Chunghwa Post is to launch on June 1 a duty prepayment service for US-bound mail and resume merchandise mail service to the country, the state postal firm said on Monday.
The US government on Aug. 29 last year suspended duty-free de minimis treatment for all international mail, effectively removing tariff waivers on imported goods valued at US$800 or less.
All mail items sent to the US must complete customs duty payment procedures before shipment to clear US customs and be delivered, Chunghwa Post said.
Photo: Huang Yi-ching, Taipei Times
To comply with the new regulations, Chunghwa Post is introducing the new service in partnership with US customs brokers that would handle customs declarations and duty payments with US customs on behalf of senders.
After customs clearance, mail would be delivered by US Postal Service (USPS), the company said.
When senders prepare shipping labels through Chunghwa Post’s EZPost system, the system would automatically calculate the applicable charges based on the declared value of the contents, including customs duties and handling fees, the company said, adding that the charges must be paid together with postage when the item is mailed.
Under current US regulations, documents, noncommercial gifts valued at US$100 or less, books and certain other specified items are still exempt from duties.
For goods valued at US$800 or less, customs duties are calculated at 10 percent of the declared value, in addition to handling fees charged by customs brokers, Chunghwa Post said.
For mail items containing goods valued at more than US$800, the procedures are unchanged, with USPS collecting the duties and fees from recipients upon delivery, it said.
Duty calculations will follow the latest US customs regulations and be announced on Chunghwa Post’s official Web site, the company said.
FUKUOKA SITUATION: Japanese media reported that the pathogen is expected to be identified by the summer, while the CDC downplayed the idea that it was hMPV A “mysterious cold-like illness” reported in Japan’s Fukuoka Prefecture does not seem to be a new disease, but Japanese authorities have been asked about the situation, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) said yesterday. The Fukuoka Prefectural Medical Association on Wednesday told a news conference that a “mystery cold” that has become a hot topic on social media is “highly likely to be caused by some kind of viral infection,” Japan’s KBC News reported. “Many people are experiencing symptoms starting with a sore throat, followed by a runny nose, phlegm and a severe cough,” KBC News reported, citing association officials. Health authorities are
Nvidia Corp CEO Jensen Huang (黃仁勳) arrived in Taiwan yesterday ahead of upcoming AI and technology events, saying he plans to meet with clients and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co Chairman C.C. Wei (魏哲家) during his visit. After landing at Taipei Songshan Airport, Huang posed for photos with fans and handed out Yakult drinks to reporters and supporters waiting at the scene, saying he has “a lot to do” during the trip. Asked about reports that Nvidia’s planned headquarters site in Taipei’s Beitou Shilin Technology Park could break ground on May 27, Huang said that if the company holds an event, he would
The Ministry of Finance this afternoon announced the winning numbers for the March-April uniform invoice lottery. The winning number for the NT$10 million (US$318,060) special prize is 19531471, and the winning number for the NT$2 million grand prize is 85941329. Three numbers were drawn for the NT$200,000 first prize: 07225810, 20231230 and 83518781. Those with receipts matching the last seven digits of any of the first-prize numbers will win the NT$40,000 second prize, while those matching the last six digits will win the NT$10,000 third prize. Those whose receipts match the last five digits of the first-prize numbers can claim the NT$4,000 fourth prize,
Taiwan Travelogue (臺灣漫遊錄), which earlier this week became the first Taiwanese novel to win the International Booker Prize, is to be adapted into a television series through a Taiwan-Japan coproduction, producer Chang Chen-yu (張辰漁) said yesterday. Chang, a producer at World Softest Production Film Co, wrote on Facebook that the company had been searching for projects with international appeal that retain a strong Taiwanese identity after colleagues and Japanese partners strongly recommended the novel. After reading the book, Chang said he immediately decided to pursue the screen rights. “A great story has the power to transcend time and borders, and connect countless people,”
RSS