Q+A on Import Duty+Tax [Do Not Ask How to Avoid!]

jor el

Taking duty, VAT and handling charge into account, it normally comes to about 30%. Converting your dollars to euro, €100 seems a bit high. The bill should explain how it was calculated.

As for returning and getting a refund, that could be difficult. You may need to contact revenue about this.

RonMexico

A friend sent me an art print from the U.S. recently. It was a gift but is quite valuable and he insured the item for $250. When it arrived I was caught for €50 by customs.

Is that legit ? It was a present and I paid nothing for it.

nava

RonMexico wrote: »

A friend sent me an art print from the U.S. recently. It was a gift but is quite valuable and he insured the item for $250. When it arrived I was caught for €50 by customs.

Is that legit ? It was a present and I paid nothing for it.

Yes even for gifts can only be up to a value of around €40 (more or less).

RonMexico

nava wrote: »

Yes even for gifts can only be up to a value of around €40 (more or less).

My God how can they justify that :eek:

nava

RonMexico wrote: »

My God how can they justify that :eek:

I'll assume because what lots of people could do is order stuff online and get them marked as gifts.

Pegasus15

I'm not very knowledgeable when it comes to import tax, so if someone could help it'd be great.

What'd the import tax on $135 US of Region 1 DVD Boxsets (that's incl. shipping)?

jor el

21.5% VAT, plus maybe duty and then the admin fee. Rough guess, about 30% all in, so depending on the exchange rate, probably 25-30 euro.

spupazza

jor el wrote: »

Was an eBay item, of such a low value, actually shipped with FedEx?

Anyway, the limit is €22 for VAT. The duty limit is €150.

Is there anything on the bill which details where this €33 is coming from? Normally it would be (Item Value + Postage) * 21.5% + Handling charge (up to €15). In your case, this would total €18.23, if it was even due, which it is not.

Ignore the letters, they cannot, and will not, take you to court.

Hi jor el, thanks for the answer. Two days ago they sent me another letter, in which they say that if I don't pay, legal proceedings will take place against me in the County Court and that, at that point, I will pay even the court fees and the solicitors fees. But I decide to follow your advice. I won't pay and answer to any of their letters.

Thanks again!

jor el

You could try and contact Revenue, and tell them what you bought, how much you paid, and ask them to confirm that no duty or VAT is due on such a low value item. Then, send this response to FedEx and tell them to go f**k off with their bogus threats.

More details here and here.

kdoher

Hi bought a dress from the us last week costing $128.95 inc postage.. Using tracker seen it arrived in Ireland today.. Does any1 know how much customs and tax i will be charged?
Also bought the dress for a wedding next weekend does any1 know how long it will take to get through customs?:P
Can anyone help me please?

mgsrocks

Does anyone know how customs deals with companies that dispatch multiple orders separately?

Iv bought a few dvd's off cdwow (based in hong kong) and today got a letter of revenue saying there holding one untill i send an invoice to show its value is less then €22.

So does anyone know if I'll only be charged on the one there holding (which has a value of below €22) or would they charge me for the total order amount?

Our man in Havana

Each package is assessed separately.

The_Joker

mgsrocks wrote: »

Iv bought a few dvd's off cdwow (based in hong kong) and today got a letter of revenue saying there holding one untill i send an invoice to show its value is less then €22..........

You're usually ok if the item is that low a value, but if they see multiple items going to the same address they'll start charging you excise, vat and postal charges.
I had a similar problem with camera equipment from HK the first one was ceased and they done the same to me as they did to you so I emailed them an invoice and they left me off (nice people that they are).
Luckily the rest of the stuff got through without a customs check.
I'm not advocating imports without paying duty or anything now, heaven forbid ..........ahem!!

tommyjin83

Hi

Anybody bought phones from ebay and got seized by the custom? they keep ya item in the Dublin mail center in Dublin12.
The phone was sent from Hongkong, and i'm guessing this has some to do with the VAT or god knows what..:( But i have done it good few times before and never had any problem.
what should i do,guys?

PCPhoto

go ...pay the import duty/VAT and collect your phone.

