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

herbieflowers

jos22 wrote: »

goods under 22 euro are allowed in tax free.

Thanks jos22

EdgarAllenPoo

Under €22 is tax and duty free, under €150 means no duty but still VAT, after that(as far as I know) you're liable for duty and VAT.

Red Sleeping Beauty

GDM wrote: »

Under €22 is tax and duty free, under €150 means no duty but still VAT, after that(as far as I know) you're liable for duty and VAT.

The above relates to anything imported from outside the EU. Channel Islands (Jersey, Guernsey) are outside the Eu which is where the play.com and HMV kinda websites post their orders from.

Bob Z

If i buy a record from canada and it comes to 21 dollars(15 Euro) and customs stop how much extra roughly would i have to pay?

EdgarAllenPoo

If it's under €22 in value including shipping you won't pay any VAT or duty on it.

zielarz

This thread provides one good reason to vote no to Lisbon, we could get rid of these ridiculous charges.. but still some people would like more control from the EU..

jor el

This has nothing to do with Lisbon, and if you think that VAT is a reason to vote no, then you're very mistaken. We cannot get rid of VAT unless we leave the EU, and even then, the government would be likely to apply it anyway, and pocket all the money.

Let's keep the pointless posts out of this, shall we?

Red Sleeping Beauty

Some kind of deal from Revenue with these "Channel Island" based website shops selling DVDs n stuff would be nice so that we don't have to gamble with a VAT charge. Can't imagine they care though.

urranger

Hi,
I'm looking at buying a TV stand for a telly in the UK. I can buy it for £95 and I got a quote from www.freight.ie for €30 to deliver it from a uk address to my home address.
Where do I stand as regards VAT and customs?

Red Sleeping Beauty

If it's coming from the UK you'll have to pay nothing as the UK is inside the EU and therefore EU vat will be paid.

dazftw

Ive ordered some photography studio equipment coming to €917 from a company called gotham audio switzerland.

Will I be liable for customs/vat from switzerland? I made a thread about this the other day but id like some 2nd opinions.. There not in the EU but are in the EEA?

I was talking to a guy there and he said I would be charged vat becuase the goods have an American origin.

Im pretty confused on it tbh.. Any ideas?

Also I dunno where to post this so ill ask here... Does anyone know anything about TNT's "fuel surcharge"?

jor el

If they ship from the US, then VAT and Duty are likely to be charged, regardless of Switzerland's EU/EEA status. What does your invoice/receipt say about VAT? If it's not on it, then you're liable.

dazftw

jor el wrote: »

If they ship from the US, then VAT and Duty are likely to be charged, regardless of Switzerland's EU/EEA status. What does your invoice/receipt say about VAT? If it's not on it, then you're liable.

Its in Europe anyway I know that I have tracking and its in brussells atm.. I dont have any invoices/reciepts yet though..

Red Sleeping Beauty

I'd refer to this : http://www.citizensinformation.ie/categories/money-and-tax/tax/duties-and-vat/value-added-tax#rules

Switzerland is outside the EU and your goods will be coming from there for a reason. It'd be my opinion that you should be prepared to pay a vat and/or customs charge. If it's a logistics company like TNT handling your product then they'll probably have it tidied up into one neat invoice that you will need to settle with them. Don't know about a surcharge, sounds like they're adding an extra charge on top though. I'd query that one tbh.

jor el

The shipping agent is allowed to charge up to 15 euro admin fee for collecting the tax.

dazftw

Got a call from TNT earlier, Customs/VAT is coming to €138.90 Which isn't bad at all considering I thought it was going to be up around €240

EdgarAllenPoo

Just taken delivery of an item I bought from America, had a value of €92.70 including postage, I was expecting a VAT bill for 21.5% of that at the door but I didn't get charged anything. Just signed for it and that was the end of it, I did order from a site (FiftyOne.com) that said I wouldn't be charged anything COD but I still thought I'd end up paying the vat at the door.

What are the chances of that being the end of it or should I expect a VAT bill in the post?

jor el

GDM wrote: »

What are the chances of that being the end of it or should I expect a VAT bill in the post?

Was it a courier delivery, or An Post? An Post normally charge on delivery, the couriers tend to bill at a later date.

EdgarAllenPoo

I honestly didn't notice, the guy seemed in a hurry and basically threw the package at me and ran.

EdgarAllenPoo

Just had another package from America(delivered by An Poist this time) valued at 124.99 (€88.97) and again no VAT request at the door. Either I'm just lucky which I doubt or the import limits for duty and VAT are different to what I thought they were.

jor el

Only a small percentage of An Post delivered imports will have VAT levied on them. At a guess, I'd say 1 in 10.

jos22

GDM wrote: »

Just taken delivery of an item I bought from America, had a value of €92.70 including postage, I was expecting a VAT bill for 21.5% of that at the door but I didn't get charged anything. Just signed for it and that was the end of it, I did order from a site (FiftyOne.com) that said I wouldn't be charged anything COD but I still thought I'd end up paying the vat at the door.

What are the chances of that being the end of it or should I expect a VAT bill in the post?

if they said that you would not be charged anything then they most likely have charged you vat as part of your order

snubbleste

jos22 wrote: »

if they said that you would not be charged anything then they most likely have charged you vat as part of your order

Why would a US company charge vat?

jos22

snubbleste wrote: »

Why would a US company charge vat?

well none i have ever ordered from have.
but that company might have fixed a deal with the EU to prepay vat and other duties on entering the country.
since they say that you wont be charged anything on delivery.

the places I ordered off say that taxes and other charges may apply on entering the country

DirksDiggler

I was stung for €17 yesterday after buying a few Blu Ray discs from Amazon (US). The total value printed on the package was $71

I asked the postman what the limit is so I won't have to hand over to him what I was saving in the first place but the miserable sod wouldn't tell me.

Anyone know? That way I guess I can just order less next time.

jor el

The postman probably didn't know the limit. It's nothing to do with him, and unless he's been importing things himself, why would he know? It's up to the importer (you) to know the limit, which is €22.

DirksDiggler

jor el wrote: »

The postman probably didn't know the limit. It's nothing to do with him, and unless he's been importing things himself, why would he know? It's up to the importer (you) to know the limit, which is €22.

Well you think he'd have a rough idea based upon the number of packages he delivers and has to collect on.

As for the limit you state, I've never had to pay tax on a package with a declared value of €22. Or even double that.

jor el

DirksDiggler wrote: »

Well you think he'd have a rough idea based upon the number of packages he delivers and has to collect on.

The number of parcels that have to have money collected is very small. And the postman still has no idea how that figure was calculated, all he knows is what's on the bill.

DirksDiggler wrote: »

As for the limit you state, I've never had to pay tax on a package with a declared value of €22. Or even double that.

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=61836487&postcount=203

€22 is still the limit, though it doesn't mean you will have to pay VAT if you're over that.

kumate_champ07

I have an Irish/American friend who lives here but her family lives over in America. Can she have some stuff sent over with no import fees?

Bob Z

Its 22 euro maximum when buying buying from America but how much is it when buying from deal extreme or focal price which are located in HOng Kong or China