# Computer equipment for personal use: limitations?



## Timoteo7 (Feb 15, 2016)

Are there any rules governing the quantity or dollar value of computer equipment that can be brought into Spain from the U.S. for personal use, and *not* for resale?

I gather that computer equipment costs far more in Spain than it does in the states. (Examples: CyberPower 1500 UPS = around $140 USD, vs. nearly $350 USD on amazon.es; Intel core i7-4790, $305 vs nearly $400 in Spain) I'm not all that much of a techie, but think it now makes sense to bring as much of my gear as I can that will run on European power. 

Will I run afoul of Spanish custom regs for doing so, as long as it's for personal use? I may come with a desktop, two monitors, several external hard drives, a UPS, a scanner, a router. I hunted online, found nothing suggesting that I won't be okay, but thought I should check here too, to be sure.


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## AllHeart (Nov 22, 2013)

I think I can help. Just a few questions:

Are you coming into Spain as a Spanish citizen or as a US citizen? 

Are staying in Spain with no plans to return with your equipment?

Are you taking this equipment on the plane with you, or having it shipped to Spain?


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## Timoteo7 (Feb 15, 2016)

_Are you coming into Spain as a Spanish citizen or as a US citizen? 
_
As a US citizen.​_Are staying in Spain with no plans to return with your equipment?_

With no plans to return​_Are you taking this equipment on the plane with you, or having it shipped to Spain? _
For now, I'm inclined to pay extra to bring along an extra suitcase for some of the gear. I also might arrange to ship it.​
Thank you, AllHeart, for offering to help!


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## AllHeart (Nov 22, 2013)

You're welcome. I'll do my best...

You pay customs when you go back home, so you don't have to pay at customs for your luggage in Spain as a US citizen. You only pay at customs if you have a change of plans to return to the States. 

You can pack an extra suitcase for checked baggage, but you run the risk of damaging the delicate electronics. If you do, the airline may not cover damages. Check with your airline to find out. The best is to take your equipment as a carry-on, as it's safer, but you have way too much to take as a carry-on - as I'm sure you've figured out. 

If you decide to ship your stuff instead of taking it with you, then you will be charged at customs in Spain. This is how it's calculated:

Import duty & taxes when importing into Spain - DutyCalculator Help Center

When I moved from Canada to Spain, I decided to leave all my delicious electronics behind and it broke my heart at the time. I had some pretty fancy stuff. But I looked at the costs of shipping, potential cost of damages, costs of servicing foreign products, warranties that became invalid in another country and the dreaded hassle of shipping. So I decided to sell my stuff in Canada and pare down here in Spain. I came out ahead financially, even though electronics are more expensive here. The only electronics I brought were my cell phone and my laptop, both of which died within the first few months and I had to replace them too. Oh, and my trusty Sony Bluetooth speaker came with me too, which has survived.


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## Timoteo7 (Feb 15, 2016)

Thanks, AllHeart! That's what I wanted to know.

I'll see what I can bring along in an extra piece of checked luggage, and how securely I can pack it to survive the trip.

I suppose it might make more sense to buy new stuff once I arrive, but I balk at the thought of paying two or three times the usual price. The above-cited difference between a UPS in the states and the same UPS in Spain gave me some pause.


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## Pazcat (Mar 24, 2010)

You should check first to see if your equipment is rated to run on the EU voltage of 230v, I know US is 120v.
Most modern stuff will be rated up to 240v but it is worth checking that they are.


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## AllHeart (Nov 22, 2013)

Timoteo7 said:


> Thanks, AllHeart! That's what I wanted to know.
> 
> I'll see what I can bring along in an extra piece of checked luggage, and how securely I can pack it to survive the trip.
> 
> I suppose it might make more sense to buy new stuff once I arrive, but I balk at the thought of paying two or three times the usual price. The above-cited difference between a UPS in the states and the same UPS in Spain gave me some pause.


You´re welcome.


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## Horlics (Sep 27, 2011)

Check also limitations on batteries. They're very touchy about separate Lipos but that probably isn't what your UPS contains. I'd be a little concerned that they might not accept the UPS regardless of what's in it.


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## Timoteo7 (Feb 15, 2016)

I did check voltage, and am resigned to losing the use of some 115 volt only gear. Such is life! (I haven't used 220 to 110 transformers, and am guessing that I'm better off with properly-rated stuff.)

I'm pretty sure that the UPS doesn't use a lipo, but I'll check!


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## bob_bob (Jan 5, 2011)

Tim, if I were you I'd pull your hard drives and pack them and your externals plus your software in your hand luggage then sell your PC's.

Look at getting a 'bare bones' machine from the likes of

Search Results - novatech.co.uk I've used this company for years, great service and they ship to Spain. You need to add your hard drives and an optical drive, monitor/keyboard and mouse. 

Ebay UK is another option, a lot of sellers ship UK to Europe.


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## Williams2 (Sep 15, 2013)

Just for your info - If you have friends and relations in the UK and looking to buy new Laptops or Computer Equipment complete with UK QWERTY keyboard instead of the Spanish keyboard.

Then you can always buy in the UK and ship it across back with you on the Car Ferry as personal luggage.


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

Williams2 said:


> Just for your info - If you have friends and relations in the UK and looking to buy new Laptops or Computer Equipment complete with UK QWERTY keyboard instead of the Spanish keyboard.
> 
> Then you can always buy in the UK and ship it across back with you on the Car Ferry as personal luggage.


The Spanish keyboard isn't so very different to the English one. All the letters are in the same place with just a couple of extras - & if you're living in Spain, at some point you're bound to want to type some words of Spanish, even if you never really get to grips with the language - & it's so much easier to be able to just type the accents & the ñ straight from the keyboard.

Then there's the issue of guarantees. Much easier to deal with if you buy the equipment in the country in which you live. A guarantee might not be valid in a different country at all!


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## Williams2 (Sep 15, 2013)

xabiachica said:


> The Spanish keyboard isn't so very different to the English one. All the letters are in the same place with just a couple of extras - & if you're living in Spain, at some point you're bound to want to type some words of Spanish, even if you never really get to grips with the language - & it's so much easier to be able to just type the accents & the ñ straight from the keyboard.
> 
> *Then there's the issue of guarantees. Much easier to deal with if you buy the equipment in the country in which you live.* A guarantee might not be valid in a different country at all!


Funny you should mention guarantees - as that's the one major gripe I've had about Spain - as opposed to how it's done in the UK.

In the UK, if the product is faulty within the warrantry period, you can take it back to the store you bought it from
and expect a replacement or your money back.
If you get no satisfaction, then there's always a helpline to get it sorted out within a week.

So far my experience in Spain or at least how its done with electrical items bought at Eroski stores - is that you contact the
manufacturers helpdesk. Usually another company like Jarden Consumer Solutions who's helpdesk is in Madrid. Who say you
should send an email to to their consumer guarentee department, attaching a pdf copy of the store receipt.
Which I duly do, all very neatly written in Spanish as well. Do I get an acknowledgement, NO !!

A week goes by, nothing !! a month goes by nothing. Anyway I phone their helpdesk again but they can do nothing. 
The answer I always get is to complain to the email address - as their manufacturers guarantee dept is only contactable
by email !! REALLY !!

What a pain, so not sure whether the issue is just with Jarden Consumer Solutions or whether this is typical of the
whole replacement of faulty items system in Spain. You tell me !!!

Have any other Expats had issues with Jarden Consumer Solutions office in Spain at jardencs.com. As apparently they
take care of all issues concerning faulty items for a number of electrical appliance brands !!


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