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

jos22

Bob Z wrote: »

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

the 22 euro apply to all countries out the EU. so it applies to all orders from hong kong and china.

DX mark all items as gifted and provide an option to remove their logo so you might get away with items up to 45 euro.

but most likely you be hit if it goes over the 22 euro

Bob Z

jos22 wrote: »

the 22 euro apply to all countries out the EU. so it applies to all orders from hong kong and china.

DX mark all items as gifted and provide an option to remove their logo so you might get away with items up to 45 euro.

but most likely you be hit if it goes over the 22 euro

Thank you

jos22

are custom value based on exact amounts or do they round off.
ie if you had an item from the outside the EU for €22.20

is that rounded off to €22 euro or are they stingy and slap u for being 22cent over the import barrier.

jor el

There's no way to know that. It'll be up to whomever is inspecting.

glaston

Just got a letter from the revenue requesting that I forward purchase invoice or paypal receipt for a camera lens I bought from Hong Kong.

The only invoice I have is a mail from the seller telling me I won the auction and the overall cost, will this suffice?

lucernarian

To answer the question above: Yes, I think.

Nice thread going on here.

I've got one question. If duties are outstanding on an imported good, then surely Euro cash, as the only legal tender we have, must be accepted as payment for the amount owed?? (And lets not talk about post stamps being legal tender also:pac:)

jor el

Why wouldn't euro be accepted? All tax bills will be in euro, regardless of declared value currency.

Ok I'd like to buy some computer memory from eBay UK but the seller is based in the US. The item is below €22 but the postage (around €6) pushes it over. So what's the story? Is postage taken into account with the limit? Thanks for any help!

lucernarian

jor el wrote: »

Why wouldn't euro be accepted? All tax bills will be in euro, regardless of declared value currency.

I'm afraid to say, you misunderstood me. I was talking about Euro cash being accepted, as well as a cheque/bank draft/postal order being accepted. Cheques aren't legal tender but cash is, so surely they must accept Euro cash in settlement of the customs bill??

robpurf

hi all im looking at getting a small shipment of clothes in from china just to sell on as me and a friend are thinking of setting up a market stall im as confused as hell with the whole tax thing and im wondering do i pay import duty and vat on them??ive tried looking over this thread and im even more confused

Sean Quagmire

I'm looking to buy x2 decks of playing cards from the US. With shipping the total cost around €20 so i assume I wont have to pay and tax or import fee's yea?

Also do they open the package and read the invoice to get the price or what? if they decide that no tax is applicable do they just send it on by post?

thanks

jor el

robpurf wrote: »

hi all im looking at getting a small shipment of clothes in from china just to sell on as me and a friend are thinking of setting up a market stall im as confused as hell with the whole tax thing and im wondering do i pay import duty and vat on them??ive tried looking over this thread and im even more confused

Commercial import is a different game. Unless you're planning on trading illegally, then you really need to know what you're doing before starting this. i.e. set up a proper business and get an accountant. Any import will be subject to duty and VAT, but a VAT registered business will be able to claim credit for any VAT paid.

Sean Quagmire wrote: »

Also do they open the package and read the invoice to get the price or what? if they decide that no tax is applicable do they just send it on by post?

thanks

The value should be declared on the outside of the package, so there's no need to open it. This only happens if no value is declared, and they want to value it.

jos22

Sean Quagmire wrote: »

Also do they open the package and read the invoice to get the price or what? if they decide that no tax is applicable do they just send it on by post?

thanks

if your parcel gets stopped then it is most likely be opened. regardless if the value is declared or not. several of mine contain dvds from the US were opened. most of them then were re sealed and deliver with out vat being added. the value of the parcel was clearly declared on the ones opened.

lucernarian

Just to get this straight:

Will customs accept cash (as in Euro bank notes) in the payment of import taxes and duties?

jos22

To_be_confirmed wrote: »

Just to get this straight:

Will customs accept cash (as in Euro bank notes) in the payment of import taxes and duties?

if an post deliver the goods to you. cash with not be accepted.
postal order or cheque.
same applies if you have to collect it from the local sorting office. no cash.

kumate_champ07

jos22 wrote: »

if an post deliver the goods to you. cash with not be accepted.
postal order or cheque.
same applies if you have to collect it from the local sorting office. no cash.

last year I got stuff from the postman and he would only hand it over if I payed the tax first, I payed it with cash.



