Since the early 1960s, Taiwan has undergone a massive economic transformation. It is now the world's largest supplier of computer chips, a leading LCD panel manufacturer, and designer and builder of many other consumer electronics.
The Taiwanese have also become e-commerce leaders by having a 93% internet penetration rate (2019) and the highest proportion of internet shoppers in Asia.
With a large English speaking business community, shipping your goods to and from Taiwan couldn't be more lucrative.
Easily compare the best and cheapest shipping options to Taiwan through a variety of carriers using Secureship
Secureship provides safe and affordable shipping from Canada to Taiwan. in case you are an everyday shopper or a business,
you can easily save up to 50% on your international shipping costs by way of accessing our group buying power.
Shipments through Secureship come with full, easy to read tracking information to Taiwan
Tracking #:780123123123
Tel: 1-800-463-3339
Signed By: Pikwalia @ Residence
Jun 2, 2023
8:49 am
Taichung, TA, TW
Delivered
Jun 1, 2023
7:18 am
Tainan, TA, TW
In transit
May 31, 2023
9:03 pm
Chiayi, CH, TW
International Clearance
May 31, 2023
8:14 am
Kaohsiung, KA, TW
In transit
May 31, 2023
12:17 am
Toronto, ON, CA
In transit
May 30, 2023
4:30 pm
Ottawa, ON, CA
Pickup Scan
Disclaimer!
While we have made every effort to ensure that the information on this page is accurate, Customs laws and procedures change regularly so it is
important to consult a licensed broker in Taiwan before shipping any goods.
Types of Shipments
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:
Lee Teng-hui No. 221, Sec 2 Zhi Shan Rd Shilin District Taipei City Taiwan 111
Phone: +886 2 2881 2021
Carrier tracking number: 736534736
General Description:
Personal effects being delivered to my new address.
Invoice number: 123456MGEP4916926 Customs Broker: UPS Date: 30 May 2023
QTY
Description of Goods
C/O
SubTotal
5 Pairs
Personal Effects: 5 pairs of various types of shoes
IN
$40.00
1 Each
Personal Effects: Arc'terix Winter Jacket
CA
$478.00
Terms of Sale: None
Total number of packages: 1
Reason for export:Personal Effects Contact Name: James Smith
Total Invoice Amount: $678.00
Total Weight: 10.0 lbs
Declaration Statement: I hereby certify that information provided is true and complete to the best of my knowledge
Food, Chocolate, Candies
Most food products may not enter Taiwan as shipped goods because they will not meet the processing and quarantine requirements. This is particularly true for meat and its byproducts of land animals.
Do Not Ship
Fruits
Meat and products from land animals
Live animals
Plants
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 Promotional Material
Ship To
Invoice
Lee Teng-hui No. 221, Sec 2 Zhi Shan Rd Shilin District Taipei City Taiwan 111
Phone: +886 2 2881 2021
Carrier tracking number: 736534736
General Description:
Promotional Material - Not for Resale
Invoice number: 123456MGEP4916926 Customs Broker: UPS Date: 30 May 2023
QTY
Description of Goods
C/O
SubTotal
1 Each
Promotional Material: Not for Resale. Product pamphlets to hand out at trade show.
CA
$163.00
Terms of Sale: None
Total number of packages: 1
Reason for export:Promotional Material Contact Name: James Smith
Total Invoice Amount: $163.00
Total Weight: 10.0 lbs
Declaration Statement: I hereby certify that information provided is true and complete to the best of my knowledge
Repairs
Equipment repaired in Canada under warranty at no cost can be shipped to Taiwan exempt from customs duty.
Items Under Warranty
Equipment shipped to Canada for repair that is under warranty will be exempt from customs duty when returned to Taiwan.
Items No Longer Under Warranty
Equipment no longer under warranty that is sent to Canada for repair will incur customs duty on the value of the repair work.
Sending Product for Repair to Taiwan
There is no information at this time regarding shipping equipment to Taiwan from Canada for repair.
Returning Repaired Product to Taiwan
Equipment repaired in Canada and returned to Taiwan will incur customs duty on the cost of the repair.
