Carrying cash from China to Singapore
Two separate rules apply to any cash journey: one where you leave, one where you arrive.
Do you need to declare?
Part of this route is a hard limit, not paperwork. Leaving China, General Administration of Customs of China caps what you may carry at CNY 20,000, a prohibition, not a form. Entering Singapore, Immigration & Checkpoints Authority requires a declaration above SGD 20,000. The two rules are independent: satisfying one does not satisfy the other.
The two legs
| Leg | Limit | Form | Authority |
|---|---|---|---|
| Leaving China | max CNY 20,000 | Customs declaration form | General Administration of Customs of China |
| Entering Singapore | SGD 20,000 | CBNI declaration (via the Singapore Arrival Card or the official app) | Immigration & Checkpoints Authority |
The same ¥20,000 cap applies on departure. Foreign currency above USD 5,000 is released on the strength of the declaration made on your last entry, so keep the endorsed copy, without it, customs releases only what a certificate from the Foreign Exchange Bureau or an authorised bank covers.
Required when the total value EXCEEDS S$20,000, exactly S$20,000 does not trigger it. The duty applies whether the cash is yours or carried for someone else.
If you do not declare
Singapore: An offence under the Corruption, Drug Trafficking and Other Serious Crimes (Confiscation of Benefits) Act 1992.
There is no limit on how much you may legally carry in either direction, the duty is to report it, not to keep under it. Failing to report is the offence.
Currencies
China uses CNY; Singapore uses SGD.
Sources: rules as of 22 September 2026. This is general information, not legal advice; always check the official authority before travelling.