Every parcel that crosses a border passes through customs. What you declare when you book tells customs what is inside and what it is worth, and that decides whether duty or tax is due. Getting it right is the simplest way to keep your parcel moving. Here is what you need to know when sending from Taiwan with Quantium Solutions.
Describe every item clearly
When you book, you list each item in the parcel with a description, a quantity and a value. Customs officers read these descriptions, so be specific. Write "cotton T-shirt", "ceramic tea cup" or "paperback book", not "clothes", "items" or "gift". A vague description can mean the parcel is held while customs ask questions.
List every item separately, even the small ones, and give the real quantity of each.
Declare the real value
Enter the value of each item in New Taiwan dollars (NT$), at what it is really worth. Customs use the declared value to decide duty. It can be tempting to write a lower figure to avoid charges, but under-declaring can lead to delays, fines, or the parcel being returned or seized. An honest value protects both you and the person receiving the parcel.
For some destinations, the booking form also shows each item's value, and the total declared value, in the destination's customs currency. That is the figure customs there will look at, so check that it looks right before you continue.
Find the right HS code
An HS code is an international product code that tells customs exactly what kind of goods an item is. Our form accepts codes of 6 to 10 digits. You do not need to know them by heart: click the magnifier icon next to the field to look up the right one.
Parcels to the United States need the full 10-digit US code. The lookup offers it, so choose the 10-digit code whenever you are sending there.
You also tell us where each item was made. That is the country where it was manufactured, not where you bought it.
Who pays duty and tax
When you press Get prices, the price of each service includes any duty we collect at booking. You see it before you pay. Where duty or tax is not collected at booking, customs may bill the receiver when the parcel arrives, so it is worth letting the recipient know that this can happen.
Sending to the EU
For destinations in the European Union, an IOSS number makes the difference. If you have a valid IOSS number, usually provided by the online seller, enter it at booking. The EU import VAT and duty are then collected by us at booking (DDP). Without one, customs bill the receiver on arrival (DDU).
A quick checklist
- Describe each item plainly and specifically.
- Declare the real quantity and the real value in NT$.
- Use the HS code lookup, and the full 10-digit code for the United States.
- Enter an IOSS number for the EU if you have one.
- Tell the recipient that duty or tax may be due on arrival where it was not collected at booking.
If you are unsure how to describe something, or whether it can be sent at all, contact us before you book and we will help you get it right.