FAQ: No E-invoice for Taobao / Amazon / Overseas Purchases – Now What?

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With Phase 2 of Malaysia’s e-invoicing rollout now underway for mid-sized businesses, many business owners are starting to ask:
“What happens when I buy or sell through platforms like Taobao or Amazon? Can I still issue or claim e-invoices?”

If you’ve been wondering whether cross-border transactions are claimable—or whether you can issue a self-billed e-invoice for overseas expenses—you’re not alone.

Here are some of the most common questions business owners are asking:

📌 Can I get an e-invoice when buying from Taobao?
📌 Do I need to issue an e-invoice when selling on Amazon?
📌 If I don’t receive any invoice for a foreign expense, can I issue a self-bill and still claim it?
📌 What’s the deadline to issue a self-bill for overseas purchases?

Our quick FAQ guide below walks you through it all and helps you understand how to handle cross-border e-invoicing in a compliant manner. Read on!

E-Invoice FAQ for Cross-Border Buyers and Sellers

1. How do I get an e-invoice when buying from Taobao?

Taobao is a foreign e-commerce platform, so it’s not required to follow Malaysia’s e-invoicing rules. However, you can usually get an invoice or bill from the individual Taobao seller.

To claim the expense for tax purposes, request a bill from the Taobao supplier and submit it through your company’s staff claim process. This allows your company to treat it as a valid business expense.

2. Do I need to issue an e-invoice if I sell on Amazon?

Amazon, like Taobao, is a foreign platform and doesn’t issue e-invoices or self-billed invoices under Malaysia’s system.

If you’re selling through Amazon and your customer requests an e-invoice, you should issue one. Otherwise, you can issue a consolidated e-invoice to summarise your sales for reporting purposes.

3. Can I issue a self-bill e-invoice if I didn’t receive any invoice for an overseas purchase?

No, you can’t. To qualify for a tax deduction, you must have a valid invoice or receipt from the seller. Not receiving a bill is not a valid reason to issue a self-bill e-invoice as a workaround.

We strongly recommend requesting a proper invoice from the supplier and following your company’s claim procedures.

4. What’s the latest date to issue a self-bill for overseas purchases?

The timing depends on the customs clearance date. You must issue the self-billed e-invoice by the end of the following month after the goods clear customs.

For example, if customs clearance happens in March, you need to issue the self-bill by 30 April.