# Shipment and customs



## sherif

Hello,

I am Egyptian who has been living in UAE for the last 15 years. I am returning back to Egypt in February 2010 for family reasons. I was visiting Egypt once or twice a year.

In UAE; I am used to buy products from ebay; and it is very easy here. No customs for most products, and if there are customs; they are 4 %.

How is it in Egypt? 2 problems I am thinking about. In UAE, I have P.O. Box number. Is it the same in Egypt? Secondly, is there any place where I can get information regarding the customs?

Another thing, are there any pipe tobacco shops in Cairo? 

Thanks for any help.

Sherif


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## MaidenScotland

Welcome to the forum.

Sherif I would have thought that you being Egyptian and still visiting once or twice a year would have more knowledge on customs than we do as expat and what knowledge you don't have would be much more easily found out for you than us.
Pipe tobabacco shops... again why is an Egyptian who visits here asking?
P.O. Box.. ag?ain why would an Egyptian be asking that
Please be aware this forum is not for expats to buy products from someone coming to visit Egypt, if indeed that is your intention.

Maiden


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## sherif

Thanks for your reply.

I am settling back in Cairo permanently in February 2010. The fact that I was just visiting Egypt did not give me chance to check regarding P.O. Boxes and shipments addresses.

I am not seeking to buy or sell anything. Just if anyone knows about how shipments from the internet are done in Egypt; he/she can share the information.

Thanks and regards,

Sherif


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## Sam

sherif said:


> Hello,
> 
> I am Egyptian who has been living in UAE for the last 15 years. I am returning back to Egypt in February 2010 for family reasons. I was visiting Egypt once or twice a year.
> 
> In UAE; I am used to buy products from ebay; and it is very easy here. No customs for most products, and if there are customs; they are 4 %.
> 
> How is it in Egypt? 2 problems I am thinking about. In UAE, I have P.O. Box number. Is it the same in Egypt? Secondly, is there any place where I can get information regarding the customs?
> 
> Another thing, are there any pipe tobacco shops in Cairo?
> 
> Thanks for any help.
> 
> Sherif


Dear Sherif,

I would have to agree with Maiden - if I wanted to know the answers to these questions I would find myself asking one of my Egyptian friends - you would probably be better off doing so also. Or, given that you are Egyptian (regardless of living here or not) and can speak Arabic, pick up the phone and call any of the relevant companies and you will get all the answers instantly.

With regards to PO Box - yes they have them and no I don't know how to set it up, but a simple call to the post office should tell you this.

Tobacco shop - I don't know Cairo well at all but I'm sure you have plenty of family and friends that do.

Good luck getting answers, but I wouldn't have thought it too difficult for you.


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## sherif

Dear Sam,

Thanks for your reply.

I already checked with friends and relatives in Egypt regarding shipment; and they answered by avoiding internet purchase and shipment to Egypt. They do not have experience; but in general they think the customs will be high.

I asked in this forum because I thought someone here may have ordered anything through the internet (from sites like ebay); and already have the experience.

Anyhow; as you suggest; once I am back in Egypt; I will pay a visit to the post office.

Again; thanks for your replies.

Sherif


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## GM1

PO Box is LE60 a year (at least in Hurghada). 
I think I have seen some pipes in a shop in downtown Cairo.


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## sherif

Thanks GM1


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## aziza66

I shop online from the USA. It depends on where you shop from, since not all shops ship to Egypt. Customs is to be paid upon delivery. For clothes around $200, I pay around LE1500 customs.
Your other option is to get through aramex or DHL a shipping address in the US. It is like a mail box and Aramex delivers what in your mailbox twice a month to your address in Egypt. In this case you pay customs plus shipping charges to Aramex.

Aziza



sherif said:


> Thanks GM1


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## sherif

Thank you very much Aziza. That was helpful.

I think the major concern is the customs. Quite high, and we dont know how much they will be before hand. Anyhow, let's see when I come next month.

Thanks again.

Sherif


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## cutiepie

you pay 1500le customs on 200dollar worth of clothes thats crazy in other words you pay 300dollars custom on 200dollars clothes meaning u pay 500 dollars in total!!!! 150%tax??!!! WHY would you do that?!ive got lots of clothes shipped from ireland....given i get my family to take the tags off before they send them the most ive paid was 350le and that was for a huge box of clothes, makeup, shampoo, shoes....


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## melissa87

cutiepie said:


> you pay 1500le customs on 200dollar worth of clothes thats crazy in other words you pay 300dollars custom on 200dollars clothes meaning u pay 500 dollars in total!!!! 150%tax??!!! WHY would you do that?!ive got lots of clothes shipped from ireland....given i get my family to take the tags off before they send them the most ive paid was 350le and that was for a huge box of clothes, makeup, shampoo, shoes....


Hi Cutie Pie!! would u mind telling me who u used to ship ur stuff over? i have loads of clothes that i really want to bring with me, all used etc. id be shipping from dublin. yes 150% tax sounds crazy, and very unfair too


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## DeadGuy

Well, there was someone else asking about the shipping thing, and my advice was just get whatever you need from here man, you can find all the brands you need in here, and with MUCH LESS prices if you're gonna put the exchange rates in your mind!!

As for the shops you're asking about??? you're Egyptian!!! you should know that shops in here sell almost EVERYTHING! even if they didn't have it??? all you gotta do is just to ask the shop's owner if they have it! if they don't??? trust me, they will get it since a customer asked!! they wanna sell man!!!!

And for the PO Box thing??? the local post services people in here know almost all the addresses in the area where they're assigned, and it should be less hard for you, you already speak Arabic!!

I understand that you left Egypt long time ago, and I know that MANY things changed here, specially people's minds and integrity, but trust me, it's still the same when it comes to bribes, sorry, TIPS, that will make ANYTHING happen in here man, so just be generous with the Post office people and they will get your address right every time you got something sent to you.

As for the customs, they tend to exaggerate, dunno if they got rules for things like cloths and stuff like that, but if they don't??? that means it would be up to the customer agent in charge when your shipment arrives, and of course you won't be there to give him/her tips, so probably your customs' bill will be high!

Just go walk around the streets and get to know more people or just watch them getting their stuff done, I'm sure that would help you more than being online talking about it, not many Egyptians in here man, so you won't get the kinda help you're looking for.

But I wanna give you a free advice about something that you did not ask for, DRIVING in here, cause I had friends working in Gulf area, you just need to know that you're gonna need to forget all manners when you're driving in here, if you wanna reach where you're going on time??? you just need to loose all driving manners, or else you'll be stuck!! and I'm NOT talking about manners towards drivers, but manners towards traffic laws, specially giving a signal when changing your lane or taking a turn, your hand going out of your window will be more helpful!!

Hope I could help, good luck surviving in here dude!


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