat.
Common questions
How much money can I take out of China per year?
Up to the equivalent of 50,000 US dollars per person per calendar year through the standard forex quota, resetting on 1 January. Expats can remit after-tax salary on top of that with the right documents.
Can I send my salary home every month automatically?
Yes. Banks like Bank of China and ICBC can set up a monthly remittance of a fixed share of your after-tax salary once you provide your contract and tax records.
Do I need to go to the bank in person?
For outward international wires, almost always yes. Individual outbound transfers are handled at the counter, not through the app.
Can I use Alipay or WeChat to send money abroad?
No, not to a foreign bank account as an individual. Use a bank wire for moving money out of China.
What documents do I need to remit my salary?
Passport and residence permit, employment contract, individual income tax payment records, and salary slips or statements showing the income.
Can I send money from China to my home country?
Yes. The same 50,000 US dollar annual quota and the same bank wire apply whichever country you send to, whether that is the United States, the United Kingdom, Japan, Korea or anywhere else. You only need the receiving bank's SWIFT or BIC code and the beneficiary's account details; the destination country does not change the rules on the China side.
How do I send money from China to Korea?
The standard 50,000 USD annual quota and bank wire process apply to Korea. Provide the Korean receiving bank's SWIFT code and your beneficiary's account details. The destination country does not change the rules on the China side.
How can I send money from China to Japan?
The same 50,000 USD annual quota applies. You'll need the Japanese bank's SWIFT code and the beneficiary's account details. The process is the same regardless of destination country.
