Shipping From Canada
to Turks and Caicos Islands.

Documents Only

Turks and Caicos's customs officials will allow the following items onto the islands as document shipments:

• Advertising literature and pamphlets
• Annual reports
• Blueprints
• Books, manuscripts, and publications
• Calendars
• Drawings
• Driver's licence
• Graphs
• Intercompany mail
• Magazines, newspapers, and periodicals
• Maps and charts
• Negatives, photographs, and slides
• Negotiable bonds, drafts, and cash letters
• Passports
• Price lists and catalogues
• Proposals and bids
• Seismic data
• Specifications sheets

The following will be allowed entry to Turks and Caicos as a document shipment if the restriction shown is complied with.

Sources:
https://www.ups.com/ga/CountryRegs?loc=en_CA

Shipping Gifts

While gift shipments are allowed entry into the islands of Turks and Caicos, they will incur duties no matter their value.

Shipments from Individual-to-Individual

Gift shipments from an individual in Canada to an individual in Turks and Caicos will be liable to duty and VAT fees even if the items have a nominal value.

Shipments from Business-to-Business

All gifts shipped from any business in Canada to a business in Turks and Caicos will be assessed import duties and V

Shipments from Business-to-Individual

Gift shipments from a business in Canada to an individual in Turks and Caicos will be dutiable even if it is small and of low value.

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.

Multiple Gifts in One Shipment

If your shipment contains multiple gifts, please wrap and tag each one separately.

Sources:
https://www.fedex.com/en-us/ancillary-clearance-service.html

Shipping Personal Effects

Personal effects shipped to Turks and Caicos will be allowed a duty-free* entry for both citizens returning to the islands to live permanently and immigrants.

The conditions for a duty exemption include:

• The goods will be used only by the claimant or his or her family
• The claimant or family has owned and used the goods for a minimum of 12** months
• The items will NOT be sold or otherwise given away for 1 year after importation
• The claimant intends to live in Turks and Caicos for at least a year
• The goods arrive within 6 months of the entry of the claimant

*The following items will not be allowed a duty-free entry into the

• Foodstuffs
• Alcoholic beverages
• Tobacco products
• Perfumes

**Regarding textile household goods, footwear, and clothing, they must have been owned for only a minimum of 3 months AND their value cannot exceed $500 USD - about $625 CAD (rugs and carpets are excluded from these criteria)

Moving Temporarily

Students

Students moving to the Islands to study will be allowed to ship their personal effects duty-free if:

• They will be in Turks and Caicos for a minimum of 1 year
• The goods are for their use only whilst studying
• Clothing and footwear must have been owned for a minimum of 3 months and an item may have a value of no more than $500 USD (about $625 CAD)

NOTE:
Duty CANNOT be claimed for alcoholic beverages, perfumes, tobacco products, and foodstuffs.

Returning Students

Concerning students who have been studying abroad and are returning to Turks and Caicos, they may ship their personal effects exempt from duties provided they have been away for a minimum of 2 years.

Non-students

Information concerning non-students moving temporarily to Turks and Caicos is unavailable at this time.

Moving Permanently

People moving permanently to Turks and Caicos - Island citizens and immigrants - may ship their personal effects duty-free provided:

• The goods have been used and owned for at least 1* year
• The items will only be used by the claimants (or their family members), and will remain in their possession for a minimum of 1 year
• The individual or family plan to live in Turks and Caicos for a year at minimum
• The shipment arrives no more than 6 months after residence is established

*Items such as footwear, clothing and textile household goods only have to have been owned for 3 months, but are only allowed a maximum individual value of $500 USD (about $625 CAD)

NOTE:
Tobacco products, alcoholic beverages, foodstuffs, and perfumes will incur duties.

Personal Effects Checklist

• A commercial invoice must be included with your shipment
• Commercial invoice must clearly indicate 'Personal Effects' (see sample)
• A detailed description of each item is provided

Sources:
https://customs.gov.tc/webuploads/currdoc/CustomTariffs%20(2010).pdf

Food, Chocolate, Candies

Certain foodstuffs have a restricted entry to Turks and Caicos, for example, fruits. And foods in powder form are prohibited.)

