Shipping from China to Fiji
China โ Fiji ยท clearance by Fiji Revenue and Customs Service
Fiji is served through Suva, Lautoka, and it is served through NAN air / Suva sea. That combination is what actually sets your delivery date on this lane โ the inland leg is same-day, so the clearance date is effectively the delivery date.
On the destination side, Fiji Revenue and Customs Service handles clearance; budget 3โ8 days of dwell before the cargo is released.
How this lane actually runs
Fiji is the hub of the South Pacific and the transshipment point for cargo continuing to Samoa, Tonga, Vanuatu and Kiribati. Direct Asian calls exist but most volume routes via Singapore, Auckland or Brisbane. Biosecurity screening is thorough โ wood packaging and any cargo with soil or plant residue is inspected.
| Air gateways used | NAN (Nadi), SUV (Suva) |
|---|---|
| Air transit, China to gateway | 5โ8 business days |
| Sea gateways used | Suva, Lautoka |
| Sea transit, China to gateway | 18โ26 calendar days |
| Gateway serving Fiji | NAN air / Suva sea |
| Inland leg to Fiji | Same day from the gateway |
| Typical clearance / dwell | 3โ8 days |
| Peak season to plan around | SepโNov |
Delivery cities in Fiji
Principal delivery points: Suva, Nadi, Lautoka, Nausori, Labasa. Pick a city for the gateway it uses and the inland leg beyond clearance.
Duty, tax and clearance into Fiji
Fiji Revenue and Customs Service assesses duty and tax on cargo arriving for Fiji consignees. Current regime: VAT 15%; duty 0โ32%, plus import excise on selected goods, with a de-minimis position of FJD 400 for personal consignments.
Conformity is the part most first-time importers underestimate: Biosecurity Authority of Fiji clearance; conformity for regulated goods. Getting this wrong is expensive because it usually cannot be fixed after the cargo has landed.
Restrictions and known friction points for Fiji: Biosecurity clearance is required for wood packaging and agricultural-risk goods. Onward island transshipment adds time and a separate handling cost.
Air, sea or overland into Fiji?
| Mode | Transit to gateway | Best suited to |
|---|---|---|
| โ๏ธ Air Freight | 5โ8 business days | time-critical, high-value and low-volume cargo |
| ๐ข Sea Freight | 18โ26 calendar days | volume cargo where cost per kilo matters more than speed |
Transit shown is China departure to the Fiji gateway and excludes the same-day inland leg to Fiji and 3โ8 days of clearance.
What to sort out before the cargo leaves China
- Check the de-minimis position (FJD 400 for personal consignments) against your invoice value before you decide how to split the shipment.
- Photograph carton markings and seal numbers before departure โ it makes any claim far easier to settle.
- Budget for the inland leg: same-day delivery beyond gateway clearance to reach Fiji.
- Ask for the HS code in writing from your supplier and verify the Fiji duty rate against it yourself.
- Confirm the consignee in Fiji can act as importer of record โ Fiji Revenue and Customs Service will not release cargo to an unregistered party.
- Declare lithium batteries, magnets, liquids and powders up front โ retro-declaring after booking usually means re-planning the whole shipment.
Frequently asked questions
How long does shipping from China to Fiji take?
China to the Fiji gateway is 5โ8 business days by air, 18โ26 calendar days by sea. On top of that, allow 3โ8 days of clearance with Fiji Revenue and Customs Service and a same-day inland leg to Fiji.
What duty and tax will I pay importing into Fiji?
Fiji Revenue and Customs Service applies: VAT 15%; duty 0โ32%, plus import excise on selected goods. The de-minimis position is FJD 400 for personal consignments. Under a DDP arrangement these are pre-paid, so nothing is collected on arrival in Fiji.
Can you deliver door-to-door in Fiji?
Yes. Delivery to a Fiji address is quoted as one figure covering freight, duty and tax owed to Fiji Revenue and Customs Service, and the same-day inland leg. Confirm whether your consignee wants the goods at a warehouse, a marketplace fulfillment center or a shop front, because the last-mile requirement differs.
How is the chargeable weight calculated for Fiji?
We compare actual gross weight against volumetric weight โ length ร width ร height in centimeters divided by 6000 for air โ and bill the greater of the two, rounded up to the next kilogram. Light, bulky cargo is almost always billed on volume.
Can you ship batteries or sensitive cargo to Fiji?
Yes. Battery cargo by air follows IATA PI 965โ970 depending on how the cells are packed, and moves on certified channels via NAN (Nadi), SUV (Suva). Surcharges apply and the declaration has to be made before booking.
What certification do I need for Fiji?
For regulated goods, plan for: Biosecurity Authority of Fiji clearance; conformity for regulated goods. Missing conformity paperwork is the single most common cause of a hold, and in most cases it cannot be remedied once the cargo has arrived.
References & official sources
Duty rates, thresholds and conformity requirements for Fiji change by ministerial decision, sometimes mid-year. The figures on this page are buyer-planning references, not a customs ruling โ confirm the current position for your own HS code with Fiji Revenue and Customs Service or your broker before you ship.
- Fiji Revenue and Customs Service
- WTO โ Tariff Profiles (applied MFN duty by country)
- IATA โ Lithium battery shipping guidance (PI 965โ970)
- World Bank โ Logistics Performance Index
- ICC โ Incoterms 2020 rules (DDP, DAP, FOB definitions)
Page data last reviewed: 10 ๆ 2026.
Shipping by industry
This page covers the route and clearance picture for the destination. Packing, classification and the compliance step that actually holds a shipment depend on what you are sending โ these guides cover that by commodity.
- Ceramic Tiles Building Materials & Construction Products
- Paper Packaging Wood, Bamboo & Paper Products
- Packaging Materials Plastics, Rubber & Packaging
- Laboratory Furniture Furniture & Home Products
- Fabric Textiles, Apparel, Footwear & Leather
- Salon Furniture Beauty, Personal Care & Wellness
- Sheet Metal Metal Products & Industrial Components
- Compressors General Machinery & Industrial Equipment
- Electrical Cabinets New Energy, Power & Electrical
- Flooring Building Materials & Construction Products
- Plastic Products Plastics, Rubber & Packaging
- Ceramic Tableware Glass & Ceramic Products
Checking the Fiji duty position yourself
Duty and tax figures on this page are planning estimates. The binding assessment is made by Fiji Revenue and Customs Service against your declared HS code at the time of entry; where the amount is material, verify the current rate through ITC Market Access Map before committing to an order.
Classification drives everything downstream: the same carton can attract very different duty depending on the heading it lands in, and the structure those headings come from is the World Customs Organization Harmonized System. If your product sits near a boundary between two headings, resolve it before shipping rather than at the border.
For ocean cargo, restricted commodities move under the IMO's IMDG Code, and the container has to be declared and stowed accordingly. Batteries, flammables and corrosives all have a compliant ocean path; what causes rolled bookings is finding out about them after the container is packed.
If this is your first shipment into Fiji, the Fiji Country Commercial Guide covers the practical import environment in more depth than a rate page reasonably can, and it is written by a party with no stake in your booking.
Watch: the process behind this route
This guide covers routing and clearance for Fiji. The video below covers the wider shipping process that sits around it.
Ocean Freight 101 - What Is LCL Ocean Freight — Flexport. Published on YouTube by a third party; we link it because it explains the process well, not because we produced it or endorse the provider.
Customs clearance in Fiji
Duty and tax position, certification, typical port dwell and what actually holds shipments at this border โ plus who files the entry.
Fiji clearance requirements →