Moving from France to Taiwan
A long sea haul from western Europe across the Indian Ocean to the western Pacific. Here is the honest brief on what it costs to ship your home from France to Taiwan, how Taiwan Customs treats your furniture, and the residence routes that actually fit this corridor.
Last reviewed June 8, 2026. Costs are indicative ranges for 2026.
The honest summary of this move.
Moving from France to Taiwan is a straightforward long haul with one quirk worth knowing. The shipping is ocean freight from Le Havre or Marseille through Suez and across to Keelung or Kaohsiung, used household goods clear duty free for residents, but Taiwan customs expects the owner of the goods to be in Taiwan before the shipment lands, so your arrival and your container have to be sequenced.
Most people who make this move are heading for Taipei, Hsinchu, or Kaohsiung for one of three reasons: a role in technology, semiconductors, or research, a move on the Employment Gold Card as an independent professional, or joining family. Each of those routes shapes how much you ship and how fast you need it there.
The corridor is forgiving on customs once your status is clear. Used personal and household effects are normally cleared free of duty and tax when you hold a valid residence document and the goods are a reasonable, noncommercial quantity. The catch is sequencing: you should be in Taiwan with your residence certificate before the container arrives, and the goods should land within the allowed window after your entry.
Sort your residence route before anything ships, because the relief flows from your Alien Resident Certificate. French movers load at Le Havre or Marseille and Fos, and your delivery city in the north or south determines whether Keelung or Kaohsiung is the better arrival port.
What this move really costs in 2026.
Sea freight is the only sensible way to move a household from France to Taiwan. Air freight works for a few urgent boxes but the cost is prohibitive for a full home. The ranges below are indicative for 2026 and move with your exact volume, the season, and how far your delivery address sits from the arrival port.
Indicative euro ranges for 2026, origin France to a Taiwan address. Shared means part of a consolidated container, dedicated means a sole use 20 or 40 foot box. Summer demand, your sailing port, and your delivery distance from Keelung or Kaohsiung move the figure. Get a binding pre move survey before you trust any number.
- ✓ Best value for a studio or a one bed load
- ✓ You pay for the volume you actually use
- × Slower, since the container waits to fill
- ✓ Fits a typical one or two bed home
- ✓ Faster and more secure than groupage
- ✓ Best for this route in most cases
- ✓ For a three or four bed home with extras
- ✓ Room for white goods and a bike or two
- × Overkill and costly for a small load
A realistic timeline for this move.
A realistic France to Taiwan timeline runs about three to four months from first survey to a furnished home. The sea leg is long and fixed, so the way to protect your dates is to book early and time your own arrival to land before the container.
Survey and book
Get two or three binding pre move surveys, confirm your residence route, and book the sailing. Space out of Le Havre and Marseille tightens in summer, so reserve early.
Sort documents
Assemble your passport, your visa or work permit, a detailed valued inventory, and proof of your move. You will need your Alien Resident Certificate in Taiwan to clear the goods.
Pack and load
Professional packing for a sea move is worth it, since goods are handled many times. The crew loads and seals the container and the bill of lading is issued.
Ocean transit
The ship runs from the French port through Suez and across the Indian Ocean to Keelung or Kaohsiung. Five to seven weeks of sailing is normal for this lane.
Customs clearance
Your agent lodges the inventory and your documents with the Customs Administration. Used effects clear duty free when you are resident in Taiwan and the paperwork is clean.
Delivery and unpack
The container is trucked to your home in Taipei, Hsinchu, or Kaohsiung, unloaded, and unpacked. Inspect for transit damage before you sign off.
Bringing your household goods into Taiwan.
Taiwan treats the used household goods of a resident fairly, with one timing rule that trips people up. Relief flows from your residence document and from goods that are a reasonable, noncommercial quantity.
Used personal and household effects are normally cleared free of import duty and tax by the Customs Administration under the Ministry of Finance when you hold a valid residence document, typically the Alien Resident Certificate, known as the ARC, or a work permit. You present your passport, your residence document, a detailed inventory, and the bill of lading. A reasonable household allowance applies, broadly one of each type of appliance per family member, and anything beyond what customs deems reasonable can attract duty of up to around ten percent.
Timing is the catch. The owner of the goods should be in Taiwan before the shipment arrives, and the goods should land within the allowed window after your entry, commonly within six months. Sequencing your own arrival ahead of the container is the single most important thing on this corridor.
