Inspection of Foreign Mail

All the plants (and/or plant products) sent from overseas by mail are subject to import plant quarantine.
Inspection procedure of foreign mail
All the mails from overseas, inclusive of sea mail and air mail, arrive at the customs post office for entry check. Mailed plants are inspected by plant quarantine inspector at these post offices before they are cleared by the customs.
Prohibited items will be notified to the addressee to choose either destruction or reshipment to the sender. Destruction is under taken by the Plant Protection Station. Reshipment is made at the cost of addressee for the actual postage fee.
Seedlings and tree fruit nursery stocks are required to go through post-entry inspection under the supervision of the Plant Protection Station. Importer will be notified to follow the procedure necessary for post-entry quarantine.
If any quarantine pest is found on the mailed plants, disinfection treatment is given by plant quarantine officials. When no disinfection method is available to the pest, the plants will be refused entry.
When the mail has passed import inspection, 'Official Certified Seal of Inspection' will be put on the package and delivered to the addressee after the customs inspection.
Formalities
When you send plants by mail from overseas, you are advised, wherever possible, to obtain phytosanitary certificate of exporting country and enclose it in your mail. You are also advised to state in the ' Customs Declaration Form' attached to the package that the content includes plants material.
Inspection method

Plant quarantine inspection is carried out at the presence of responsible post office clerk.

  1. Inspection is made to check whether your plants are prohibited entry or contaminated with quarantine pests.
  2. If quarantine pest is found on your plants, disinfection treatment is given wherever possible.
  3. Flower bulbs, tree fruit nursery stocks, etc. are subject to post-entry quarantine inspection under the custody of the Plant Protection Station.

The minimum of one year (or one growing season) is usually required before the cleared plants are released to the importer.
Inspection site

Inspection is carried out at the customs post office.
Top of Articles subject to import inspection