Im expecting something from fedex by end of week, hopefully I wont need to pay import tax, if I do will they give me a few weeks to pay it off?

Our man in Havana

Fedex usually deliver first and then send a bill later.

kumate_champ07

Bond-007 wrote: »

Fedex usually deliver first and then send a bill later.

cool! ill enjoy my package at the weekend and worry about the bill later if it comes

jor el

kumate_champ07 wrote: »

last year I got stuff from the postman and he would only hand it over if I payed the tax first, I payed it with cash.

Same here, and I've paid cash at the sorting office too. You need the exact amount, as they don't carry change, but I don't see why they wouldn't accept it.

kumate_champ07

jor el wrote: »

Same here, and I've paid cash at the sorting office too. You need the exact amount, as they don't carry change, but I don't see why they wouldn't accept it.

i cant remember if i got a receipt tho, that could be a problem if a customer claimed to pay the postman cash and he later is forced to pay 'again'
at least with a cheque it will have a paper trail behind it

lucernarian

jos22 wrote: »

if an post deliver the goods to you. cash with not be accepted.
postal order or cheque.
same applies if you have to collect it from the local sorting office. no cash.

Hmmm. Well that's a good one. Surely they have to accept legal tender in settlement of a debt or charge?

shift

hey,

i ordered an iPod from the US worth around 300euros. When i realised i would be away on delivery date I put the address to my aunt who lives in Northern Ireland (i live on the border). I normally get stuff sent to her that wont ship to the republic or is free delivery. What is going to happen about customs duty etc? is it UK customs i deal with?

thanks,

jor el

kumate_champ07 wrote: »

i cant remember if i got a receipt tho, that could be a problem if a customer claimed to pay the postman cash and he later is forced to pay 'again'
at least with a cheque it will have a paper trail behind it

they won't give you the goods without paying, so if you have them, then you've obviously paid.

shift wrote: »

What is going to happen about customs duty etc? is it UK customs i deal with?

It'll be the delivery agent that you deal with.

txt_mess

Just a quick one here hoping someone knows the answer to this in the past when I have gotten stuff in from the US and got the customs charges I noticed that the vat charged was on the full US amount not converted amount it was all little stuff so I wasn't bothered to much.

Now I am ordering in a big order for xmas pressies and am looking to find out is the vat on the full item price or should it be the USD price coverted to EUR then vat on that amount ?

Sorry if it should stupid question but appreciate anyone with the knowledge coming back on this , thanks

leeroybrown

Customs have a set of currency conversion rates they use for these situations. You amount of VAT you pay should be based on the converted rates. It's very important to note that you're not just liable for VAT on the value of the items - you pay vat on the delivery costs and any excise duty charged too. That's probably why it was higher than you thought it should be.

dudara

Moved to Online Buying & Auctions

dudara

Threads merged

Snoopy1

Ive just brought a dress (wedding dress ) from the states. It is being delivered by Fed Ex.

Just a few questions as ive never brought from the states before. I know i will have to pay customs. The total cost plus shipping is 500 dollars. Am i charged a percentage of the dollar value, or the euro equivalent?

Also do Fed ex just knock on my door and say" you owe this amount please pay or we wont give you your parcel" or does it work differently.

Also how do i pay fed ex, do they take credit card???


Sorry for all the questions, i hope this is in the right forum

Thanks

Joey the lips

Hi Folks just a quick question. Being a law abiding cit and being sh1t scared of doing something illegal I wondered what way does it work buying goods from the likes of amazon etc. Obv there is no tax except what seems to be a tax in the home country

Do i wait for a bill from our tax man

Does a bill kick in at a certain time

Am i obligated to declare what i buy.

Can i simply not just wait on the tax bill if i dont.

I hope i am asking these questions right. I am a novice when it comes to buying online and want to get it right!


PS: before all you mad profilers figure I want to buy the other half underware in the UK. I dont want to see a summons in court re: The case of joey the lips avoiding excise duty on the o/h's underware. Additionally. I dont want to be ringing revenue and saying "Hi Mate I bought this lovely g-string and bustier bra for the misses now i want to pay tax.... You catch my drift

jor el

Anything bought within the EU is tax and duty paid, anything bought outside is subject to VAT is it's valued over €22, and duty if over €150. There's nothing illegal, you don't go to court, unless you refuse to pay any tax bill.

Jessica2501

Hi, I am wondering what kind of duty do I have to pay if I buy a mobile phone from China & have it shipped over? or else if u dont know where can I find out? Thank u