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iPad 2 from the US
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neo_wales
01-06-2011
Originally Posted by JohnBoy Walton:
“I bring things like that back every week, both for me and people in work/family/friends and I have never been charged. Best way is just to carry it through in your hand luggage, or even your hand. The packaging can be binned or stuck in your case. Yeah, there is a risk and they could charge me one day. But the money I have saved so far makes it worth it.”

You fly in from the States every week? Wow, you must be cabin crew or a pilot then. So do you have the cash or a card on you to pay the duty when you get stopped; flying so frequently bringing in luxury goods and its only a matter of time before you do get stopped. Those customs folk can be naughty, get them on a bad day and they can go home with you and trash your house looking for other stuff, but I guess you've made enough cash to put it all right. Good luck on your future trips.
loz
01-06-2011
Originally Posted by neo_wales:
“Don't forget the import duty PLUS VAT when the customs chap asks where you got it and prove purchase in the UK or EU.”

Originally Posted by Supercell:
“ the ipad 2 16GB wifi only is about $500 and with sales tax of around 4 or 5% this takes it up to around 525...converting this into pounds takes it to about £320 so this would mean it comes in below the customs amount of £390....

I wouldn't have to pay anymore import tax etc if its under the £390 limit?”

Originally Posted by Matt D:
“
I think the £390 limit is just for duty... surely you'd still be liable for VAT if caught out?”

There is no VAT or Duty on up to £390 of purchases outside the EU.

So you will be quite OK bringing in a wi-fi only model
neo_wales
02-06-2011
Originally Posted by loz:
“There is no VAT or Duty on up to £390 of purchases outside the EU.

So you will be quite OK bringing in a wi-fi only model”

Go run £389 through this

http://www.dutycalculator.com/

Tablet PC's and iPads VAT due £77.80
loz
02-06-2011
Originally Posted by neo_wales:
“Go run £389 through this

http://www.dutycalculator.com/

Tablet PC's and iPads VAT due £77.80”

Irrelevant.

He isn't having the iPad shipped from abroad, he is purchasing it whilst abroad.

Different rules apply.

http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/customs/arriv...ivingnoneu.htm

Quote:
“Duty and tax free allowances - arrivals from non EU countries

The allowances below cover the most common items that you can bring into the UK duty and/or tax-free from outside the EU.
...
You can bring in other goods worth up to £390 without having to pay tax and/or duty.”

neo_wales
02-06-2011
Irrelevant, he admitted he is not bringing these in for himself, its for others on a weekly basis so he is either a secret millionaire and paying over three hundred pounds a week on presents, or is accepting payment for the goods in which case he will owe duty.
loz
02-06-2011
Originally Posted by neo_wales:
“Irrelevant, he admitted he is not bringing these in for himself, its for others on a weekly basis so he is either a secret millionaire and paying over three hundred pounds a week on presents, or is accepting payment for the goods in which case he will owe duty.”

The OP or the people I quoted?
JohnBoy Walton
03-06-2011
Originally Posted by neo_wales:
“You fly in from the States every week? Wow, you must be cabin crew or a pilot then. So do you have the cash or a card on you to pay the duty when you get stopped; flying so frequently bringing in luxury goods and its only a matter of time before you do get stopped. Those customs folk can be naughty, get them on a bad day and they can go home with you and trash your house looking for other stuff, but I guess you've made enough cash to put it all right. Good luck on your future trips.”

I didn't say the States you arrogant little person. I said I bring things back every week. Yes, I fly around a lot. At least 3 times a month. And I am not either of the things you suggested. I am an editor for a publishing company who just happens to have to travel. I have plenty of cash if i ever got stopped, no need to be worrying about that.

Anyway, I am struggling to work out why people bringing things back annoys you so much?

As for things this year...

Well today at my Mothers request I got her an iPad 2, stuck it in my hand luggage, opened and in a case. Anyone asks, I took it with me in the first place. Thats the point, they are portable.

Working in an office of over 200 people, pretty much all graduates and in their 20's then yeah I get a lot of requests for gadgets and goodies. iPods, phones, cameras, iPads.

As I said, I know one day they will ask me and I won't have any choice, but you are acting like it is a huge amount of money. No, all that happens is that I don't get lucky on that item. I never get greedy and I never walk through with a stash. But one iPad/iPod/phone, unwrapped and for personal use? Never been questioned.

