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Shipping to Hong Kong from Thailand: duty, VAT and what gets through
Hong Kong is a free port: general merchandise from Thailand enters with no import duty and no GST or VAT. Only liquor, tobacco, methyl alcohol, and hydrocarbon oil are dutiable.
What are the tax thresholds in Hong Kong?
| Threshold | Rule |
|---|---|
| ThresholdImport duty | RuleNo general duty (free port) |
| ThresholdVAT / GST de minimis | RuleNo GST / VAT |
| ThresholdVAT / GST rate | RuleNone |
| ThresholdTypical duty band | RuleDuty only on liquor, tobacco, methyl alcohol, hydrocarbon oil |
Official references
Thresholds above are summarised for shippers. Confirm edge cases with the destination authority:
How long does delivery to Hong Kong take?
| Carrier option | Indicative delivery band |
|---|---|
| Carrier optionExpress courier | Indicative delivery band1-3 days |
| Carrier optionEconomy air (postal) | Indicative delivery band4-8 days |
| Carrier optionEconomy sea (consolidated) | Indicative delivery band6-14 days |
What cannot be shipped to Hong Kong?
- Controlled drugs
- Firearms and ammunition
- Counterfeit goods
- Endangered species products (CITES)
- Unauthorised telecommunications equipment
The full per-destination list lives on our restricted items policy and is enforced at our warehouse intake.
Worked example: what a real parcel costs
2 kg parcel of Thai fashion and cosmetics, declared HKD 1,200
| Cost line | Amount |
|---|---|
| Cost lineItem cost | AmountHKD 1,200.00 |
| Cost lineExpress shipping (2 kg) | AmountSee calculator |
| Cost lineImport duty / GST | AmountHKD 0.00 |
| Cost lineIllustrative total | AmountHKD 1,480.00 |
Express shipping is a live business parcel-calculator rate in THB (business, 0.5 kg, 10x10x10 cm). Duty, VAT and other lines use illustrative local-currency maths; total is a guide only until you confirm on the calculator.
General goods clear without border tax. Liquor and tobacco need separate dutiable-goods formalities and are not part of our standard mailbox forwarding mix.
What happens if it is held at customs?
Hong Kong holds are uncommon on clean general cargo. When they happen, they are usually counterfeit screening or restricted-goods checks. Documented invoices release most holds in 1 to 2 days.
Claims process and Shipment ProtectionRelated operator pages
This page owns duty and VAT thresholds. Use the route page for freight bands, the express parcel calculator for package rates, and the FCL vs LCL volume tool for sea mode guidance.
Shipping to Hong Kong: questions we get asked
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