Country Guide: Taiwan
Due to the current coronavirus/COVID-19 situation and restrictions in various countries, the below information may not be accurate. This pandemic is a fluid situation. Check with authorities for local laws and restrictions concerning movements.
Updated: October 10, 2017
Used Household Goods and Personal Effects
Documents Required
- Scanned copy of passport photograph and signature pages (picture must be clear and legible)
- Scanned copy of the entry stamp, dated within the last 6 months (before shipment’s arrival date)
- Copy of bill of lading (BL) / air waybill (AWB)
- Inventory list / packing list in English
- Owner of the goods’ arrival flight details matching entry stamp into Taiwan
- Original signed Customs entrusting letter
- Customs declaration form (inward declaration form)
- Scanned copy, front and back, of the owner of the goods’ Taiwan ID (national citizens)
- Scanned copy, front and back, of the owner of the goods’ ARC or work permit (foreign citizens)
Specific Information
- Customs declaration form (inward passenger’s declaration) for unaccompanied baggage clearly indicating an “unaccompanied shipment”, completed upon arrival of the owner of the goods.
- This form can be obtained by the owner of the goods by exiting through the red channel of the airport baggage declaration area.
- If there is no declaration form, duty and taxes will be applied to the shipment.
- Household goods and personal effects will not be cleared prior to the owner of the goods’ arrival in Taiwan.
- All shipments are subject to inspection, excluding diplomatic shipments with a duty free exemption letter provided by Taiwan government.
- Shipment arrival must be within 6 months of entry into Taiwan by the owner of the goods.
- Used household goods and personal effects normally are entitled to be cleared duty / tax free if full documentation is presented to Custom Authorities.
- For air shipments, advise the agent of all related information (AWB number, number of packages, weight, and contact name and number of company).
- The average time for clearance after arrival is 2-3 working days.
- Wooden liftvans loaded as a full container load (FCL) in sea shipments must be indicated on the original bill of lading “CY toCFS” to avoid delays in customs inspections.
- Otherwise, there will be an additional charge of USD $300 for trailer from CY container terminal yard to CFS terminal warehouse for inspection plus USD $15.00/per CBM for CFS charge and USD 8/CBM for customs terminal fee.
- Containers will not be delivered port-to-door, except for diplomatic shipments.
- Containers must be unloaded at the Customs bonded warehouse for inspection.
- After Customs clearance, shipment will be transported to the residence by truck / van.
- The average time for clearance is 4 – 5 days for sea shipments.
- All untreated wood (e.g., liftvans and crates) must be fumigated using ISPM 15 standards.
Motor Vehicles
Documents Required
- Copy of passport (photograph with signature pages)
- Original certificate of title
- Original bill of lading
- Original Taiwanese ID (nationals)
- Original of ARC (residence permit for non – citizens)
- Work permit
- Copy of vehicle invoice
- Vehicle declaration form
Specific Information
- All vehicles must pass an environmental test performed by the Taiwanese government; otherwise it will be returned to origin at owner of the goods’ expense.
- Vehicles not manufactured for the Taiwan market may not pass inspection.
- Vehicles must use unleaded gasoline and be left-hand drive.
Pets
Documents Required
- Copy of passport
- Certificate of health from origin country
- Vaccination record, must include rabies
- Blood rest certificate
Specific Information
- A quarantine period is required upon arrival.
- The certificate of health must indicate breed, sex, age and microchip number of the dog or cat
- The vaccination record must include date of vaccination against rabies with inactivated vaccine and whether the vaccination was primary or a booster.
- No clinical sign of rabies shown up on inspection.
- Need to apply import permit before sending pets to Taiwan.
- The blood rest certificate is for neutralization antibody, titration for rabies antibody, and must be done 180 days prior to the pet’s arrival date.
- It must be carried out by rabies reference laboratories of the World Organization for Animal Health or laboratories designated by the Bureau of Animal and Plant Health Inspection and Quarantine.
Restricted/Dutiable Items
- Only one of the following items may be imported per family:
- Stove and refrigerator
- Washer and dryer
- Air conditioners and dehumidifiers
- Television sets, stereos, amplifiers, turn tables, speakers, tape decks, receivers, video players
- Duty rates for electrical items range from approximately 5% to 19.2% of the assessed value.
- Wine and liquor (maximum 5 L may be imported by sea only).
- If included in the shipment, it will delay the shipment due to Customs inspections which can take 10-14 days for clearance and calculation of duty and taxes, hence, demurrage charge will incur.
- Alcohol under 20% will be charged tax at NTD 7.00 / per percent.
- Alcohol over 20% will be charged NTD 185.00 / L.
- Duties for wine and liquor depend on the type of alcohol as follows:
- Wine and other spirit 40%
- Sparkling wine / champagne 20%
- Whisky Free
- Beer Free
- Non-perishable food items can be imported in small amounts (maximum 6 kgs) in sea shipments only.
- Food is subject to duty if the amount is too large for inclusion in a sea shipment.
- Food cannot be sent by air.
Prohibited Items
- Firearms, swords, long knives, and ammunition
- Narcotics and non-branded drugs
- If the shipment contains animal fur (lion skin, leopard skin, or ivory), please inform the owner of the goods to get a CITES approval before sending the mentioned items to Taiwan.
- Otherwise the goods will be confiscated and may also cause a lawsuit.
Consignment Instructions
Recommended: Contact the destination agent to ensure all requirements have been met prior to import, especially for differences regarding air / sea shipments.
Cultural and Other Information
CIA World Factbook Entry for Taiwan
Wikipedia Entry for Taiwan