You May Ship

• Candies
• Chocolate

Do Not Ship

• Meat
• Vegetables
• Powdered forms of food

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

Sources:
https://www.fedex.com/en-us/ancillary-clearance-service.html

Samples

Commercial samples may enter Turks and Caicos exempt from duties provided:

• They are in a small quantity
• They are distributed without any monetary exchange
• They will not be resold

Commercial Sample Checklist

• A Commercial Invoice must be included with your shipment
• Clearly indicate 'Commercial Samples' on the commercial invoice in the General Description & Detailed Description of Goods (see sample)
• The item shipped has tearing, perforation, slashing, defacing, or has permanent marking clearing indicating the item as commercial sample

Sources:
https://customs.gov.tc/webuploads/currdoc/CustomTariffs%20(2010).pdf

Advertising Material

Advertising materials will be admitted into Turks and Caicos duty-free if:

• The quantity is limited
• The items are freely given away to the public
• No resale of the goods occurs

NOTE:
The following advertising items may also enter the Islands as a document shipment:

• Literature
• Pamphlets
• Price lists
• Catalogues
• Calendars

Advertising Material Checklist

• Commercial invoice must clearly indicate 'Promotional Material - Not for Resale' (see sample)
• A detailed description of each item is provided

Sources:
https://customs.gov.tc/webuploads/currdoc/CustomTariffs%20(2010).pdf

Repairs

Machinery and equipment shipped to Canada from Turks and Caicos for repairs will incur duty charges on the value of the work when they re-enter the islands unless the work was done under a warranty. (See below for details.)

Items Under Warranty

Goods such as machinery and instruments repaired in Canada at no charge due to a warranty obligation will be allowed to re-enter Turks and Caicos duty-free if they were returned to Canada within 6 months of their original importation to the Islands

Items No Longer Under Warranty

Sending Product for Repair to Turks and Caicos Islands

No information is available at the moment concerning goods shipped to Turks and Caicos from Canada for repairs.

Returning Repaired Product to Turks and Caicos Islands

Products repaired in Canada will incur duties when they are returned to Turks and Caicos unless the work was done under a warranty, and

• At no charge; and
• Returned to Canada within 6 months of having originally entering Turks and Caicos

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 Turks and Caicos Islands or exported to Canada (depending on which case applies)
• A commercial invoice must be included with your shipment

Sources:
https://customs.gov.tc/webuploads/doclib/19.04%20Customs%20Ordinance.pdf

Temporary Imports

Goods of a temporary nature will be given a reduced or full exemption of import duties under the following conditions:

• The goods are re-exported within 7 days of their entry (or other time period agreed to by the Collector of Customs)
• A security deposit in the amount of duties owed is placed with the Collector of Customs
• The goods are NOT to be exchanged, given away, sold, or lent out whilst on the Islands

ATA Carnets

At this time Turks and Caicos customs officials do not recognise ATA Carnets for the temporary importation of goods.

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.atacarnet.com/carnet-countries
https://customs.gov.tc/webuploads/doclib/19.04%20Customs%20Ordinance.pdf

Permanent/Sold Goods

All sold goods that enter Turks and Caicos will incur duty regardless of the value of the shipment (the islands do not have a VAT or a GST).

NOTE:
Even if particular goods are duty-free, they will still have a customs processing fee of 7.5% applied to them.

Occasional Shipper

If you only occasionally ship sold goods to someone in Turks and Caicos, for example via eBay, be advised that your shipment will incur duty fees even if the item has a low value. And each shipment will incur a 7.5% customs processing fee even if the items have a 0% duty rate.

Regular shipper

For regular shippers of sold goods to Turks and Caicos, we recommend that you use the services of a Turks and Caicos Islander licenced shipping broker.

Sources:
https://www.visittci.com/life-and-business/shipping-to-turks-and-caicos