Import taxes

[lachyman]

Hey there,

this is more of an economical thread, I'm thinking about getting a used 780 and it would cost me €345 with shipping to my location. That's an awesome value, but I encountered another problem. Import tax, which is 20% of the total value, almost €70 in my situation. But from where the hell are they going to know I paid the guy that sum of money, or overall the value of the package? Technically, if I had family abroad and they sent me a present, it's value would be €0 so I shouldn't pay any tax. So, is here any economic literate who can help me sort this out?

[Ssoele]

If it isn't mentioned on the packaging correctly, they will decide themselves what the value is, that is most of the times a the recommended selling price in your area (most of the time this is higher then retail prices).

[dizmo]

If they decide that your parcel is the one they're going to single out and inspect, and they find out that you tried to swindle them, more often than not they will make you pay every single cent they can get out of you.

Which can usually be quite a bit.

Just do it the proper way, and pay the tax. If you're not saving money, it wasn't that great of a deal

[Createinator]

Hey there,

this is more of an economical thread, I'm thinking about getting a used 780 and it would cost me €345 with shipping to my location. That's an awesome value, but I encountered another problem. Import tax, which is 20% of the total value, almost €70 in my situation. But from where the hell are they going to know I paid the guy that sum of money, or overall the value of the package? Technically, if I had family abroad and they sent me a present, it's value would be €0 so I shouldn't pay any tax. So, is here any economic literate who can help me sort this out?

When imported items arrive at the airport as a shipment or as a gift they are levied import duty accordingly. You have no way of bypassing this and if you do try to evade duty, it will considered as smuggling and you can end up in jail for it.

[SirRoderick]

When imported items arrive at the airport as a shipment or as a gift they are levied import duty accordingly. You have no way of bypassing this and if you do try to evade duty, it will considered as smuggling and you can end up in jail for it.

You don't get jail time, it's the sender's responsibility to provide the correct value for evaluation, the recipient will get the bill with taxes. In Belgium that happens at the door, they expect you to pay the mailman in cash or come pick it up later at the post office. There is no way that a recipient can be  held liable for incorrect information provided by the sender.

[Createinator]

You don't get jail time, it's the sender's responsibility to provide the correct value for evaluation, the recipient will get the bill with taxes. In Belgium that happens at the door, they expect you to pay the mailman in cash or come pick it up later at the post office. There is no way that a recipient can be  held liable for incorrect information provided by the sender.

In case of "smuggling" you get jail time. The information you have provided is correct but evading authorities by concealing items in the form of gift or in any other manner is considered a crime in most countries.

[SirRoderick]

In case of "smuggling" you get jail time. The information you have provided is correct but evading authorities by concealing items in the form of gift or in any other manner is considered a crime in most countries.

In which case it's the sender commiting the crime, not the recipient.

[Createinator]

In which case it's the sender commiting the crime, not the recipient.

Colluding with criminals is a crime. Sending and Receiving parties are both at fault.

[SirRoderick]

Colluding with criminals is a crime. Sending and Receiving parties are both at fault.

There is no collusion when buying a video card and the value is not clearly marked. Try to stay relevant and not into *smuggling large volumes of illegal goods* law, there is a very big difference.

[Createinator]

There is no collusion when buying a video card and the value is not clearly marked. Try to stay relevant and not into *smuggling large volumes of illegal goods* law, there is a very big difference.

I think our laws are different from your laws. Sorry for my ignorance. Thanks for the information.

[SirRoderick]

I think our laws are different from your laws. Sorry for my ignorance. Thanks for the information.

Eh, laws are weird sometimes...okay most of the time

[lachyman]

So they calculate the tax by adding the added value to the price the seller writes somewhere on the package?

@Ssoele @dizmo @SirRoderick @Createinator

[SirRoderick]

So they calculate the tax by adding the added value to the price the seller writes somewhere on the package?

