Shipping from China to Nadi
China → Nadi · via NAN air / Lautoka sea · clearance by Fiji Revenue and Customs Service
For buyers shipping into Nadi, the practical question is not the ocean or flight time but what happens after arrival. Nadi is the international airport and tourism corridor; cargo enters through NAN air / Lautoka sea, and 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 3–8 days of dwell before the cargo is released.
What the routing looks like in practice
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 — wood packaging and any cargo with soil or plant residue is inspected.
| Air gateways used | NAN (Nadi), SUV (Suva) |
|---|---|
| Air transit, China to gateway | 5–8 business days |
| Sea gateways used | Suva, Lautoka |
| Sea transit, China to gateway | 18–26 calendar days |
| Gateway serving Nadi | NAN air / Lautoka sea |
| Inland leg to Nadi | Same day from the gateway |
| Typical clearance / dwell | 3–8 days |
| Peak season to plan around | Sep–Nov |
Duty, tax and clearance into Nadi
Fiji Revenue and Customs Service assesses duty and tax on cargo arriving for Nadi consignees. Current regime: VAT 15%; duty 0–32%, 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 Nadi?
| Mode | Transit to gateway | Best suited to |
|---|---|---|
| ✈️ Air Freight | 5–8 business days | time-critical, high-value and low-volume cargo |
| 🚢 Sea Freight | 18–26 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 Nadi and 3–8 days of clearance.
What to sort out before the cargo leaves China
- Photograph carton markings and seal numbers before departure — it makes any claim far easier to settle.
- Compare gross weight against volumetric weight (L×W×H ÷ 6000) — the higher figure is what gets billed on air and express.
- Check the de-minimis position (FJD 400 for personal consignments) against your invoice value before you decide how to split the shipment.
- Ask for the HS code in writing from your supplier and verify the Fiji duty rate against it yourself.
- Use ISPM-15 treated pallets. Untreated wood is the most common reason otherwise-clean cargo gets held.
- Get the conformity paperwork moving early: Biosecurity Authority of Fiji clearance; conformity for regulated goods.
Mode guides for Nadi
Frequently asked questions
How long does shipping from China to Nadi take?
China to the Fiji gateway is 5–8 business days by air, 18–26 calendar days by sea. On top of that, allow 3–8 days of clearance with Fiji Revenue and Customs Service and a same-day inland leg to Nadi.
What duty and tax will I pay importing into Nadi?
Fiji Revenue and Customs Service applies: VAT 15%; duty 0–32%, 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 Nadi.
Is sea freight cheaper than air freight into Nadi?
Per kilo, yes — usually by a wide margin. The trade-off is time: 18–26 calendar days by sea versus 5–8 business days by air to the Fiji gateway, before clearance and the same-day inland leg. The crossover point is normally somewhere between 100 and 300 kg depending on the density of your cargo.
When is the busiest time on the China–Fiji lane?
Space and rates tighten around Sep–Nov, plus the China-side windows of Chinese New Year in January or February and Golden Week in early October. Book one to two weeks earlier in those periods.
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.
What documents does Fiji Revenue and Customs Service require?
A commercial invoice with HS codes, a packing list, the bill of lading or air waybill, a certificate of origin where it lowers duty, and any product certification (Biosecurity Authority of Fiji clearance; conformity for regulated goods). We prepare and file these as part of the service.
Other delivery cities in Fiji
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 — 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 — Tariff Profiles (applied MFN duty by country)
- IATA — Lithium battery shipping guidance (PI 965–970)
- World Bank — Logistics Performance Index
- ICC — Incoterms 2020 rules (DDP, DAP, FOB definitions)
Page data last reviewed: November 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 — these guides cover that by commodity.
- Home Decor Furniture & Home Products
- Technical Textiles Textiles, Apparel, Footwear & Leather
- Outdoor Products Toys, Sports, Outdoor & Leisure
- Fasteners Metal Products & Industrial Components
- Electric Motors General Machinery & Industrial Equipment
- Wire & Cable New Energy, Power & Electrical
- Wall Panels Building Materials & Construction Products
- Injection Molded Parts Plastics, Rubber & Packaging
- Furniture Furniture & Home Products
- Home Storage Products Furniture & Home Products
- Exhibition Display Equipment Retail, Display & Commercial Fixtures
- Aluminum Coils Steel & Metal Materials
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 Nadi. The video below covers the wider shipping process that sits around it.
What Is CBM? Sea Freight Volume Explained (Calculate Shipping Cost Fast!) — DDPCHAIN. 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 — plus who files the entry.
Fiji clearance requirements →