By law, you can take $10,000 in cash through customs in America.
Not that you'd need to, with debit cards working the world over.
It's impossible for the average expat to get a credit card here, and you have to provide proof of income to wire more than $500 abroad (assuming you have an account with debit card back home, which you could then use during travel). These transfers cost $30 a pop. You also need to know exactly how much you might need, which is REALLY easy with international travel, otherwise you'll be caught short, or conversely left with a lump of money stuck abroad.
The alternative is sweating being robbed of your fat wad of cash (the fact that the highest denomination is 100rmb due to rampant counterfeiting really helps here) while you travel.
Just as user-friendly as you expect things to be in the future sole Superpower.
So. What does the law say about cash-thru-customs here?
you can get a credit card here
I went to a million banks, big and small. Unless you are insane enough to buy property here, or, with some banks, have a VIP account (few hundred thou), you can't, or at least not anymore.
I have a credit card from the ISBC, got it about 8 years ago here in Kunming, but when I went to the Construction Bank a few months ago they told me that Laowai cannot get cards there. So it seems things change from time to time.
I asked at the China Merchant's Bank a few months ago and they seemed to offer cards to expats. They needed proof of employment here.
Go to HSBC on Beijing Lu in the Junfa center 11th floor and ask them. I had no problem this year. You can get personal credit cards but not business credit cards. Of course you can get debit cards if you open an account. You may need the correct visa or permit to live here depending on the bank.
A month ago I went to the Junfa HSBC as well, and was told, in English, that no way.
I have work visa and a respectable job, though they never even asked.
Of course I asked at different banks about (Visa/MC) debit cards, and nobody has ever heard about those.
Hmm. Maybe I'll try-try again.
According to Baidu:
可以同时带2万RMB和等额5000美金外币。
如果要多带,可以去银行开一个申请单,过关的时候出示。
Monsieur Magnifico: where might this Merchants' Bank be located?
I asked my wife (a credit card manager at CGB bank) and she said "No, foreigners cannot get credit cards." Although it seems like her banks current policy... she said even if you are from Hong Kong and are rich, still cannot. Their forms specifically state "ID Card/Passport", but they have been told they cannot accept passports. So that's either by decree of the government or by decree of her bank (more likely).
I got a visa debit card at Bank of China last month. No need for minimum deposit in your bank account.
