Import duty etc....

[Shaun]

Can one of you guys that buys stuff from the states let me know what sort of duty's I'd have to pay on some contact lenses I want to buy from a US website?

I'm currently with spec-savers on their £12/month package, I'd like to go back on their continuous wear lenses (there great) but they are £25/month, which to be frank is a bit too much for me at the moment. However if I buy the lenses from the states I can get a years worth for £100, that's £8.33 a month equivalent. I know I'll still need to buy aftercare at £36 for the year, but even with that on its still cheaper then the monthlys I'm on a the moment.

The problem is will I have to pay a large amount of duty when they come into the country? If so how does it get paid and how much?

Its all new to me, but I know some of you buy from the states regularly.

All help greatly received

Oh and I hope this is the right place for this thread

[Bifta]

Originally Posted by dellwear

Can one of you guys that buys stuff from the states let me know what sort of duty's I'd have to pay on some contact lenses I want to buy from a US website?

I'm currently with spec-savers on their £12/month package, I'd like to go back on their continuous wear lenses (there great) but they are £25/month, which to be frank is a bit too much for me at the moment. However if I buy the lenses from the states I can get a years worth for £100, that's £8.33 a month equivalent. I know I'll still need to buy aftercare at £36 for the year, but even with that on its still cheaper then the monthlys I'm on a the moment.

The problem is will I have to pay a large amount of duty when they come into the country? If so how does it get paid and how much?

Its all new to me, but I know some of you buy from the states regularly.

All help greatly received

Oh and I hope this is the right place for this thread

Customs calculate it by 5% for the import duty and 17.5% vat of the declared value of the goods (and they're not daft, if you have say a TV coming in and it's declared as a gift with a 10 dollar value, they'll seize it) + transport costs

[paulyoung666]

Originally Posted by Bifta

Customs calculate it by 5% for the import duty and 17.5% vat of the declared value of the goods (and they're not daft, if you have say a TV coming in and it's declared as a gift with a 10 dollar value, they'll seize it) + transport costs

without trying to take the p!ss , is it the same for medical goods

[Theodoric]

I expect you would have to pay VAT at 17.5% plus, possibly, customs duties. I'd suggest trying the customs site at www.hmce.gov.uk, although this is the sort of site that is a perfect example of how not to be helpful to the general public; let's just say that "User Friendly" is not in the HMCE vocabulary. However, a bit of digging gave me a page at HMCE that has a help line phone number.

[Tezcatlipoca]

If what you are importing is over the personal import limit of £18, then you have to pay both VAT & Import Duty (Customs Duty).

Import Duty varies depending on what it is that you are importing. It is charged on the *total* value (the value of the goods plus the shipping). I think it may be around 3-5%, but I am not sure (it's something like that for DVDs, anyway, IIRC).

VAT is 17.5%, & is charged on the value of the goods plus any duty charged.

There is also usually a "clearance fee", which is paid to the post office (well, "Consignia PLC"), as they charge you for clearing the package through customs & for handling it, and, if necessary, opening & repacking it.

Payment depends, I think, on how you have the goods shipped. If it comes to you by Royal Mail (so was just sent by AirMail), you pay on delivery. If it is sent by a courier, the courier may pay the charges for you, to speed things up, & then issue you with a seperate bill for it. (I bought some DVDs from the US, & had them sent by DHL - DHL paid the customs charges, & I then paid DHL).

Have a look at these links for more detail:

http://www.customs.gov.uk/

http://www.customs.gov.uk/public/shopping/shopping.htm

http://www.customs.gov.uk/forms/notices/143.htm

[punky]

I think the way it works out, is that Customs gives it a value that they think they are worth in the UK, and if it is worth £18 (including postage) then you pay the duty on it. How much you pay is entirely up to them, but varies between 5% and 9%. The website I checked out said you have to pay VAT, but the official government says you don't, so I can't help you there.

Here are the sites:

http://www.hmce.gov.uk/public/shopping/shopping.htm
http://www.sloanefox.freeserve.co.uk/importukduty.htm

If you had a friend out there you could trust, you could probably get round the Customs charge, People are allowed to send presents into the country (upto £36), without you having to pay the duty/VAT. So if you bought a years supply for £100, and sent it to your friend in the States, he can split it up, and send it to you in 4 parts. He must clearly mark it a present though. Of course the Customs guy is at liberty to decide wether you're trying to cheat the system or not, and add duty/tax/fines so use that method at your own risk.

So basically, i'd advise you not do it. Sorry.

[Tezcatlipoca]

Originally Posted by punky

I think the way it works out, is that Customs gives it a value that they think they are worth in the UK, and if it is worth £18 (including postage) then you pay the duty on it.

AFAIK, it is based on the declared value on the Customs Declaration attached to the package, not on what they think it is worth. Unless, of course, the delcared value is suspiciously low & they open it up to have a look.

If you had a friend out there you could trust, you could probably get round the Customs charge, People are allowed to send presents into the country (upto £36), without you having to pay the duty/VAT. So if you bought a years supply for £100, and sent it to your friend in the States, he can split it up, and send it to you in 4 parts. He must clearly mark it a present though. Of course the Customs guy is at liberty to decide wether you're trying to cheat the system or not, and add duty/tax/fines so use that method at your own risk.

So basically, i'd advise you not do it. Sorry.

I think that could be risky for multiple shipments - apparently, gifts must only be received occaisionally e.g. for birthdays & anniversaries.


It could be worth contacting HM Customs & asking whether there is any kind of exemption for contact lenses, or if there is at least a lower charge for them.

