Import Tax - Shipping internationally

B

BJRonan

Member
I'm extremely, extremely confused about Import Tax - please help me:

I'm writing from Ireland and am thinking of buying my DVX100BE from B&H.

If I understand correctly, B&H will not charge me VAT but I will instead have to pay it upon delivery of the camera, at the Irish rate to the delivery company (UPS). Is this right?

Does anyone know how the system works for tax and international shipping?
Do I even pay tax?

Thanks,
Barry.

P.S. Perhaps this is the wrong section for posting this, but I can't find one more appropriate.
 
As far as I know, There is no tax (Custom charge) on photographic equipment in the EU, You will still have to pay your local VAT. But keep in mind that VAT goes to the government and is deductible, If you are not a business and can not deduct VAT, Find some one with a business to order for you and deduct the VAT.

In some cases VAT is same as taking a cheep flight to NY and spend a day at B&h...

Call your local UPS office, They will provide all the info for you.
 
I have found that depending on which shipping company is used you may or may not be charged duties and/or taxes.

When stuff comes in where the supplier used Fedex, I wind up paying import duty and tax when it hits customs in order to get the items cleared and released. This didn't used to happen but has in the last year.

UPS somehow seems to still get things through the border with no duties or taxes charged, (at least for now).
 
BJRonan,
be ready to pay VAT for the camera if you ship it from the states. With cheaper items it might even be that they don't charge you, but they certainly will for a 3000+ $ object. And i don't think B+H is willing to write "Vase gift, 20$ value" on the box.
Also (at least here in italy) they charge you also other duty commission and other crap on the top of it. I recently received a small package with simple gifts from australia. Declared value: about 70 euro. well i had to pay DHL 45 euro for vat, and misc taxes.

You are asked to pay vat of your own country. it's 20% here (eg. 600 euro on a value of 3000).

Anyway, if you buy something from europe, custom taxes don't apply (even though the vat of the country where you buy may be lower than yours).

And, in any case, as danny suggested, find a company buying it for you so you will save a few hundred euro that you can use for accessories.

Andrea
 
Thanks for the advice, Baluardo, what you said about buying from other territories in the EU seems like the safest idea. Probably I'll end up buying it in Madrid where the VAT is lower than Ireland (and Italy) at 16%, although the stores I've visited there have told me I'll have to wait a month to get it in stock - but that's another story.
 
also you can try german stores. usually the most convenient for us. I can't really give you exact references though..

Andrea
 
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