Video Tutorials・New Customs Rules・2025-06-18・Last updated:
On June 18, 2025, the Customs Administration announced that starting June 20, EZ WAY would no longer accept connections from overseas IP addresses for real-name authentication registration or real-name authorization. The founder of HowBridge made this video that same day to warn consumers: If a shipment arrives while you are abroad, you cannot tap “Declaration Matches,” so it will be held at customs. Once advance authorization confirmation is fully implemented on March 1, 2026, the rules become even stricter—without your confirmation, the customs broker cannot even begin filing the declaration. This guide clearly explains the official announcement, the scope of the restrictions, three lawful alternatives, and why using a VPN to bypass the restriction is a bad idea.
30-second summary: ① Starting 2025-06-20, EZ WAY blocks overseas IP addresses from accessing “real-name authentication registration” and “real-name authorization” functions, including responding that a declaration matches. The Customs Administration says this is because overseas IP addresses account for the majority of fraudulent customs declarations made under stolen identities. ② Existing users shopping from and importing into Taiwan normally are unaffected while connected from Taiwan, but if your shipment arrives in Taiwan while you are abroad, you cannot complete the authorization. ③ Starting 2026-03-01, advance authorization confirmation will be fully implemented. Customs may refuse to accept declarations without completed authorization, and after the deadline, the express carrier will apply to correct the party liable for duties and taxes before returning the shipment. A shipment arriving while you are abroad is therefore high-risk. ④ The three official options are to respond before leaving Taiwan or after returning, ask a friend or relative in Taiwan to serve as the recipient if you live overseas long-term, or use paper authorization. ⑤ Do not use a VPN to disguise an overseas connection as a Taiwan IP address. The restriction is specifically intended to prevent identity fraud, so attempting a technical workaround is not worth the risk.
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In a June 20 announcement, the Customs Administration warned travelers that EZ WAY will check whether their IP address is located in Taiwan before allowing registration, login, or confirmation that a declaration matches. #TaiwanDedicatedShipping #HowBridge
This video was recorded on June 18, 2025—the day the Customs Administration issued its announcement. The founder’s key point is that starting June 20, EZ WAY will check whether your connection’s IP address is in Taiwan. If it is not, you cannot complete real-name authentication or tap “Declaration Matches.” Check your schedule before traveling, and plan ahead for any shipment likely to arrive while you are abroad.
In the video, he candidly says, “I’m not sure whether you can connect through a VPN.” Here is the direct answer: It is neither recommended nor necessary. We will first explain exactly what the restriction covers, then outline the three officially approved options.
The Ministry of Finance’s Customs Administration announced on June 18, 2025, that starting June 20, EZ WAY would no longer accept connections from overseas IP addresses for “real-name authentication registration” or “real-name authorization”. Real-name authorization is the step where you receive a push notification in the app and tap “Declaration Matches” to complete the online authorization. In other words, you cannot complete this step while abroad.
The Customs Administration gave a straightforward reason: Among cases involving criminals who steal personal information and submit fraudulent declarations to import illegal or controlled goods as express consignments, overseas IP addresses account for the majority. Most involve overseas criminal groups misusing Taiwanese citizens’ personal information. Blocking overseas connections is intended to ensure that “the actual recipient can be identified for every shipment clearing customs.” The Customs Administration also stated that existing legitimate users importing online purchases while in Taiwan would not be affected.
| Action | Taiwan IP Address | Overseas IP Address (Starting 2025-06-20) |
|---|---|---|
| Real-name authentication registration (first-time mobile number verification) | Allowed | Not allowed |
| Responding to a push notification and tapping “Declaration Matches/Does Not Match” (real-name authorization) | Allowed | Not allowed |
| Viewing current shipment statuses and history | Allowed | Not restricted by the announcement, but in practice, clearance depends on whether authorization can be completed |
The Video Says You Cannot Log In Either—What Does the Announcement Actually Say?：The Customs Administration’s announcement specifically restricts two functions: “real-name authentication registration” and “real-name authorization.” The video also mentions login, taking a more cautious view of what users may encounter while abroad. For you, the conclusion is the same: While abroad, you cannot complete the confirmation you need to make.
The video was made in June 2025, when the process allowed declarations to be filed first and confirmed afterward, so a shipment arriving while you were abroad might simply have to wait a few days for confirmation. That changes starting March 1, 2026. The Ministry of Finance amended Article 17 of the Regulations Governing Customs Clearance of Air Express Consignments and Article 18 of the Regulations Governing Customs Clearance of Maritime Express Consignments. For personal express imports using simplified declarations and online authorization through real-name authentication, “advance authorization confirmation” will be fully implemented. Customs brokers must obtain your confirmation before they can file a declaration.
Put the two rules together: You are abroad → you cannot tap “Declaration Matches” → the customs broker cannot file the declaration → customs will not accept it → your shipment waits in the warehouse. What happens if your confirmation never arrives? Under current procedures, if authorization is not completed by the deadline, the express carrier will apply to correct the party liable for duties and taxes and then return the shipment for export. In 2026, a shipment arriving while you are abroad is therefore not merely “slower”—the entire shipment may be sent back. Read the full guide to the new advance authorization rules at EZ WAY Advance Authorization: Full Implementation on 2026/3/1.
