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United States

The United States

 

Regulations on the items taken into and out of the United States

Clothing, jewelry, cosmetics, hunting or fishing equipment, camera, portable radio and other items of similar nature for personal use are tax-exempt. Any of the items mentioned above that are taken into the United States must be taken out. If you are a new immigrant to the United States, if the value of the tax-exempt items for personal use like jewelry reaches USD 300 or more and if you don’t pay customs duty for such items, you cannot sell them within 3 years. Any of the above times which you don’t pay tax for but sell will be seized or confiscated.

Non-residents who have attained the age of 21 are allowed to take into the United Sates 1 liter of alcoholic drinks like beer, wine and liquor, which can only be for personal use. Alcoholic drinks that exceed the prescribed quantities are subject to customs duty and internal tax.

Visitors can carry into the United States tax-free one carton of cigarettes (200) or 50 cigars, or 2 kilograms (4.4 pounds) of tobacco, or appropriate proportions of the above items. Cigars produced in Cuba, whether for personal use or as gift, are prohibited from entering the United States.

Items purchased in duty-free shops and onboard aircraft or ship are subject to customs duty if they exceed in quantities or value the prescribed tax-exempt limit.

For non- residents who transit for connecting flights in the United States, if the personal items, including no more than 4 liters of alcoholic drinks, are to be taken to places outside the jurisdiction of the United States customs taxation authorities and the value of these items does not exceed USD 200, such items are exempted from tax.

 

Visa

Chinese citizens who travel to the United States must apply for B2 (tourist) visa. The validity period of passport must be at least 6 months longer than the expected duration of stay in the United States. Application for visa must be submitted to the embassy or consulates general of the United States in China. For visa interview appointment or visa-related inquiries, you can call Visa Call Center at 4008-872-333 (calling in China) or 86-21-3881-4611 (calling from outside China).

Starting February 13, 2012, the United States adopted a new policy with respect to Chinese visa applicants which spares some qualifying applicants visa interviews:

A. Chinese citizens who previously held visa of types B (temporary visitor for business and tourist), C1 (transit), D (flight crew, ship crew), C1/D (transit/flight crew and ship crew), F (student), J (exchange visitor), M (non-academic student), O (visitor with special abilities), who have left the print of the index finger and who apply for a visa of the same type, are spared visa interviews within 48 months (4 years) after the visa of the above-mentioned types expires.

B. If the Embassy or a Consulate General of the United States in China requires the applicant to be interviewed, the applicant can directly go to the embassy or consulate general for the visa interview; he/she does not need to make an appointment or leave his/her fingerprint.

C. Holders of F type visa and M type visa who change school and holders of type J visa who change the project of academic exchanges do not qualify for this new policy.

D. Applicants for F1 visa renewal whose previous visa carries ”clearance received” and has expired for less than three years can be spared visa interviews. Applicants for renewal of the types of visa listed in A. (except F1 type) need to make an appointment for visa interviews if the previous visa carriers “clearance received”.

F. Applicants for H, L and P type visa renewal are spared visa interviews if the previous visa has expired for less than 12 months.

 

Useful tips on local customs

At a meal table, start from the outside knife and fork. Use your fork to stabilize the food and use your knife to cut it into small pieces before serving a piece into your mouth. Do not slurp. The small spoon that accompanies coffee cup is used to stir the milk and sugar; do not use it to spoon coffee. Refrain from talking in a loud voice in restaurant.

You are expected to tip onboard ship or train, but not onboard long-distance bus or plane. You should tip the porters at train station or wharf, but when you deposit or claim your baggage, you don’t need to tip. In hotel, you should tip the housekeeper who cleans your room and the bellboy who helps you with your luggage. You should tip the waiters or waitresses who serve dishes in restaurant, but you don’t need to tip the foreman. You should tip your taxi driver, barber and beautician, but you don’t need to tip sales assistant and laundry staff. For restaurants, the tip is generally 15% -20% of the bill; for porter in hotel, USD 0.5-1/piece; for housekeeper in hotel, USD1-2; for taxi driver, about 1%, and if there’s luggage in the boot, tipping based on the number of pieces of luggage is also expected.

In the United States, it’s customary to stand in line. Failure to comply with public order may lead to disputes.

 

Embassy

Embassy of the United States in China

Add: 55 Anjialou, Beijing

Postal code: 100600

Tel: +86-10-85313000 


American Citizen Services

Hours: 8: 30-12: 00, 14: 00-16: 00, Monday to Friday,

Fax: +86-10-85313300

Email: BeijingACS@state.gov


Non-Immigrant Visa

Visa Call Center: www.ustraveldocs.com
Visa Call Center Customer Service:

Beijing: +86-10-57306209

Shanghai: +86-21-26011582

Chengdu: +86-28-64663917

Guangzhou: +86-20-28019267

Dalian: +86-411-39669267

The United States: 703-665-1986


Immigrant Visa: Application submitted to Guangzhou Consulate only

Visa Call Center: www.ustraveldocs.com

Visa Call Center Customer Service:

Beijing: +86-10-57306209

Shanghai: +86-21-26011582

Chengdu: +86-28-64663917

Guangzhou: +86-20-28019267

Dalian: +86-411-39669267

The United States: 703-665-1986 


Beijing American Center (BAC)

Add: Room 2801, Jingguang Center

Tel: +86-10-65973242

Fax: +86-10-65973247


Department of Homeland Security (DHS)

Fax: +86-10-85313100 (Immigration)


U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)

Fax: +86-10-85314600


Foreign Agricultural Service

Tel: +86-10-85313600 (FAS)

Fax: +86-10-85313636

E-mail: Agbeijing@fas.usda.gov


Animal and Plant Quarantine

Tel: +86-10-8531-3030

Fax: +86-10-8531-3033


FCS

Tel: +86-10-85313557

Fax: +86-10-85313701/4343

E-mail: office.beijing@trade.gov

 

Voltage and Plugs

Click to check

 

* The above information is for reference only. For more, contact the embassy.

* For more information on visa, head to the Star Alliance website.