As the Mid-Autumn Festival approaches, mooncakes, a symbol of reunion and happiness, have become the preferred gift for expressing affection among friends and family. However, are there any precautions or restrictions when carrying or mailing mooncakes across borders? To help everyone clear customs smoothly and enjoy the reunion moment, this article will provide a detailed interpretation of the relevant knowledge about carrying and mailing mooncakes across borders.

Among the diverse varieties of mooncakes, not all flavors can be carried or mailed into the country. According to the List of Animals, Plants, and Their Products and Other Quarantine Items Prohibited from Being Carried or Mailed into China (Announcement No. 470 of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs and the General Administration of Customs), the following foods cannot be carried or mailed into the country:

(1) Raw or cooked meat (including offal) and its products.
(2) Aquatic animal products, except for dried, cooked, or fermented edible sauces made from aquatic animals.
(3) Animal-derived milk and dairy products, such as raw milk, pasteurized milk, sterilized milk, modified milk, fermented milk, cream, butter, cheese, condensed milk, etc.
(4) Eggs and their products, such as fresh eggs, preserved eggs, salted eggs, egg liquid, eggshells, mayonnaise, etc.
(5) Birds nest, except for commercially sterilized canned birds nest.
(6) Permissible types of mooncakes include:
(7) Mooncakes with fillings made from processed, cooked, or fermented edible sauce-type aquatic animal products, such as cooked crayfish, cooked abalone and sea cucumber, etc.
(8) Mooncakes with fillings made from high-temperature cooked plant-derived products, such as red bean paste mooncakes, sesame mooncakes, lotus seed paste mooncakes, five-nut mooncakes, fruit puree mooncakes, etc.

When selecting mooncakes, carefully check the ingredient list to ensure compliance with entry requirements to avoid unnecessary complications.

When planning to mail mooncakes to friends and family abroad, be aware that different countries and regions have varying restrictions on mooncake shipments. For example:

(1) Australia, UK, Canada, Malaysia:These countries prohibit mooncakes containing egg yolks or meat from being mailed in. Australia additionally bans mooncakes with nut or dried fruit fillings and requires them to be labeled as holiday gifts.
(2) New Zealand:Prohibits mooncakes containing egg yolks or honey fillings.
(3) United States:Requires recipients to pre-register with the FDA and include the confirmation number on the shipping details. Mooncake fillings must not contain egg yolks or meat ingredients.
(4) Japan:Mooncakes under 5kg require no quarantine certificate but must list ingredients and expiration date. Over 5kg requires phytosanitary and certificate of origin. Meat fillings require health certificate from origin country.It is recommended to verify through the following methods:(5) Poland:
Requires import license from Ministry of Agriculture with sugar content specified.(6) Thailand, Vietnam:
Mooncakes under 0.5kg must be labeled as holiday gifts. Recipients must provide statement confirming personal consumption.Additionally, 34 countries/regions including Germany, Switzerland, Gabon, Sweden, Cameroon, France, Russia, South Korea, Myanmar, Burundi, Denmark, Spain, Thailand, Uruguay, Colombia, Czech Republic, Belgium, Singapore, Congo, Chad, Sudan, Mexico, Philippines, India, Estonia, Brazil, Hungary, Qatar, Libya, Nigeria, Indonesia, Saudi Arabia, Equatorial Guinea and Ethiopia completely prohibit mooncake imports.

Before mailing mooncakes abroad, check destination country regulations through official websites or local contacts to avoid unnecessary losses.

Both carrying and mailing mooncakes must follow principles of personal use and reasonable quantity. China Customs regulations state: inbound resident travelers personal items should not exceed RMB 5,000; non-resident travelers items to remain in China should not exceed RMB 2,000. Mail limits: RMB 800 for Hong Kong/Macau/Taiwan; RMB 1,000 for other countries.

If mooncake quantities exceed limits, apply for return or complete goods clearance procedures. Single indivisible items exceeding limits may qualify for personal item clearance if verified as personal use.

Personal inbound mail items are subject to import duties, but duties under RMB 50 (inclusive) are exempt.

The Mid-Autumn Festival symbolizes reunion and love, with mooncakes being important carriers of affection. Understanding and complying with import/export regulations ensures smooth customs clearance and successful delivery of these heartfelt gifts.

Mid-Autumn Mooncake Import/Export Guide

The above content is sourced from the customs release.ZhongShen International TradeAs a one - stop importExport Representationservice provider, it can provide customizedimport and exportSolution. If you needforeign tradeFor import and export agency services, please feel free to contact our company for business inquiries. The consultation hotline is 139 - 1787 - 2118.