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Paying Duty for camera from America..

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  • 26-07-2009 8:18pm
    #1
    bigbadcon
    Registered Users Posts: 507 ✭✭✭


    Hi folks,

    Im wondering if anyone can let me know if I have to pay duty for a camera that is being sent from America...

    I found the second hand camera online and the guy who was selling it lives in Seattle in the US.

    My brother lives 15 miles away from this guy and he met up with him and paid him cash for the camera.

    My brother is now going to send me over the camera and I am going to transfer the money into his bank account.

    Do I need to pay duty when the camera arrives as Im not buying if it from a shop?

    Thanks for the replies in advance.


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    #2
    RandomIrl
    Closed Accounts Posts: 234 ✭✭RandomIrl


    this is not exactly related.. but last year was in the states looking to buy a certain product and they didnt have it in stock. the shop assistant was quite insistant with the sale and said they would order them in. so we said no thanks because we would be done for customs etc but he said he wouldnt send them in anything to do with the shop would send them as a gift avoiding customs etc. so i think as long as theres no commercial logos etc on box..you should be fine


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    #3
    jor el
    Closed Accounts Posts: 16,713 ✭✭✭✭jor el


    VAT is what you may have to pay, and it doesn't matter that you haven't bought it from a shop.


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    #4
    MysticalSoul
    Registered Users Posts: 1,266 ✭✭✭MysticalSoul


    The threshold is quite low even if item is marked as a gift - if over the cost of €50 you will be charged.


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    #5
    dudara
    Registered Users Posts: 33,518 ✭✭✭✭dudara


    Here's a good response from the FAQ sticky in the photography section.

    It won't matter if it's marked as a gift or not, Customs can inspect any parcel they suspect of being over the import threshold.


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    #6
    ascottdub
    Closed Accounts Posts: 47 ✭ascottdub


    Your brother needs to put it in a box as a birthday present. No more needs to be said.

    Play innocent


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    #7
    Cool Mo D
    Registered Users Posts: 1,419 ✭✭✭Cool Mo D


    ascottdub wrote: »
    Your brother needs to put it in a box as a birthday present. No more needs to be said.

    Play innocent

    How will that help with the tax? It wouldn't be tax exempt, and revenue love opening boxes marked as gifts.


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    #8
    Paulw
    Registered Users Posts: 13,381 ✭✭✭✭Paulw


    Cool Mo D wrote: »
    How will that help with the tax? It wouldn't be tax exempt, and revenue love opening boxes marked as gifts.

    They especially love items marked as gift. It tends to draw their attention.

    In short, you should expect to pay VAT on the imported camera.


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    #9
    bigbadcon
    Registered Users Posts: 507 ✭✭✭bigbadcon


    Maybe il get him to throw a birthday card in with it...


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    #10
    jor el
    Closed Accounts Posts: 16,713 ✭✭✭✭jor el


    Cool Mo D wrote: »
    How will that help with the tax? It wouldn't be tax exempt, and revenue love opening boxes marked as gifts.

    Correct.
    bigbadcon wrote: »
    Maybe il get him to throw a birthday card in with it...

    That won't do any good. You'll just have to wait and see what happens when it arrives. You'll either have to pay the VAT or you won't. There's nothing you can do to get around that. Falsely declaring it as a gift, or falsely declaring the value on the customs declaration, are both tax evasion, and highly illegal.

    Make sure there's a receipt with it in the box, or customs can value it themselves (possibly higher than you paid) and charge you accordingly.


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