# Household Goods



## navigator (Apr 1, 2014)

Can anyone help with the regulations for shipping household goods into Portugal from UK. ie Customs rules etc.


----------



## canoeman (Mar 3, 2011)

There aren't any


----------



## siobhanwf (Mar 20, 2009)

NONE..... bring as much as you can with you and you can go shopping for plugs here.....so a good screwdriver is essential


----------



## Sharoncf (Aug 20, 2012)

Don't you have pt pay some sort of tax?


----------



## canoeman (Mar 3, 2011)

No moving personal goods and possessions are free of any tax providing VAT was paid in country of purchase and its within EU, it's only when moving to EU from outside EU that there is any question of import duty & IVA *unless* the correct procedure is followed


----------



## Sharoncf (Aug 20, 2012)

Thank you Canoeman can you please tell me what the correct procedure is? We brought some goods from Australia and ended up paying more that it cost to send the. We thought we went about it the correct way but we could be wrong. I would like to bring more but not at those costs. Any help would be appreciated.


----------



## canoeman (Mar 3, 2011)

If your moving from a Non EU country to EU country you are allowed 1 shipment free of any Import Duty, tax of personal & household goods, there are specific forms that must be completed with the Portuguese Embassy/Consulate that are for shipment and to accompany it. 

The shipment can be more than 1 box, container etc but must all be entered in the consigment forms, if you made a second shipment it would be treated like any import and subject to any duty or taxes


----------



## Sharoncf (Aug 20, 2012)

canoeman said:


> If your moving from a Non EU country to EU country you are allowed 1 shipment free of any Import Duty, tax of personal & household goods, there are specific forms that must be completed with the Portuguese Embassy/Consulate that are for shipment and to accompany it. The shipment can be more than 1 box, container etc but must all be entered in the consigment forms, if you made a second shipment it would be treated like any import and subject to any duty or taxes


What if we paid for the fist shipment would we get one free? As we did pay duty on the first one.


----------



## canoeman (Mar 3, 2011)

Then unfortunately if you paid duty on 1st shipment it was either because you hadn't completed reguired paperwork or if you had a mistake was made in which case you should be able to get a refund.
But either way I'm afraid a second shipment would not as I understand it be "import duty,tax free" as your only allowed 1 shipment at the time of relocation looks like 2 but provision is within 12 months of Residency in Portugal, I think that it's one lot of paperwork but second shipment is say a fallow up to allow you to make move and settle rather than being a totally separate shipment
This is from Portuguese Embassy USA site but applies to other non EU countries
_"General Information

Household and personal effects may be imported into Portugal duty free, by the following persons, provided they do not own a fully furnished house in Portugal:

Portuguese citizens/citizens of other European Union countries residing in the U.S. for over 12 months who are transferring their residency to Portugal;
Foreign nationals holding residency visas for Portugal.

Conditions for Duty Free Importation

The following items may be imported duty free, provided they were in the use and possession of applicant for over 1 year prior to their transfer to Portugal (excluding clothes and personal items) and are intended for the same use in Portugal:

Furnishings, linens, kitchen equipment, professional tools;
Clothing and other personal items;
Electric or electronic items:
computers/washers/dryers/refrigerators/stereos/TV (1 item of each).

Portuguese citizens may also import duty free, under certain conditions: an automobile, a motorcycle or a boat (please consult the chapter on importation of automobiles.) 

How to Apply for Duty Free Status

The documents below must be submitted in order for the Consulate to issue a Baggage and a Residency Certificate (Certificado de Bagagem e Certificado de Residência), which must be presented to Customs in Portugal for clearance of the goods:

Portuguese citizens/citizens of European Union countries: proof of residency in the U.S. for over 12 months (tax receipts, letters from employers, etc.); 
Citizens of non-European Union countries: proof of residency in Portugal (residency visa or residency card).
A list, in triplicate, of articles being imported (a packer’s list is acceptable). Electric and electronic items must be identified by brand name, model & serial number (see attached example.)

The articles may be transferred to Portugal in one or two shipments, but must be imported in the first 12 months of residency in Portugal." _


----------



## Sharoncf (Aug 20, 2012)

Thank you Canoeman. Fernando is currently liaising with the relevant people. Apparently I was mistaken, we did not pay tax, the money we paid was fees required such as an agent fee (for someone who did not do anything just drove the customs officer to look at the goods).


----------

