# import tax



## Couple10 (May 1, 2016)

Hello all,

Im possibly looking to make a purchase from the USA and have it shipped to Spain. Im worried about having to pay a fair bit in import tax if I get the company to send it direct. Would it be possible if I knew someone from the USA to have the item shipped to them and they send to me as a normal parcel and I wouldn't have to incur any duty on the item? Or would there still be some charges due?


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## baldilocks (Mar 7, 2010)

Couple10 said:


> Hello all,
> 
> Im possibly looking to make a purchase from the USA and have it shipped to Spain. Im worried about having to pay a fair bit in import tax if I get the company to send it direct. Would it be possible if I knew someone from the USA to have the item shipped to them and they send to me as a normal parcel and I wouldn't have to incur any duty on the item? Or would there still be some charges due?


It all depends on what it is and how much it is worth. I often have small items worth up to about US$100 sent by mail and haven't paid anything yet.


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## kalohi (May 6, 2012)

baldilocks said:


> It all depends on what it is and how much it is worth. I often have small items worth up to about US$100 sent by mail and haven't paid anything yet.


You have been lucky then. In the last 2 or 3 years I have had about half of my US packages stopped by Spanish customs, and none of them have had items worth more than $60-$80. I've had to pay customs duty not only on the value of the shipped items but also on the shipping cost, plus a hefty handling fee to Spanish customs. I usually end up paying nearly as much if not more than the package is worth. And all of the packages have been sent by individuals and not by companies, by the way, and marked as gifts (which they were).


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## Couple10 (May 1, 2016)

Thanks for the replies. The purchase is going to be around a few thousand pound so the last thing I want to be paying is loads on duty and shipping cost. I bought a few things from the states a few years ago when I stayed in the uk and had to pay a fortune on duty. I wonder if I got my friend in the states to send to the UK as a personal item (gift) I would run the risk of having to pay duty on it then?


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## gairloch (Jun 24, 2011)

Check on the gift rules for Spain. There is usually a limit imposed by the receiving country. The package/item value is required to be declared on the US customs form pasted on the package at origin. If it exceeds the gift value allowance you'll be hit with customs duty by Spain.
Exceptions this to this are electronic services (downloaded programs, etc... where no physical item is shipped). They (the US seller) are supposed to charge VAT at the source per EU rules (implemented some time a go).


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## kalohi (May 6, 2012)

gairloch said:


> Check on the gift rules for Spain. There is usually a limit imposed by the receiving country. The package/item value is required to be declared on the US customs form pasted on the package at origin. If it exceeds the gift value allowance you'll be hit with customs duty by Spain.
> Exceptions this to this are electronic services (downloaded programs, etc... where no physical item is shipped). They (the US seller) are supposed to charge VAT at the source per EU rules (implemented some time a go).


You're right, what I paid on my incoming gifts was VAT and not import duty. I'm not going to look it up now (it can be easily done), but as I recall the gift value allowance in Spain is 120€. Anything valued more than that, and you have to pay import duty as well as VAT. Plus you always have to pay the customs handling fee, which is something like 17€ - again, I can't remember the exact amount but it can be looked up.


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## Pazcat (Mar 24, 2010)

I find customs and the post office here a nightmare for international deliveries, some things come through for no cost but have been opened and tampered with or they just get sent back. I keep telling people not to send things but grandparents are a stubborn lot.

The other thing is there is no way I would entrust thousands of pounds worth of anything to these people who have trouble getting a child's toy here intact. The risk is too high.

Believe me I have considered it, telescope prices in the US make it almost a sensible option even after VAT, handling and customs are added you could still save thousands. 
Depending on what you want I even worked out I could fly over and bring it back myself, pay your tax and still save money.

Posted as a gift is not an option here but I think there are some allowances for some items but they don't give a rats if it is a gift or not.

The final nail in the coffin is the warranty, when I spend that much I want some degree of quality control and after service and most warranties are void outside of their region plus you then have the added hassle of dealing with all the back and forth again and at cost.


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## gus-lopez (Jan 4, 2010)

Couple10 said:


> Thanks for the replies. The purchase is going to be around a few thousand pound so the last thing I want to be paying is loads on duty and shipping cost. I bought a few things from the states a few years ago when I stayed in the uk and had to pay a fortune on duty. I wonder if I got my friend in the states to send to the UK as a personal item (gift) I would run the risk of having to pay duty on it then?


I wouldn't even consider having it sent here.


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## Couple10 (May 1, 2016)

Sounds like I've got my answer regarding Spain. Might look into it to be sent to the UK and it can get brought out from there. decisions decisions..


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## gairloch (Jun 24, 2011)

The UK is no different than Spain....gift limit - then customs payment.


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## baldilocks (Mar 7, 2010)

gairloch said:


> The UK is no different than Spain....gift limit - then customs payment.


Alternatively, if you know somebody who will be travelling from US to Spain or UK...


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## Couple10 (May 1, 2016)

Ok thanks all. Back to the drawing board for me.


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