Not all types of shipments are created equal. Shipping a television will
require different paperwork, duties, and taxes than shipping an accounting
statement, for example.
Here is a list of the most common types of shipments:
You can also skip ahead to the table containing the list of
Commonly Required Documents.
Haitian customs allows entry to the following items as documents:
- Advertising literature
- Airline tickets, passports, and visa applications
- Annual reports
- Brochures and pamphlets
- Business cards
- Calendars
- Catalogues and price lists
- Cheques and cash letters
- Computer print-outs
- Credit cards
- Drawings (including sepia drawings)
- Driver's licence
- Greeting cards and invitations
- Intercompany mail
- Manuscripts and publications
- Maps and charts
- Negotiable bonds and drafts
- Newspapers, magazines, and periodicals
- Photographs and slides
- Proposals and bids
- Seismic data
- Specifications sheets
- Transparencies
The items below may enter Haiti as a document if they abide by the
criteria shown in the following table.
| Document Type | Restriction |
|---|
| Manuals | If they are of a technical nature |
| Newsletters | Only if they are for intercompany use |
| Traveller's cheques | They must be shipped in a document envelope |
Sources:
https://www.ups.com/ga/CountryRegs?loc=en_US
Gifts shipments entering Haiti from Canada will be exempt from duty
and taxes provided:
- The parcel is only for the use of the recipient or his or her family
- The quantity of goods in the shipment is clearly a non-commercial
amount
- The shipper and recipient are private individuals
- The goods are considered to be low value
Shipments from Individual-to-Individual
A gift shipment from an individual in Canada to an individual in Haiti
will not incur duty and taxes if:
- The gift is of low value
- The shipment is small and its contents are low in number, which is
clearly a non-commercial quantity
- The gift is for the personal use of the recipient or his or her
family only
Shipments from Business-to-Business
All gift shipments from a business in Canada to a business in Haiti
will incur duty and taxes regardless of the value of the gift. (There
are no thresholds or de minimis values.)
Shipments from Business-to-Individual
If a business in Canada sends a gift to an individual in Haiti, it
will be considered a commercial transaction; therefore, duty and
charges will be applied to the shipment no matter how low in value it
is.
Gift Checklist
- A commercial invoice must be included with your shipment
- The words 'Gift Shipment' or 'Unsolicited Gift' are included on the
commercial invoice, even if the shipment is sent at Christmas time (see sample)
- List the items in the parcel and write the value of each
- Sending more than one gift in the parcel? Wrap and tag each one
individually.
Sample Commercial Invoice for Gifts
Multiple Gifts in One Shipment
Provided the shipment contains gifts that are low in value and
quantity, they may enter Haiti exempt from tax and duty charges. Also,
the shipment must be sent from a private person in Canada to a private
person in Haiti.
Finally, be sure to tag and wrap each gift separately.
Sample Commercial Invoice for Gifts
Sources:
https://www.douane.gouv.ht/AGD/code_douanier/text/Article-27-1317.html
https://www.douane.gouv.ht/AGD/code_douanier/text/Article-28-1320.html
Anyone who is moving to Haiti from Canada permanently will be granted
a duty and tax exemption on their personal effects.
The conditions of the exemption includes the following:
- The goods were purchased in Canada
- They have been owned and used by the claimant for at least 1 year
- The goods are not to be sold, given away, or transferred
- The claimant has lived outside of Haiti for at least 1 year
- They shipment must arrive within 6 months of the individual taking
up residence in Haiti
Personal effects comprise the following items:
- Household furniture and appliances
- Musical instruments
- Kitchen utensils, cutlery, tableware, etc.
- Decorations and furnishings
- Clothing and footwear
- Portable tools and instruments used for an occupation or profession
NOTE:
The following are disallowed
duty and tax exemption entry as personal effects:
- Foodstuffs
- Alcoholic beverages
- Non-portable instruments and tools
- Commercial quantities of goods
Moving Temporarily
Students
There is no information at this time concerning students who move to
Haiti with their personal effects in order to study in the country.
Non-students
Non-students who move temporarily to Haiti may ship their personal
effects exempt from duties and taxes provided the items are for their
personal use only, and will leave with them when they return to
Canada.