The Most Common Scenario That Causes Problems：You place an order on Taobao or Pinduoduo one week before leaving Taiwan, thinking, “It should arrive right when I get back.” Instead, sea express shipping reaches Taiwan in just 5–10 days. The push notification arrives while you are in Japan, and you cannot respond. The forwarding warehouse and customs broker keep contacting you, and the shipment is eventually returned. The timing gap is the risk. For sea express transit times to Taiwan, see Complete Guide to Taiwan Customs Clearance Times.
In its announcement and media interviews, the Customs Administration provided three alternatives for short trips, long-term residence abroad, and people who do not want to use the app:
What Not to Do: Use a VPN to Disguise Your IP Address or Let Someone Else Use Your Account：The overseas IP restriction is intended to prevent fraudulent declarations made under stolen identities. Using a VPN to force access effectively creates a suspicious record showing an overseas connection combined with personal confirmation, which can be difficult to explain if anything goes wrong. Trade-Van and customs provide no VPN exception. Giving someone else your EZ WAY username and password so they can confirm for you is even worse. Real-name authentication links your identity to your mobile number, so you are responsible for every declaration someone confirms using your account. If another person needs to handle the shipment, formally change the recipient.
Turn the rules above into a five-minute pre-departure checklist:
How HowBridge Can Help：Members can leave their goods at the Shenzhen warehouse and wait until they return to Taiwan before consolidating and shipping them. After shipment, remember to watch for EZ WAY push notifications before the goods reach Taiwan. If you have not registered for EZ WAY, complete registration in Taiwan before traveling, as overseas IP addresses cannot register: Complete EZ WAY Guide. If you have forgotten your password, see Forgot Your EZ WAY Password?.
Starting 2025-06-20, the Customs Administration restricts overseas IP addresses from using “real-name authentication registration” and “real-name authorization,” including responding that a declaration matches. This means you cannot register a new account or tap “Declaration Matches” to complete authorization while abroad. Existing users can use the service normally again after returning to Taiwan and connecting from within Taiwan.
If you cannot tap “Declaration Matches,” the customs broker cannot complete the authorization process. After advance authorization confirmation takes effect on 2026-03-01, customs may refuse to accept the declaration, and your shipment will wait in the warehouse. If authorization is not completed by the deadline, the express carrier will apply to correct the party liable for duties and taxes before returning the shipment for export. Avoid ordering goods that will arrive while you are abroad, or ask the forwarding warehouse to hold them until you return.
It is not recommended. This restriction is intended to prevent fraudulent customs declarations submitted from overseas under stolen identities, and Trade-Van and customs provide no VPN exception. Using technical means to disguise an overseas connection as a domestic one in order to complete personal confirmation creates a suspicious record that may be difficult to explain if anything goes wrong. The lawful options are to respond before leaving Taiwan, respond after returning, or change to a recipient in Taiwan in advance.
No. EZ WAY real-name authentication links your identity to your mobile number. For every declaration confirmed through your account, you remain the importer under the law and bear the associated responsibility. The Customs Administration recommends asking a friend or relative in Taiwan to serve as the recipient. This means listing that person as the recipient when placing the order and having them confirm through their own EZ WAY account, with responsibility also borne by them.
List a family member in Taiwan as the recipient and use that person’s EZ WAY real-name account and mobile number. Alternatively, the family member can complete a paper authorization for an individual shipment or a long-term paper authorization, provided the forwarding provider and customs broker support it. You cannot register or complete online authorization yourself while outside Taiwan.
The Customs Administration explained that overseas IP addresses account for the majority of cases involving stolen personal information used to submit fraudulent declarations for illegal or controlled goods imported as express consignments. Most involve overseas criminal groups misusing Taiwanese citizens’ personal information. Blocking overseas connections helps ensure that the actual recipient can be identified for every shipment clearing customs. In 2020, customs uncovered nearly 300 cases of customs clearance under stolen identities.
#EZ WAY #Overseas IP Addresses #Online Shopping While Abroad #Real-Name Authentication #Declaration Matches #Advance Authorization #Changing the Recipient #Fraudulent Customs Declarations #Taiwan Dedicated Shipping
This article is based on the Ministry of Finance Customs Administration’s 2025-06-18 announcement, official explanations quoted by media outlets including the Central News Agency and Taiwan Public Television Service, the Regulations Governing Customs Clearance of Air Express Consignments and the Regulations Governing Customs Clearance of Maritime Express Consignments as amended on 2026-02-23, and the Customs Administration’s 2026-08-03 clarification. For the latest EZ WAY functionality restrictions and authorization methods, refer to the most recent announcements from the Customs Administration and Trade-Van. This article is for general reference only and does not constitute advice on any individual customs clearance case.
Leave Your Goods at the Shenzhen Warehouse Before Traveling and Ship Them After Returning to Taiwan HowBridge’s Shenzhen warehouse provides 366 days of free storage. Leave shipments arriving during your trip at the warehouse, then consolidate and ship them after you return and tap “Declaration Matches” in Taiwan—without risking a VPN workaround or giving your account to someone else. Register Free and Get Your Shenzhen Forwarding Warehouse Address