But hey you seem to know a lot more about it than me. I have only been doing it for work for about 4 years now.

More importantly, the good I bring back are very rarely (except in the case of a few iPads) much over the allowance. And whether you like it or not, the rules are different when bringing them back yourself.

Oh except for ciggies, I go crazy with them. All unwrapped and for 'personal use'
loz
04-06-2011
Originally Posted by JohnBoy Walton:
“
Well today at my Mothers request I got her an iPad 2, stuck it in my hand luggage, opened and in a case. Anyone asks, I took it with me in the first place. Thats the point, they are portable.

...But one iPad/iPod/phone, unwrapped and for personal use? Never been questioned.
”

The only thing to be warry of is that the onus is on you to prove you purchased it in the UK, not on customs to prove you purchased it abroad.

If the customs officer decides to make an issue out of it (perhaps someone is a bit stroppy), then they can simply confiscate it and tell you to return with proof of purchase.

Moreover, on most electrical goods like this (and cameras for example) then the serial number usually identifies the country it was put on sale by the manufacturer, and the batch numbers are available to customs. Cameras typically have a different model number as well which is designed to prevent 'grey imports'. So don't think that customs are not clued up on this.

However, the fact is that you are unlikely to be stopped in the first place.
JohnBoy Walton
04-06-2011
Originally Posted by loz:
“The only thing to be warry of is that the onus is on you to prove you purchased it in the UK, not on customs to prove you purchased it abroad.

If the customs officer decides to make an issue out of it (perhaps someone is a bit stroppy), then they can simply confiscate it and tell you to return with proof of purchase.

Moreover, on most electrical goods like this (and cameras for example) then the serial number usually identifies the country it was put on sale by the manufacturer, and the batch numbers are available to customs. Cameras typically have a different model number as well which is designed to prevent 'grey imports'. So don't think that customs are not clued up on this.

However, the fact is that you are unlikely to be stopped in the first place.”

I know all this and I have admitted I know the risks. I could have bought it in another country and taken it back with me, i am a regular flyer, it does happen with portable devices.

It happened to a colleague I was with about a year ago and they could either confiscate or make him pay the vat and he paid the vat.

Like I said, I know the risk, and I am prepared to pay if I lose out. It is hardly a big deal. My main concern was why neowales was so damn angry and wishing people to get caught. One vile nasty poster.
toogoodfortv
23-08-2011
So what do you do if it needs fixed but you didn't pay VAT when going through customs?? Can you just take it to a local store and they fix it without asking for proof on paying VAT? I'm assuming they can tell where it was bought by the serial number? So they would know it was brought back..

I'm getting one next weekend from the states but I will most likely pay my VAT upon entry for the reason that I've just asked about,,,,
the chimp
23-08-2011
Originally Posted by toogoodfortv:
“So what do you do if it needs fixed but you didn't pay VAT when going through customs?? Can you just take it to a local store and they fix it without asking for proof on paying VAT? I'm assuming they can tell where it was bought by the serial number? So they would know it was brought back..

I'm getting one next weekend from the states but I will most likely pay my VAT upon entry for the reason that I've just asked about,,,,”

All of these sort of queries are the reason why I didn't bother bringing a PS3 back from Japan the other year, all in it just seemed like too much effort.
Harry56
23-08-2011
Originally Posted by JohnBoy Walton:
“I bring things like that back every week, both for me and people in work/family/friends and I have never been charged. Best way is just to carry it through in your hand luggage, or even your hand. The packaging can be binned or stuck in your case. Yeah, there is a risk and they could charge me one day. But the money I have saved so far makes it worth it.”

I agree. The savings you can make are very good. I'm interested in a Bose SoundDock 10, here in the UK £549 and in the US $600 = £363 (1 USD = 0.605140 GBP).

Rip off Britain at it most.
pinkteddyx64
23-08-2011
Originally Posted by Harry56:
“I agree. The savings you can make are very good. I'm interested in a Bose SoundDock 10, here in the UK £549 and in the US $600 = £363 (1 USD = 0.605140 GBP).

Rip off Britain at it most.”

