# Household, school goods held in Customs



## Bluize56 (Jun 13, 2011)

Hello All,

We finally arrived in Abu Dhabi, and are settling in quite well. We've eagerly awaited our shipment of personal goods from home. Those arrived, but according to UPS they are determined to be commercial goods, and customs will not release them without a "clearance card" or a "trade license". We don't know what either of those things are - my wife is working at the Women's College. The footlockers are each individually labelled with their contents: household goods, books, children's toys, etc. I don't know what to do. UPS says to bring these documents, and they will bring me to customs for the shipment, but I do not have them, nor are we in any "commercial" capacity to have them. 
Anyone with any ideas? Much thanks for any help 

Bluize56


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## Mr Rossi (May 16, 2009)

Welcome the idiocy of the UAE. Your best bet is just to keep on at UPS saying it's not a commercial consignment, you'll need to make numerous phone calls and escalate it to managers. You're about to get a crash course in what everyone that comes to live here learns - how to grind down service staff to get average service and how to loose your temper and be angry without actually getting angry and it affecting your stress levels. 

It's also worth emails to UPS in the USA complaining not only about the situation but about how you trusted the brand etc, multinational companies hate when their franchises in banana republics let them down.

Alternatively if you speak arabic (or know a good arabic speaker) sort it out with customs direct but this will still take numerous phone calls and perseverance. Even if the customs people speaks decent enough English I wouldn't bother trying to sort it out as they'll just continuously brush you off - "the system is down" is a rather popular phrase here.

Best of luck and try to remain sane.


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## zin (Oct 28, 2010)

Mr Rossi said:


> "the system is down" is a rather popular phrase here.


:clap2:


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## dizzyizzy (Mar 30, 2008)

Mr Rossi said:


> It's also worth emails to UPS in the USA complaining not only about the situation but about how you trusted the brand etc, multinational companies hate when their franchises in banana republics let them down.
> 
> Best of luck and try to remain sane.


I agree on this one 100% , I was getting the worst service by the reservations department of a global brand hotel and complains with the local people got me nowhere. One day I sent an complaint through their 'contact us' page, letting them know about how bad the service was here and that I'd be taking my business somewhere else. I suspect the email went straight to some big marketing guy on corporate HQ's in Europe because I had people calling me personally on the same day to apololgise for the inconvenience caused and reassure me it would not happen again and my bookings have since then been taken care of by the reservations manager personally with no delays. Sad one has to go to that extent though in order to get a decent service, not to mention the endless frustration levels and hours of time wasted.


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## Mr Rossi (May 16, 2009)

dizzyizzy said:


> letting them know about how bad the service was here and that I'd be taking my business somewhere else. I suspect the email went straight to some big marketing guy on corporate HQ's in Europe


We were mis-sold an insurance policy. After the usual rubbish here we used google and linked in to get around 30 or so emails of international folk. Sent a long, stern but not overly ranting or angry email. Did threaten to take it to Twitter though (which seemingly marketing people, brand managers etc hate) and got a full refund within the week.


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## Canuck_Sens (Nov 16, 2010)

Hi,

I went throught the same process and I had to pay taxes on it!!! I paid taxes based on the declared valued prior to shipping. I was advised to do that because there was a good chance that I would be charged

I brought my car and books and paid taxes on both. I can understand the car but not the books really. I guess they are concerned about what kind of books are entering the country. I ended up paying less tax by hiring a customs agent and it was at the end dirty cheap so I did not bother.

Do not let your good to stay there in customs...clear it as soon as possible because storage is charged on a continuously basis.

Canuck


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## INFAMOUS (Apr 19, 2011)

Yes you will pay 5% on the "assessed" value which you will have to negotiate/justify. This will also INCLUDE the shipping costs in the value.


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