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 Taiwan or exported to Canada (depending on which case applies)
A commercial invoice must be included with your shipment
Lee Teng-hui No. 221, Sec 2 Zhi Shan Rd Shilin District Taipei City Taiwan 111
Phone: +886 2 2881 2021
Carrier tracking number: 736534736
General Description:
Repair and Return - Watch being sent for repair
Invoice number: 123456MGEP4916926 Customs Broker: UPS Date: 30 May 2023
QTY
Description of Goods
C/O
SubTotal
1 Each
Fossil Watch being sent for repair - Model E5, serial # 789456FG7E2 - Repair Cost $76.00
US
$163.00
Terms of Sale: None
Total number of packages: 1
Reason for export:Warranty Repair Contact Name: James Smith
Total Invoice Amount: $163.00
Total Weight: 10.0 lbs
Declaration Statement: I hereby certify that information provided is true and complete to the best of my knowledge
Temporary Imports
Goods may be imported temporarily to Taiwan from Canada providing a financial guarantee is placed equal to the amount of duty owing on the customs value of the shipment.
Goods of a temporary nature include:
Those displayed at an exhibition, show, meeting, conference, and international fairs
Professional equipment and instruments
Commercial samples
Qualifying for Duty & Tax Free Temporary Import
In order to import your goods duty and tax free into Taiwan, you can pick from 1 of the 2 Temporary Import Methods listed below.
Each option has its pros and cons. Regardless, each of the following methods requires you to complete a commercial invoice. More details are shown in the table.
Option #
Temporary Import Method
Risk of paying
1
Commercial Invoice Only (no other documentation is provided)
High - if broker cannot clear goods temporarily
2
Commercial Invoice
+
ATA Carnet
Very Low
1. Complete a Commercial Invoice (CI) only
This is the simplest and quickest option. See example.
NOTE: You should be aware that shipping using this method doesn't guarantee that your items will be imported duty/tax free.
Not all brokers will clear goods as temporary imports (i.e. UPS, FedEx, DHL) nor is it a guarantee that customs won't charge any duties and taxes.
2. Commercial Invoice (CI) + an ATA Carnet
Completing an ATA Carnet is great option for items that frequently travel in and out of the country.
It's also great because once you have an ATA Carnet, it is accepted by 176 countries worldwide making the application process a one-time thing.
In addition to declaring your commercial invoice as a temporary import, you can get an ATA Carnet for the items that are of temporary nature.
NOTE: It is highly recommended to get an ATA Carnet for items that frequently
travel in and out of the country and especially so when it is valued over $2,500 USD
In addition to choosing option 1 or 2, the following conditions must also be met in order to qualify for a duty and VAT free exemption:
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 1 year in Taiwan
NOTES:
If the above conditions are not followed, duties and taxes will be charged as though the goods have been imported permanently.
Your Customs broker can clear goods of a temporary nature (FedEx, UPS, DHL, etc. typically CANNOT clear goods of temporary nature)
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
Lee Teng-hui No. 221, Sec 2 Zhi Shan Rd Shilin District Taipei City Taiwan 111
Phone: +886 2 2881 2021
Carrier tracking number: 736534736
General Description:
Temporary Imports - Trade show booth and display equipment returning Jan 2020
Invoice number: 123456MGEP4916926 Customs Broker: UPS Date: 30 May 2023
QTY
Description of Goods
C/O
SubTotal
1 box
Temporary Imports - Trade show booth and display equipment
CA
$1032.00
Terms of Sale: None
Total number of packages: 1
Reason for export:Temporary Imports Contact Name: James Smith
Total Invoice Amount: $1032.00
Total Weight: 10.0 lbs
Declaration Statement: I hereby certify that information provided is true and complete to the best of my knowledge
Permanent/Sold Goods
Sold goods with a value of NT$2,000 (about $95 CAD) or less will not incur duty or VAT providing they do not contain alcoholic beverages of tobacco products.
Occasional Shipper
Most goods can be imported without permits and licencing
Regular Shipper
If you regularly ship sold goods to Taiwan, we recommend the use of a Taiwanese licenced customs broker.
Sample Commercial Invoice for Permanent/Sold Goods
Ship To
Invoice
Lee Teng-hui No. 221, Sec 2 Zhi Shan Rd Shilin District Taipei City Taiwan 111
Phone: +886 2 2881 2021
Carrier tracking number: 736534736
General Description:
Permanent/Sold: Parts and accessories for Canon B78n camera
Invoice number: 123456MGEP4916926 Customs Broker: UPS Date: 30 May 2023
QTY
Description of Goods
C/O
SubTotal
15 Each
Camera Lenses: Canon EF 50mm, Canon EF 85mm & wide-angle lenses.