@Ssoele @dizmo @SirRoderick @Createinator

Basically, yes. Usually a statement of value or an invoice is included on top of the packaging (there are proper documents for that sort of thing). To that they add any relevant import tarrifs or customs fees, usually not that high. On top of that total sum they then apply VAT if that's the case in your country, for Belgium that is 21%.

For reference, I ordered a piece of electronics from the US once for 310 USD plus shipping (cannot quite remember how much that was, USPS standard service) I had to pay a couple euros customs fee and a small import tarrif as well (for some reason importing from the US is more expensive in my country then from China or the like) ended up paying around 95 euros in fees to the mailman.

[Createinator]

So they calculate the tax by adding the added value to the price the seller writes somewhere on the package?

@Ssoele @dizmo @SirRoderick @Createinator

Yes Duty is calculated on either the price you paid for the item or the Maximum Retail Price of the item. You can find such details from the local government website.

[lachyman]

Basically, yes. Usually a statement of value or an invoice is included on top of the packaging (there are proper documents for that sort of thing). To that they add any relevant import tarrifs or customs fees, usually not that high. On top of that total sum they then apply VAT if that's the case in your country, for Belgium that is 21%.

For reference, I ordered a piece of electronics from the US once for 310 USD plus shipping (cannot quite remember how much that was, USPS standard service) I had to pay a couple euros customs fee and a small import tarrif as well (for some reason importing from the US is more expensive in my country then from China or the like) ended up paying around 95 euros in fees to the mailman.

 

Yes Duty is calculated on either the price you paid for the item or the Maximum Retail Price of the item. You can find such details from the local government website.

Thanks guys, I will tell the person to include the price on the package if I decide to buy the card.

[Ssoele]

Basically, yes. Usually a statement of value or an invoice is included on top of the packaging (there are proper documents for that sort of thing). To that they add any relevant import tarrifs or customs fees, usually not that high. On top of that total sum they then apply VAT if that's the case in your country, for Belgium that is 21%.

For reference, I ordered a piece of electronics from the US once for 310 USD plus shipping (cannot quite remember how much that was, USPS standard service) I had to pay a couple euros customs fee and a small import tarrif as well (for some reason importing from the US is more expensive in my country then from China or the like) ended up paying around 95 euros in fees to the mailman.

 

That's about right, here after import tax, VAT and customs fees, you pay somewhere between 25 and 50% tax.

[SirRoderick]

That's about right, here after import tax, VAT and customs fees, you pay somewhere between 25 and 50% tax.

Mostly depends on where you're importing from and what class of product it is I gather

[lachyman]

Mostly depends on where you're importing from and what class of product it is I gather

I'm importing to Austria from the US, electronics and computer parts are duty free here, but 20% import tax applies.

[lufihengr]

Just tell the sender to tick the "Gift" box and mark the value as 20$. That's what a company did for me when I ordered some RC parts from the US. The real value was over 100$ and I didn't have to pay any taxes or other import fees.

[lachyman]

Just tell the sender to tick the "Gift" box and mark the value as 20$. That's what a company did for me when I ordered some RC parts from the US. The real value was over 100$ and I didn't have to pay any taxes or other import fees.

That's what I tought at first I'd do - It is tax evading and could be sort of illegal but it's a retarded tax - the VAT for the card has already been paid when the person bought it and if I didn't have to pay the import tax if he traveled here with the card in his backpack, then why would I have to pay it when he sends it as a package here? And if they didn't find out in Finland they most likely won't find out here since security up there is a lot more stressed up there as far as I know.

[lufihengr]

That's what I tought at first I'd do - It is tax evading and could be sort of illegal but it's a retarded tax - the VAT for the card has already been paid when the person bought it and if I didn't have to pay the import tax if he traveled here with the card in his backpack, then why would I have to pay it when he sends it as a package here? And if they didn't find out in Finland they most likely won't find out here since security up there is a lot more stressed up there as far as I know.

That's why I don't feel bad about "cheating" the system in this way, the reason the import fees are there, is to make people buy stuff from your own country, BUT the thing is that some of the stuff I need is NOT AVAILABLE here. Soooo retarded.