If you are leaving China, here are the 10 important things to do

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By S.J.Grand, 1421 Consulting

Leaving a country you once lived in can mean a lot of work. As an expatriate in China, you need to start asking questions about what you should be doing before leaving. There are but a couple of things you must do even a few months before your plan of leaving. So, it is important to get reminders on how to get going ahead. 

1

Non-criminal record

It is impossible to retrieve your non-criminal record from China once you are already out of the country. Local police authorities will require your original passport and house rental agreement before they can issue a non-criminal record certificate. Thus, you must put this on your to-do list and make sure to get it notarized afterward.  

2

Claim your social insurance back

Foreigners can enjoy a monthly pension, given that they have contributed to it while working in China for 15 years or more. They can also receive this retirement fee even if they live abroad. 

Foreigners are also entitled to a refund of the paid and unused part of medical insurance. Both items shall be refunded in a lump sum before a foreigner leaves the country.

The HR person in your company can surely give you some advice.

3

Transferring your money

In terms of money, China requires a limited amount of money you can carry back home. If you have long-term savings, it might be a problem to take them out of China all at once on the same day you are leaving. Furthermore, you are only allowed to exchange currencies on specific days. So, better plan on transferring your money to your overseas account a few weeks in advance. 

4

Unlinking your phone number

Your phone number in China is simply the most important information you can have in terms of bank activation or using apps such as Alipay or WeChat. If you do not cancel your phone number before leaving China, you may face issues especially if it is tied with your passport number.

On the other hand, forgetting to cancel or unlink your phone number with your WeChat ID can be risky. If your phone bill is not paid for six months, it will be registered as a new number and another person will be able to log in to your WeChat. Canceling your phone number would also mean deleting your Alipay account. Since Alipay contains all your payment transactions or bank card information, it is also important to deal with it before leaving.

5

Work permit cancellation certificate 

When your labor contract is terminated, your HR will normally get the employment permit(外国人就业证) or foreign expert certificate(外国专家证) from you and cancel it. It’s very important you can get the cancellation certificate(注销证明), at least the scanned copy, issued by the relevant authority,. This certificate can be an official proof of your work experience in China. And if you want to come back to China to get a work visa again, the cancellation certificate is also required.

6

Tax resident certificate with an official Chinese stamp

Before leaving China, you must visit the local tax bureau and request a ‘tax certificate’ detailing your salary and taxes paid, whether monthly or annually. Think of it as a tax clearance, making sure that you are free from any debts or tax liabilities. This document will also serve as your evidence of taxes paid in China so that you can avoid double taxation.

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7

Get reference from your bank in China

Getting a reference letter or a bank certificate from your bank could be helpful in some countries which require a bank reference before you can open a new bank account. Furthermore, you can also use this document as proof of your financial activities or China-sourced income.

Some banks outside China have very tough rules. An expat said a bank in Malta wrote to his bank in China, but they never replied, so he couldn’t open a bank account.

9

Settling payments with your landlord

Both expat workers and business owners are obliged to settle their rentals before leaving China to avoid future conflict. At the same time, you must not forget your deposits from your accommodation provider or get a reimbursement of the housing allowance from your company.

8

Cancel SIM Card

Cancelling your SIM card when leaving China might not seem very important, however if you want to return to China in the future and get a new one it definitely must not be forgotten. If the SIM card is not cancelled it will keep being charged by the Chinese provider. Furthermore, after 90 days the provider will take the number back and blacklist you. This will give you trouble when you want to apply for a new SIM card in the future.

10

Reference from your company

A reference from your company in China is a good thing to get, because sometimes it’s hard to get a reference from a company in China after you leave.

If your company doesn’t usually provide such thing, you can write one on your own, make it bi-lingual, so that the person in charge can stamp and sign it.

Source: S.J.Grand, 1421 Consulting

https://www.sjgrand.cn/things-to-do-before-leaving-china-for-good/

https://www.1421.consulting/2019/01/leaving-china-5-important-steps/

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