# Items that are prohibited to ship to Italy



## Shaka (Jul 6, 2013)

Could someone give me a link or advice to the most recent updates about what you can or cannot bring to Italy? I have read that photo albums and Christmas decorations are prohibited!
Surely that can't be true? What do you do in that instance ,bring them in your suitcases or take the photos out of the albums ? What about Christmas village items?
I understand these are specific items but are actually what I intend to bring.
I'll be moving from the USA.

Would it be easier to transport to another EU country which I could do as I am an EU and US citizen and move my stuiff to Italy that way?
Anyones thoughts and advice would be greatly appreciated.


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## accbgb (Sep 23, 2009)

Shaka said:


> Could someone give me a link or advice to the most recent updates about what you can or cannot bring to Italy? I have read that photo albums and Christmas decorations are prohibited!
> Surely that can't be true? What do you do in that instance ,bring them in your suitcases or take the photos out of the albums ? What about Christmas village items?
> I understand these are specific items but are actually what I intend to bring.
> I'll be moving from the USA.
> ...


I've never heard of the photo album restriction; perhaps it refers specifically to leather-bound albums, but I even doubt that - there are restrictions on importing leather goods, but...

This might help: http://www.meldrumthemover.com/downloads/italy.pdf ; there are website links at the end of the document as well.


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## Shaka (Jul 6, 2013)

Thank you so much for the information.


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## accbgb (Sep 23, 2009)

Shaka said:


> Thank you so much for the information.



No problem.

Also, are you a dual US/Italy citizen?

If so, you can bring your personal effects into Italy under "repatriation" rules which allow you to avoid possibly substantial import duty / VAT collection. Contact your local consulate for details.


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## Shaka (Jul 6, 2013)

accbgb said:


> No problem.
> 
> Also, are you a dual US/Italy citizen?
> 
> If so, you can bring your personal effects into Italy under "repatriation" rules which allow you to avoid possibly substantial import duty / VAT collection. Contact your local consulate for details.


We are Irish and US citizens but will be living in Italy. So will check it out for sure but I'm sure the Italian bureaucracy is a bit of a minefield but definitely worth a try.


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## accbgb (Sep 23, 2009)

If you plan to anything of (total, combined) value into Italy, you *must* look into this. Otherwise you could be hit with a very large bill for import duty and VAT.


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## Italia-Mx (Jan 14, 2009)

An Italian citizen who is repatriating and wants to be able to move household goods into Italy duty free and with consular assistance must have been registered as an Italian citizen in the AIRE database of his local consulate for at least one year. Newly recognized citizens planning immediate moves are not eligible.


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## accbgb (Sep 23, 2009)

Italia-Mx said:


> An Italian citizen who is repatriating and wants to be able to move household goods into Italy duty free and with consular assistance must have been registered as an Italian citizen in the AIRE database of his local consulate for at least one year. _ Newly recognized citizens planning immediate moves are not eligible._


I'm not sure this last part is correct. So long as you can show that you resided in the consular district for at least one year prior to being "newly recognized" you should be okay.


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## Italia-Mx (Jan 14, 2009)

I asked for the forms but was told specifically that I would receive no consular assistance with my move to Italy after being recognized because I had not been in the consulate's AIRE data base for more than one year. That's why I sold everything in the US and moved to Italy with just a few suitcases that I carried on the plane with me -- and the one bag that I did ship from a port in the USA arrived in Italy six weeks later -- and you guessed it. After I showed the port authorities my Italian passport, they asked me what the bag contained and promptly charged me a duty when I said, "clothing". If you're in a hurry to move to Italy less than one year after receiving your Italian passport, I would definitely travel light.


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## accbgb (Sep 23, 2009)

Italia-Mx said:


> I asked for the forms but was told specifically that I would receive no consular assistance with my move to Italy after being recognized because I had not been in the consulate's AIRE data base for more than one year. That's why I sold everything in the US and moved to Italy with just a few suitcases that I carried on the plane with me -- and the one bag that I did ship from a port in the USA arrived in Italy six weeks later -- and you guessed it. After I showed the port authorities my Italian passport, they asked me what the bag contained and promptly charged me a duty when I said, "clothing". If you're in a hurry to move to Italy less than one year after receiving your Italian passport, I would definitely travel light.


That is very interesting. Which consulate was this, and how long ago?


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## Italia-Mx (Jan 14, 2009)

I have experience with this happening twice. Philadelphia and San Francisco -- 15 years and 5 years ago, respectively. The second time was when my companion moved back with me two months after his recognition in San Francisco and he lived in that consular district as an American citizen for 35 years. A friend who was born in Italy and moved to the US at age 20 and lived there for 37 years did receive assistance when she retired back in Italy -- but she was always registered with her consulate so she brought her entire East coast household, which she has since discarded because, of course, it looks out of place in Italy -- and she says it was a mistake.


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## Arturo.c (Aug 15, 2010)

Italia-Mx said:


> After I showed the port authorities my Italian passport, they asked me what the bag contained and promptly charged me a duty when I said, "clothing".


The right answer would have been: "effetti personali" (personal belongings). If you had prepared and signed the relevant self-declaration form, you wouldn't have had to pay anything to bring over your stuff.


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## Italia-Mx (Jan 14, 2009)

Thanks Arturo. I believe you are correct.


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