[Alan Waddington]

You will always pay VAT.
Import duty varies. You can determine it from these sites. Customs doesn't always agree with my choice though.
http://194.223.26.57/icn/main.cfm
http://europa.eu.int/comm/taxation_c...en/tarhome.htm

Another site I found useful:
http://www.sloanefox.freeserve.co.uk/importukduty.htm

[punky]

Originally Posted by Tezcatlipoca

AFAIK, it is based on the declared value on the Customs Declaration attached to the package, not on what they think it is worth. Unless, of course, the delcared value is suspiciously low & they open it up to have a look.

They use that as a guide, but at the end of the day, that say what it is worth, and their descision is final.

And about the VAT, from the official site it says:

Originally Posted by http://www.hmce.gov.uk/public/shopping/shopping.htm

However, VAT is payable (if due) either in the EU country of purchase, or in the UK if the EU supplier is UK VAT registered.

If you bought something from the US, it is not an EU country, and if it isn't UK VAT registered (i'm guessing most aren't), then surely you won't pay VAT?

[Alan Waddington]

Originally Posted by punky

If you bought something from the US, it is not an EU country, and if it isn't UK VAT registered (i'm guessing most aren't), then surely you won't pay VAT?

Unfortunately you will. Absolutely.

[Tezcatlipoca]

Originally Posted by punky

And about the VAT, from the official site it says:

If you bought something from the US, it is not an EU country, and if it isn't UK VAT registered (i'm guessing most aren't), then surely you won't pay VAT?

I think you still do



Previous paragraph from your link:

Customs duty and VAT (if due) is payable on goods that you buy over the Internet and import into the UK from countries outside the EU unless their value is below £18, see Notice 143, para.3.3.

Also:


http://www.customs.gov.uk/forms/noti...3.htm#P84_6257

3.2 Do I have to pay duty or VAT on goods sent to me from outside the EC?
Most goods arriving in the UK from outside the EC are liable to any or all of these charges:

Customs Duty;
Excise Duty; and
VAT.
These must be paid whether:

you purchase the goods or receive them as a gift;
the goods are new or used; or
the goods are for your private use or for sale.

[Shaun]

Thanks guys, so it looks like I'll have to pay 17.5% VAT and then 2.9% "Third Country Duty" (under the TARIC code 9001300000)and thats it, oh and any costs Consignia decide to slap on top, still makes them £179.60 cheaper than buying them direct from my opticians

[Alan Waddington]

Originally Posted by dellwear

Thanks guys, so it looks like I'll have to pay 17.5% VAT and then 2.9% "Third Country Duty" (under the TARIC code 9001300000)and thats it, oh and any costs Consignia decide to slap on top, still makes them £179.60 cheaper than buying them direct from my opticians

Yep, you've pretty much got the idea. Actual amount does depend on what TARIC code the exporter puts on the goods, which is not always what one thought it would be. Also the customs processing charge levied by the courier or postal service can be a bit steep. I think I parted with around 20 quid last time. It all adds up.

Alan

[SMHarman]

But - get the sender to send them USPS (US Postal Service) Global Priority. This ends up with Parcel force for onward 24 hour delivery.

Mrs H uses this route to send lots of packages from her suppliers to the UK, now because the USPS / Royal Mail get so many boxes each day and have insufficent staff to process them all, you are likely to find that unless yours is the 1/20 crates of mail that is set aside for duty calculations it will appear on your doorstep with no duty or vat charged.

In the unlikly event that you are picked then your calculations in post 12 are about on the money. The charge from the post office is £4.

If you send them DHL/UPS/FedEx etc then it is pretty much guaranteed that you will be charged vat and import duty. UPS can often hold the package until you pay up. FedEx and DHL are more likely to deliver and invoice later. We refuse to let suppliers ship to us with UPS (Useless Parcel Service) these days, they cause too many problems.

Sounds a nice solution continuous wear. The astigmatism in my right eye makes contact lens fitment a nightmare (along with hay fever giving me rough eyelids) so all toric lenses spin and don't sit properly. I can wear contacts socially, but they give me headaches reading a computer screen as my right eye cannot focus properly. For me this means dailys are the best option.

[Shaun]

Originally Posted by SMHarman

But - get the sender to send them USPS (US Postal Service) Global Priority. This ends up with Parcel force for onward 24 hour delivery.

Mrs H uses this route to send lots of packages from her suppliers to the UK, now because the USPS / Royal Mail get so many boxes each day and have insufficent staff to process them all, you are likely to find that unless yours is the 1/20 crates of mail that is set aside for duty calculations it will appear on your doorstep with no duty or vat charged.

In the unlikly event that you are picked then your calculations in post 12 are about on the money. The charge from the post office is £4.

If you send them DHL/UPS/FedEx etc then it is pretty much guaranteed that you will be charged vat and import duty. UPS can often hold the package until you pay up. FedEx and DHL are more likely to deliver and invoice later. We refuse to let suppliers ship to us with UPS (Useless Parcel Service) these days, they cause too many problems.

Sounds a nice solution continuous wear. The astigmatism in my right eye makes contact lens fitment a nightmare (along with hay fever giving me rough eyelids) so all toric lenses spin and don't sit properly. I can wear contacts socially, but they give me headaches reading a computer screen as my right eye cannot focus properly. For me this means dailys are the best option.

Thanks for the advice, I think they send it via the route you mentioned, how do I pay the £4 fee to the Royal mail (and any duty), do I need to pay the postman or do they invoice me?