What I Want to Ship
I want to have shipped to me a Hard drive MP3 player for my car that is not sold here and a quality video distribution box that inserts a couple of channels into my CATV wiring for viewing my SAT TV on unused channels over my CATV wires. I think I might also get a Satellite Radio.
My Idea
Instead of having them shipped from three different vendors and incurring three separate international shipping charges I will have them sent my parents home and then put in one box and sent to Taiwan via UPS or some other shipping service with tracking numbers.
My Question
If everything is taken out of the boxes to appear used, or since it comes from a personal adddress and mailed to a personal address will I still have to pay import duties. The tax seems to be added to commercial shipments and calculated from the invoice amount. If my parents were to make the declared value less, especially since once they open the boxes, etc, they are no longer new items, would my duties be much less?
Does anyone have any experience with this? Since I am only shipping one of each thing, it shouldn’t look like I am reselling anything (which I am not). Would it matter which courier I use? (UPS, USPS, DHL, Fedex) Also, might it matter if I use my Taiwan corporate UPS account #? Should I label the goods as a SAMPLE NOT FOR RESALE or something like that or would that be pushing it?
Use US postal registered mail. Fedex and UPS are much more likely to get stopped because customs considers them more for business use. Have your parents write down, “gift” on the declaration. If it does get stopped and you need to go and explain it, you can print out an undervalued invoice for the stuff. Good Luck!
I’ve had some problems with FEDEX and UPS parcels containing cellphones and related parts but never had a problem with USPS. Custom brokers here advised me not to use FEDEX or UPS or DHL because they are more well known by customs to be for business use and thus dutiable. The post office customs house in Taipei is much easier to deal with than the import customs houses at the airport terminal.
I would separate your items into 3 different shipments mailed a few days apart as smaller parcels would get thru easier than big ones.
I’ve had a lot of different materials sent to me and I would recommend registered post office route as it seems to be the most logical, cost efficient with the least hassle. I also agree with having it marked as a gift with an understated invoice. Out of about 50+ packages sent to me, only one was actually checked.
I would advise staying away from UPS, Fedex, and DHL due to higher shipping costs and the mandatory duty fees.
They may do random checks, based on the declaration or x-ray. No experience with shipping to Taiwan, but most countries apply limits to the value of gifts. That means declaring it as a gift only is not sufficient to import it tax free.
I caution you to import any transmitting / receiving equipment as this would be subjected to a DGT (the local telecoms authority) inspection, in the worst case it will be confiscated, say it’s able to receive in some band reserved for authorities or it can interface with government systems.
Since I work in the telco industry I can tell you from personal experience that they are very carefull about this here in Taiwan.
The tax is calculated as a percentage on the declared value plus cost of shipping, and it does not only apply to commercial shipments (see also above).
If the declared value is, aehem, not accurate the customs may use a table or whatever to determine it’s value and charge you accordingly (if they notice the “inaccuracy” that is).
Shipping companies will usually pay the duty tax - when applicable - on behalf of you, so even you receive the package now you may still get a bill a few months later (so happened to me).
I would recommend to use the Post Office. I’ve never had it stopped by customs and taxed when it came through the Post Office. Every time I use FedEx, it gets stopped and I can’t pick up the package until I pay. I had a brand new MP3 player, in the box, no special wrapping sent post office, and had no problems. I had a hard drive sent FedEx once (needed it next day), and I got dinged NT$500.
This is all great advice. I very much appreciate it. Been waiting and hoping someone I know would go on a trip to the USA and not mind carrying these things back for me, but this USPS delivery sounds like it will work.
Ho–
Be very careful and get all the info first here.
Cusoms here wanted to hit me for US$600 on a Bose radio sent to me for a birthday present.
I have had other problems too.
Really check the deal out first or you will be taking more high-blood pressure medicine.
[quote=“wolf_reinhold”]Ho–
Be very careful and get all the info first here.
Cusoms here wanted to hit me for US$600 on a Bose radio sent to me for a birthday present.
I have had other problems too.
Really check the deal out first or you will be taking more high-blood pressure medicine.[/quote]
From which country was the package sent from and which international delivery company was involved?
Don’t use the private courier companies they have their own custom duty fees. So you be hit up for a surcharge on delivery.
The best bet is EMS through the post office. You might get a randam inspection upon entering Taiwan, but it is better off than 100% surcharge that UPS has.
The down side is that UPS and Fedex have great insurance services incase anything happens cause it is in house.
EMS it like a 90 day wait for any claim work to be collected from day of filing.