Some categories are controlled. Alcohol and tobacco are dutiable and best left out. Pianos and certain high value items can attract duty. Medicines should travel with prescriptions. Pets require an import permit from the Bureau of Animal and Plant Health Inspection and Quarantine and compliance with rabies controls, including microchipping, vaccination, and a quarantine reservation arranged well in advance.
Verify before you move. Duty free conditions, the household allowance, timing windows, and pet import rules change and are applied case by case. Confirm the current position with the Taiwan Customs Administration and a licensed customs broker before your goods ship.The realistic routes for this corridor.
The route that fits depends on why you are moving. Taiwan offers a flexible card for professionals, an employer sponsored work route, an entrepreneur route, and family options. Each is summarised below, not advised.
The Employment Gold Card combines a work permit, residence visa, and Alien Resident Certificate in a single card for qualifying professionals in fields such as technology, science, finance, and the arts. It does not tie you to one employer and is the standout route on this corridor.
The standard employment route is a work permit sponsored by a Taiwanese employer, which supports a resident visa and then your Alien Resident Certificate. It suits people moving for a specific job in the technology and manufacturing sectors.
The entrepreneur route is for founders meeting investment or innovation criteria who want to build a business in Taiwan. It leads to residence once the conditions are met.
The family route covers the spouse and dependents of a Taiwanese national or a resident, supporting a resident visa and an Alien Resident Certificate. It is the reunification path on this corridor.
How to choose a mover for France to Taiwan.
We never name, rank, or recommend a moving company. Instead, here is the neutral checklist that matters on this exact lane. Apply it to any quote, then request comparable quotes through the form below.
FIDI or IAM affiliation
Membership of the FIDI Global Alliance or the International Association of Movers signals audited financial stability and a complaints process you can lean on if something goes wrong.
Real corridor experience
Ask how many households the company has shipped on your exact route in the past year. A mover that runs the lane regularly knows the ports, the customs broker, and the paperwork by heart.
A binding pre move survey
Insist on a video or in home survey and a binding or not to exceed quote. A price built from a real volume estimate is the only quote you can compare like for like.
Clear insurance terms
Read how transit cover is calculated, what the deductible is, and whether valuation is by replacement value. Vague cover is the most common regret on an international move.
Verifiable reviews
Look for recent, specific reviews that name the destination, not just star ratings. Patterns in how a company handles claims tell you more than any single glowing note.
Written scope and timeline
Everything that matters belongs in writing: packing, customs clearance, delivery, unpacking, and debris removal, with who pays destination charges spelled out.
Get moving quotes for France to Taiwan.
Tell us your origin city in France, your destination in Taiwan, your home size, and your timing. We pass it to vetted international movers who run the France to Taiwan lane, and you get comparable quotes to weigh up. Free, and no obligation.
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Questions people ask about this move.
How much does it cost to move from France to Taiwan?
For 2026, a one bedroom move runs roughly 2,800 to 8,500 euro depending on whether you share a container or take a sole use one, and a two to three bedroom home runs roughly 4,800 to 11,500 euro. The figure depends on your exact volume, the season, and your delivery distance from Keelung or Kaohsiung, so get a binding pre move survey.
How long does shipping take from France to Taiwan?
Plan on 7 to 12 weeks door to door. The ocean leg from Le Havre or Marseille through Suez and across the Indian Ocean to Keelung or Kaohsiung runs about five to seven weeks, and customs clearance plus inland delivery add the rest. Shared container loads sit at the longer end.
Do I pay duty on my furniture moving to Taiwan?
Used personal and household effects normally clear free of duty and tax when you hold a valid residence document such as the Alien Resident Certificate and the goods are a reasonable, noncommercial quantity. Excess quantities and high value items can attract duty of up to around ten percent. Confirm with the Customs Administration before shipping.
Can I bring my car from France to Taiwan?
It is rarely worth it. Vehicle imports face conformity, emissions, and tax requirements that make the cost and effort high for a private mover. Most people sell in France and buy locally. If you do consider it, confirm eligibility and budget for the extra clearance first.
Which visa do I need to move from France to Taiwan?
It depends on why you are moving. Independent professionals often use the Employment Gold Card, sponsored employees use a work permit and resident visa, founders use the entrepreneur route, and spouses and dependents use the joining family resident visa. Check current rules with the National Immigration Agency.
Which ports are used for the France to Taiwan route?
Shipments usually leave from Le Havre on the Channel or Marseille and Fos on the Mediterranean. They arrive at Keelung, the northern port serving Taipei, or at Kaohsiung in the south. Your delivery address determines which arrival port your mover chooses.