(thats the risk of buying outside europe - cheaper prices but risk of import tax/VAT on entering the country)

Irishmaster

I order off CDWOW for my games and my last few games are in customs. Apparently CDWOW get their stuff to us from Hong Kong. They are shipped separately and cost me about 50euro. Should they be sezing them and charging me extra??? Its pissing me off too. I thought there was a certain amount you could buy without being charged it. My last game that came i got a 17euro charge on it by customs and today i find out that they have stopped my other game too. Now im really peed off. Oh yeah, dont ever order off cdwow. They are very bad!

tommyjin83

Irishmaster wrote: »

I order off CDWOW for my games and my last few games are in customs. Apparently CDWOW get their stuff to us from Hong Kong. They are shipped separately and cost me about 50euro. Should they be sezing them and charging me extra??? Its pissing me off too. I thought there was a certain amount you could buy without being charged it. My last game that came i got a 17euro charge on it by customs and today i find out that they have stopped my other game too. Now im really peed off. Oh yeah, dont ever order off cdwow. They are very bad!

well, it looks like buying anything from Hongkong is equivalent to invite the custom people to seize ur item.....:(

jor el

The VAT limit for anything coming from outside the EU is 22euro. Duty limit is 150euro.

Irishmaster

Am i just unlucky or something? My first game i got came through ok. My last 2 didnt! I also mean my last 2 from cdwow. If they had said on the site you will be charged an extra 17 for each game on top of what you paid for the game i wouldnt have bought from there. They did ask me to send the receipts back to them so they can give me a store voucher! Wow so i can buy off them again and get more customs!!! Like how i said wow! Lol.

Our man in Havana

Ask them for a direct refund.

I find that amazon.co.uk is often as cheap as cdwow and quicker.

Elessar

I am thinking of getting a hard drive in from new york that would cost $380 all told including shipping. What VAT and duty am I likely to pay?

From the limited info I can find, around €60 ish or am I way off?

andrew1977

Hello Folks

Where do i stand here or what do i face having to cough up in charges

Bought my son a Ps3 game for 49.99 euro on cdwow.
Got a letter in the door today from customs and excise athlone post saying the value of the goods were not declared or misdeclared by the sender.

I have to get in touch with them via e-mail forwarding them an invoice or other evidence what the goods cost.

I asked cdwow for an invoice, all they can provide me with is the e-mail confirmation at time of purchase.

How much will customs and excise want off me ?

Thanks

P.S apologies if i should have posted this in the sticky up top of forum, just seen it now. sorry

jor el

It'll be 21.5% VAT, plus the handling fee of €5 to €15. An Post charge €5, couriers often charge the full €15.

mgsrocks

andrew1977 wrote: »

Hello Folks

Where do i stand here or what do i face having to cough up in charges

Bought my son a Ps3 game for 49.99 euro on cdwow.
Got a letter in the door today from customs and excise athlone post saying the value of the goods were not declared or misdeclared by the sender.

I have to get in touch with them via e-mail forwarding them an invoice or other evidence what the goods cost.

I asked cdwow for an invoice, all they can provide me with is the e-mail confirmation at time of purchase.

How much will customs and excise want off me ?

Thanks

P.S apologies if i should have posted this in the sticky up top of forum, just seen it now. sorry

Just forward them the email along with your refernce number.

darc

Elessar wrote: »

I am thinking of getting a hard drive in from new york that would cost $380 all told including shipping. What VAT and duty am I likely to pay?

From the limited info I can find, around €60 ish or am I way off?

Yep - about €60 + document fee.

You may be charged duty if a taric code / precise description is not included.

Discodog

I know someone who works for GLS. He has not had one duty collection for a month !. It is not in the revenue's interest to stop every package as we would all stop importing & they would not collect. The present "lottery" system means that people will take a chance & the revenue collect more.

Because of their restricted resources it makes sense that they will have "projects" where they focus on one area or courier. Our lack of postcodes make this harder. I have heard that Revenue in UK can easily spot if someone starts getting lots of overseas packages because of the identical postcode.

tommyjin83

Has anybody ever paid import duty for their purchases? I was advised to pay about 40euro for a phone purchased from outside europe which is fine and i'm willing to pay it.
But where do you pay the money? Postoffice, revenue office, Dublin mail center?
Anybody with similar experience would like to confirm this?

jor el

You were advised, or you received a bill?

tommyjin83

jor el wrote: »

You were advised, or you received a bill?

I recevied a email which says import duty plus handling fee due blah blah. But it didn't say where to pay it.

Our man in Havana

Postman will collect so.