Can you bring back chocolates, etc to Taiwan?

I’m currently abroad but will be coming back to Taiwan soon and want to bring some of “dat gud shiet” back that I can’t get here: chocolates, cookies, maybe some gummy candy, etc. – all prepackaged goods.

Normally I wouldn’t even ask, recent whole thing with 10,000 NT for bringing a pork sandwich in has me a bit spooked, and I wonder if they’re being just as ridiculous for traditional confectionary gifts. It would all go in my carry-on if that makes a difference.

Are they fining people for this kind of stuff now, do I have to declare it?

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what, you eat chocolate-covered dried pork?
you take the :birthday:

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They’re primarily looking for meats. It’s always best policy that even if you’re unsure, you should ask beforehand. They give you a chance to show what you got and you won’t get fined, even if it is prohibited. They will simply take it away.
When you get off the plane, ask again. Always ask.

Don’t make them feel deceived.

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You shouldnt. The pork hing and many other related situations are for quarantine and to protect domestic production. Every country does this, for good reason.

Chocolate is very processed so should be fine. Technically if you brought raw (not roasted) cacao nuts (seeds) that are fresh they could say no. Due to a plant quarantine thung. For plant stuff they care if its either in raw form and can carry pests and disease or in a state that can be cultivated (viable seeds, plants, cuttings etc).

You are not allowed to bring in meat, meat products, half consumed food or fresh fruits/veggies.

Processed food in its original package is fine…as long as there is no meat/fish and especially pork in it. So no pork grinds, no sandwiches, no pastries with meat like meat pies, no instant noodles with gravy.

In case of doubt, just present it at customs. You are fined if you try to hide it, not if you inquire first.

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Chocolate covered bacon anyone?

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I’ll have some, thanks!

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Dibs on the pistachios

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Damn! I guess I’ll have to settle for almonds.

I’ve had no issues bringing chocolate in from the UK on several occasions, however if you want to be sure the chocolate is kosher, I run a free service where I’ll quite happily test your chocolate for you. Please deposit all chocolate related items in my letterbox. No refunds on any chocolate deposited. I cannot guarantee the safety of said chocolate while it’s in my possession
No terms or conditions apply.

I fly a lot and one thing I’ve learned is that not every official knows the rules as well as they’re supposed to.

Of course, if they don’t know, they won’t admit it… because it’s their job to know. Really press them for an answer and if they hesitate or try to pretend that you’re being a jerk for asking, they probably don’t know. Ask someone else.

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I’ve brought multiple big boxes of Ghirardelli chocolates into Taiwan, more than once, as gifts for assorted friends and family. Always packed in my checked luggage (not my carry on).

Never had a problem, and I don’t know of any rule against it.

For anything you’re not sure of, in fact for anything food/plant/animal related just ask the quarantine desk when you collect your luggage, covertly recording their response might not be a bad idea. The customs officers at the Red/Green gates will just send you their if you ask them.

If you have sealed processed chocolate (not cacao) ypu have no worries. Unless its pork infused…

When I came back I asked them about chocolates and other candies and they said they were fine - basically only looking for meat products.

They had multiple people hired along the way waving big signs and shouting anti-meat propaganda, which bodes well for intentions being actual prevention and not fleecing of tourists for pork sandwiches.

You can bring back chocolates, but it’s weird to me, why do you want to take chocolates from Taiwan and than bring them back to Taiwan? I’d eat them! :crazy_face:

One more time, as holidays approach, so increases the number of people who insist on bringing meat stuff from China because…it is cheaper? It is tradition? It was a gift? Beats me.

Does Spam count as pork?

I m curious if anyone has actually had their bags searched coming into Taiwan without going into the declaration line. Taiwan customs has always struck me as really slack, with everyone just walking through .

They have traditionally been slack but they do check obviously. Dont think your stuff isnt scanned.

If you are asian and coming back from places like china after a massive pig disease (think about the devastion a couple decades ago to taiwans pork industry) you best bet you are getting pulled into that other room when the scan shows bags of wrinkled red on their screen.

If you are white they might not assume you have half a farm and part of the ocean in your suitcase. But you are still scanned. Profiling is everything, and customs dont have to worry about PC culture.

Yes, spam is pork in the sense of airport customs. In fact, customs might be the only time spam is legitimately called pork. Or food.