Moving Permanently
If you move to Haiti permanently from Canada, your personal effects
may enter the country exempt from duty and taxes provided:
- You have owned and used the goods for 1 year or more
- The goods were bought in Canada
- You have lived continuously outside of Haiti for a minimum of 1 year
- The shipment arrives within 6 months of you becoming a resident of
Haiti
- You do not transfer, sell, or give away your belongings
The following qualify as personal effects eligible for exemption:
- Footwear and clothing
- Utensils and equipment in the kitchen and for eating
- Appliances and furniture
- Portable instruments and tools that are needed for a profession or
trade
- Furnishings and decorations
- Musical instruments
NOTE:
The following will be taxed
if they are included in a shipment of personal effects:
- Commercial quantities of goods
- Non-portable tools and instruments
- Alcoholic beverages
- Foodstuffs
Personal Effects Checklist
- They are imported strictly for the use of the individual and/or his
or her family
- The amount of goods is clearly for the household only, and is not in
a commercial quantity
- The shipment arrives no more than 30 days before and 90 days after
the arrival of the owner of the goods
Sources:
https://www.douane.gouv.ht/index.php/attribution-definitive-de-marche/95-agd-publications/151-formalites-prealables-a-remplir-pour-un-dedouanement-rapide?start=2
https://www.douane.gouv.ht/AGD/code_douanier/text/Article-14-1267.html
https://www.douane.gouv.ht/AGD/code_douanier/text/Article-188.html
https://www.douane.gouv.ht/AGD/code_douanier/text/Article-327.html
https://www.douane.gouv.ht/AGD/code_douanier/text/Article-11-1258.html
https://www.douane.gouv.ht/AGD/code_douanier/text/Article-12-1261.html
https://www.haiti-now.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/Code-douanier-Dr.-Fran%C3%A7ois-Duvalier-1963.pdf
Sample Commercial Invoice for Personal Effects
Information concerning importation of foodstuffs into Haiti is limited
at this time.
You May Ship
Do Not Ship
- Perishable items such as dairy and meat products
Food, Chocolate, Candies Checklist
- Clearly indicate 'Food' on the commercial invoice in the General Description
or Remarks section (see sample)
- Ensure that your food, chocolate, or candies may be imported into the
country
- You are not shipping commercial quantities (for any duty & tax exemption)
- Check with your carrier that they will accept food shipments
Sample Commercial Invoice for Food, Chocolate, Candies
Equipment shipped to Haiti for repair will be exempt from duty and tax
charges as long as the equipment is returned to Canada after the work
is completed. This process is part of Haiti's inward processing regime
and may require a bond or guarantee to accompany the importation.
Items Under Warranty
Items that have been shipped to Canada for a warranty repair may
return to Haiti exempt from duties and taxes provided the repairs were
done without charge.
Items No Longer Under Warranty
Items repaired in Canada without being under a warranty will incur
duty and taxes by Haitian authorities. Also, GST will be applied to
the repair costs and on any parts used to make the repairs.
Sending Product for Repair to Haiti
Haiti accepts importation of items for repair duty and tax free
provided they are re-exported to Canada once the repairs are done. Be
aware that a financial guarantee or bond may be necessary when the
items enter Haiti.
Returning Repaired Product to Haiti
Equipment repaired in Canada under a warranty and at no charge may
re-enter Haiti exempt from duties and taxes.
Repair Checklist
- Commercial invoice must clearly indicate 'REPAIR & RETURN' under the General
Description or Remarks, and include the estimated time of return(see sample)
- Include repair contract with shipment
- Serial or product number and the cost of repairs should be indicated under
the Detailed Description of Goods section
- Include the original shipping documents or tracking number from when the
item was first exported to Haiti or exported to Canada (depending on
which case applies)
- A commercial invoice must be included with your shipment
Sources:
https://www.douane.gouv.ht/AGD/code_douanier/text/Article-163.html
https://www.douane.gouv.ht/AGD/code_douanier/text/Article-165.html
https://www.douane.gouv.ht/AGD/code_douanier/text/Article-166.html
https://www.douane.gouv.ht/AGD/code_douanier/text/Article-172.html
Sample Commercial Invoice for Warranty Repair
Temporary imports may enter Haiti exempt from duties and taxes
provided:
- They leave Haiti when their time in the country is finished
- They have remained unchanged except for normal wear-and-tear
- They stay no longer than 2 years in the country
Goods that typically benefit from temporary import exemptions include:
- Commercial samples that are displayed at exhibitions, fairs, or
trade shows
- Items of an artistic, scientific, or sporting nature that will be
exhibited
ATA Carnets
Haitian customs do not accept ATA Carnets for temporary imports.
Temporary Imports Checklist
- Commercial Invoice clearly stating 'Temporary Import'. This must be written
in the General Description section and the Detailed Description of Goods. (see sample)
- The goods arrive and leave in the same condition, i.e. they undergo no
repairs nor are they used in manufacturing
- Stay no longer than the period listed above
- Include your ATA Carnet with your shipment (if applicable)
- Include the expected return date or the date that it was originally received
within the country (whichever applies)
- Any above listed items not listed in this checklist
Sources:
https://www.douane.gouv.ht/AGD/code_douanier/text/Article-157.html
https://www.douane.gouv.ht/AGD/code_douanier/text/Article-158.html
https://www.douane.gouv.ht/AGD/code_douanier/text/Article-159.html
Sample Commercial Invoice for Temporary Imports
All sold goods entering Haiti will be liable to duties and taxes no
matter their value. Haiti does not have a threshold or de minimis
value below which no taxes or duties are incurred.
Occasional Shipper
Even if you only ship sold goods occasionally to Haiti, those items
will incur duty and taxes regardless of their value.
Regular shipper
Regular shippers of sold goods to Haiti should consult a licenced
Haitian shipping broker to ensure that all local rules and regulations
are being followed.
Sources:
https://www.haiti-now.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/Code-douanier-Dr.-Fran%C3%A7ois-Duvalier-1963.pdf
Sample Commercial Invoice for Permanent/Sold Goods
