Eu/portugal Import Laws And Customs

[Canopus]

Well I'll be moving next week, lucky, to Portugal to study at the University of Coimbra for the next five years. Needless to say, as a FP aficionado I'm a bit disappointed by lack of fountain-pen-ness in that country, no problem since I'll be in the EU I can buy whatever I want from member states... except what is not for sale, like a few pens that I really want. Apparently it's near impossible to find a Pilot Custom 823 in Europe, so I'll have to import it... as well as a custom Edison.

 

Now I've read about the whole process and it's not that different from what I'm used to here in Brazil, only a bit faster and cheaper. But there are a few details that I didn't quite managed to grasp, nor found useful information, hose are:

 

1) I need to present a citizen's card/identity-card to pick the package at the local post office. Since I'll be on a student visa will my passport work as well? If so are any special bureaucracy I need to go through since I assume it's not the most common of situations?

 

2) How exactly is the import-tax calculated? I know that there is the VAT, then something else is added depending on several factors. It's still a lot better than the 60% I have to pay here in Brazil but I would like to have some idea to how much I should expect for fountain pens and inks.

[ksm]

ad. 2) It all depends on sellers earnestness and your luck.

Each item need customs declaration. But customs officers can check if this declaration is consistent with value of items sent.

The final duties and taxes depends on this declaration, or what customs customs estimate whichever is higher.

Here factors of your luck. Customs have limited time, and won't check each and every packet, especially small packet with items that usually have low value.

 

If value of items is below 22€ then there is no VAT nor duty.

If value of items is between 22€ and 150€ then there is VAT.

If value of items is above 150€ then there is VAT and duty is charges.

 

Taxes are calculated as following.

(price of an item + shipping) * (1 + duty%) * (1 + VAT%).

Where VAT% is .23

I do not know Portuguese so I can't check duty rate for fountain pens, but duty% should be between .00 and .18. I would expect it to be on the lower end of this spectrum.

[AndyYNWA]

ad. 2) It all depends on sellers earnestness and your luck.

Each item need customs declaration. But customs officers can check if this declaration is consistent with value of items sent.

The final duties and taxes depends on this declaration, or what customs customs estimate whichever is higher.

Here factors of your luck. Customs have limited time, and won't check each and every packet, especially small packet with items that usually have low value.

 

If value of items is below 22 then there is no VAT nor duty.

If value of items is between 22 and 150 then there is VAT.

If value of items is above 150 then there is VAT and duty is charges.

 

Taxes are calculated as following.

(price of an item + shipping) * (1 + duty%) * (1 + VAT%).

Where VAT% is .23

I do not know Portuguese so I can't check duty rate for fountain pens, but duty% should be between .00 and .18. I would expect it to be on the lower end of this spectrum.

Are you sure about those three levels for import?

In Sweden there are no levels. I.e. a package worth 1 can get caught in customs and you will have to pay customs duty plus VAT (25% in Sweden) plus import fees (usually 10-25 depending on forwarder and order value).

Edited September 4, 2015 by AndyYNWA

[AndyYNWA]

Import duty on fountain pens is 3,7% and on ink 6,5%.

The duties are the same in the whole of EU, but the VAT varies from country to country.

[ksm]

I'm sure about three levels.

In Poland there is no VAT for parcels below 22€ sent to an physical person. (this exemption does not include tobacco, liquor and perfumes). It was added to our tax code during our accession to EU. According to Uncle Google exempt for the same amount exists in Portugal, it has the same limitations.

[AndyYNWA]

I checked the Swedish rules again.

 

All import to Sweden will have 25% VAT added, from the first SEK. For import of goods worth more than 1400 SEK (~150 €) you also have to pay import duties.

 

 

This is off course if you aren't lucky and the goods pass through customs without inspection.

[El Gordo]

Belgium as in Poland, 22 EUR become 45 EUR if the parcel is a "gift", not a "commercial item".

Note that if you do not make the declaration yourself (can do, not advised if you are not familiar with the administration), the courier does it for you and they can add a charge for this handling as well (their time and handling, different from import duties and VAT).

 

PS it is not because it has not been checked that the taxes are not due of course

[Canopus]

Well that seems reasonable, even at full taxes. As I said better than 60% of taxes... plus 17 bucks of ransom that the mail charges you for taxed goods because... reasons.

 

So no one has any idea if I can actually import goods with just a passport and a studend visa?

[Dragonmaster Lou]

That might be a local issue as opposed to an E.U. wide issue.

 

Maybe you can contact the university and ask it for information? I don't know about Portuguese universities, but American ones often have an office to assist foreign students with any questions they have about studying abroad in the United States.

 

You could also try to find a "friend" in the US or wherever to purchase stuff for you and then send it to you via personal mail, as opposed to some sort of import from a dealer. My family has been doing that sort of thing for years to buy items for my relatives in Portugal.

[Cepasaccus]

I don't see why it shouldn't be possible for you to import stuff. The ID is probably just there to identify that you are the correct recipient.

 

Btw. in Germany the effective minimum goods value for VAT is 26 EUR or 70 EUR for goods with reduced VAT, e.g. books. This is because the VAT to be paid has to be at least 5 EUR. Below that it is to much effort for customs to handle it.

[Canopus]

Well because... burocracy. Better safe than sorry. Who knows at what trivial and irrelevant BS detail they will create a fuss about. Well so everything looks good, thank you by the help everybody.