Operators should note that customs officers at Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport (ZSSS) and Shanghai Pudong International Airport (ZSPD) are paying extra attention to Crew Declaration Forms ahead of the inaugural China International Import Expo which will be held in Shanghai this November 5-10.

The Crew Declaration Form is now an essential document for outbound Chinese crew and for inbound foreign crew and the form must be signed and stamped whether or not the crew has anything to declare.

Failure to do so may incur a penalty or inbound or outbound rejection.

Operators are advised to keep fully filled declaration forms with crew signatures and customs stamps ready in case of on-the-spot checks.

For instances of crew swaps, crew entering China on commercial flights should keep inbound flight tickets in case of a customs check when they leave the country on duty as operating crew.

Similarly, crew entering China on duty as operating crew should keep the declaration form in case of a customs check when they leave on commercial flights.

If international crew cannot produce the declaration form with a stamp or commercial flight tickets, they must inform the local customs officer at least one day in advance to avoid a penalty.

ZSSS and ZSPD are also making strict checks of the Crew Declaration Form for each crew member on every flight.

The relevant flight and operator might be affected, and an administrative penalty will be incurred if crew members have issues with their declaration forms.

For more information on the China Import Expo, click here

For support with your missions to Shanghai, contact UAS China