CA
$132.00
Terms of Sale: None
Total number of packages: 1
Reason for export:Permanent/Sold Contact Name: James Smith
Total Invoice Amount: $1980.00
Total Weight: 10.0 lbs
Declaration Statement: I hereby certify that information provided is true and complete to the best of my knowledge
Required Documents
Shipping packages internationally requires a lot of documentation. This process alone can be confusing and time-consuming.
So we’ve narrowed down what documents you might need and ranked them based on likeliness of being needed.
Document Type
When?
Details
Shipping Label / Bill of Lading
Always required
This is a label provided by the carrier (UPS, FedEx, DHL, etc.). Always required because the carrier needs to know the parcel's destination.
Commercial Invoice
Required for all non-document shipments
For all non-document shipments, you will require 3 copies of the commercial invoice (to be included with your shipping labels).
These are for customs purposes and need to be included inside a document pouch outside of the box.
When creating a shipment through the Secureship website, the system will help you create this document automatically.
B13a
Required if value exceeds $2,000 per shipment or is a controlled good
A B13a is required if your shipment exceeds $2000 CAD or is a controlled good
and is destined to a country other than the US, Puerto Rico, or the US Virgin Islands
Canada has a preferential trade agreement with Taiwan. A COO proves that an item has been produced, manufactured or processed in Canada.
When an item with a COO is imported into Taiwan, it will incur a reduced or zero-rated import duty.
Certificate of Insurance (COI)
Infrequently required
Shows that the shipment has been insured.
Banks may request a certificate of insurance when providing letters of credit for the goods. Otherwise,
it is generally your choice whether to purchase insurance for the shipment.
ATA Carnet
Infrequently required
Used to avoid duties and taxes on shipments of temporary nature.
If you ship goods of temporary nature to and from a country, you can obtain an ATA Carnet to expedite the customs clearance process and
ensure that anything of temporary nature is not charged duties and taxes.
Customs duties and taxes are based on the CIF value of a shipment, i.e. the sum of the custom duty, insurance, and freight costs
CIF Value = Customs Value + Insurance Amount + Freight Costs
By knowing the CIF value of a shipment, you will be able to predict the duty and VAT owing by the recipient
Thresholds
The duty and tax threshold - the de minimis value - for shipments to Taiwan is NT$2,000 (about $95 CAD). This means that duty or taxes are exempt on shipments below this value, providing they do not contain tobacco products or alcoholic beverages.
NOTES:
This exemption is limited to 6 shipments to the same recipient every 6 months, i.e. from January to June and July to December.
If 2 or more shipments arrive on the same day to the same recipient from the same sender in Canada, the value of the shipments will be combined.
Currency
New Taiwan dollars (TWD)
Duty Exemption
(De minimis Value
NT$2,000 (about $95 CAD)
Duty Calculation Method
CIF
TAX (VAT)
5%
Tax Exemption
(De minimis Value)
NT$2,000 (about $95 CAD)
Tax Calculation Method
CIF
Duties on Imports
Imports incur a VAT of 5% and a potential duty of up to 30%. Duty-free items include books, laptops, and other electronics.
Excise taxes
Shipments of tobacco and tobacco products, including cigars and cigarettes, as well as alcoholic beverages incur excise taxes.
Detailed tax rates for these projects can be found by clicking
here.
You can purchase
insurance
through Secureship and it is provided by the carrier that will be transporting your shipment.
Each carrier will charge a different amount per $100 of declared insurance. If you indicate that you need insurance for your shipment our system will automatically include the insurance costs for your shipment.
Insurance is great to have in case your package is accidentally lost or damaged by the carrier. But be careful, not everything you ship is insurable. Worse - even if your package contains items that are insurable, if it doesn’t meet the ISTA 3A packaging standard, the insurance purchased through the carrier would not be available to you.
Here are some items that cannot be insured by the carrier:
Personal belongings
Antiques
Artwork
Liquids (including alcohol)
Televisions
Jewellery in excess of $500
Perishable goods
Glass or Ceramic
And many more items
For more information, please see the carrier's terms and conditions.
Shipping to Taiwan from Canada can take between 3-5 business days through the fastest carriers available on the Secureship platform.
More economical services, such as Canada Post, can take up to 2-3 months to complete the delivery.