Emmigrate to the United States then if you hate it so much!
Harry56
23-08-2011
Originally Posted by pinkteddyx64:
“Emmigrate to the United States then if you hate it so much! ”

Oh put your childish tongue away for goodness sake, I didn't say I "hated it".
Roush
23-08-2011
Originally Posted by toogoodfortv:
“So what do you do if it needs fixed but you didn't pay VAT when going through customs?? Can you just take it to a local store and they fix it without asking for proof on paying VAT? I'm assuming they can tell where it was bought by the serial number? So they would know it was brought back..”

How would the item's VAT status in the UK affect its warranty?

Originally Posted by toogoodfortv:
“I'm getting one next weekend from the states but I will most likely pay my VAT upon entry for the reason that I've just asked about,,,,”

VAT is only payable if goods are for commercial use or imported via freight. Bringing an item back in your luggage for personal use does not attract VAT.

Coming in from outside the EU you have a £390 duty free allowance for general goods. For items valued over £390 but under £630 import duty is 2.5%.

Based on that a 16 GB or 32 GB WiFi only iPad would not attract import duty, as $599 (32 GB) is about £360.
loz
23-08-2011
Originally Posted by Roush:
“VAT is only payable if goods are for commercial use or imported via freight. Bringing an item back in your luggage for personal use does not attract VAT.

Coming in from outside the EU you have a £390 duty free allowance for general goods. For items valued over £390 but under £630 import duty is 2.5%.”

No that is incorrect. Consumers are also liable for VAT as well if they bring something back for personal use, if the cost of the item is above the duty free limit.

See http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/customs/tax-and-duty.htm

Quote:
“If you're bringing goods for personal use into the UK, or sending or ordering them from abroad (including over the internet) you may need to pay UK Customs Duty, Excise Duty and/or import VAT. What you pay and how much depends on the type of goods and where they come from...

Goods imported to the UK from outside the EU are subject to Import VAT, unless they are brought in as part of your duty free allowances...

The percentage charged is the same VAT rate that applies to similar goods that are sold in the UK.”

pinkteddyx64
23-08-2011
Are there any circumstances where you still can be "caught out" and asked to pay for VAT or other duties regarding import, even if you have the item outside of it's packaging and you no longer have the packaging? Its just my aunty who went to see her family in Washington brought a camcorder and brought it back here without it's packaging and as far as the airport security back in the UK was concerned, it hadn't been purchased from the US. However, this was about 6 or 7 years ago, so I bet the rules will have been toughened up since then?
Roush
23-08-2011
Originally Posted by loz:
“No that is incorrect. Consumers are also liable for VAT as well if they bring something back for personal use, if the cost of the item is above the duty free limit.

See http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/customs/tax-and-duty.htm”

Quite right, I miss-read the HMRC page I was referencing. Over the duty free amounts do indeed attract VAT, so anything over £390 in this case.
loz
23-08-2011
Originally Posted by pinkteddyx64:
“Are there any circumstances where you still can be "caught out" and asked to pay for VAT or other duties regarding import, even if you have the item outside of it's packaging and you no longer have the packaging? Its just my aunty who went to see her family in Washington brought a camcorder and brought it back here without it's packaging and as far as the airport security back in the UK was concerned, it hadn't been purchased from the US. However, this was about 6 or 7 years ago, so I bet the rules will have been toughened up since then? ”

Theoretically it is up to you to prove you paid the necessary taxes and duty when the item was first imported.

You are unlikely to be questioned about a several year old well used item.

But if the item was relatively new, obviously you would run the risk of being asked to pay tax and duty every time you returned from taking it abroad with you.

I remember the times when customs was much more heavily staffed and the duty free allowances were much lower than today. It was quite routine for people coming in from the States to have their cameras and such examined. Customs were clearly on the lookout. I had my camera bag searched several times (the first thing to avoid attention is not to carry a camera bag...but hard if you are a pro) on re-entry to the UK. In those days people got into a habit of carrying all the receipts with them in their bag to provide as evidence.

You used to even have to get a special customs form signed on exit from the UK for equipment like a laptop computer or any professional equipment so that you could then re-import it.

Those were the days. Nowadays you are hardly likely to even see a customs officer, yet alone get stopped.
the chimp
23-08-2011
Originally Posted by Harry56:
“I agree. The savings you can make are very good. I'm interested in a Bose SoundDock 10, here in the UK £549 and in the US $600 = £363 (1 USD = 0.605140 GBP).

Rip off Britain at it most.”

I'm in the US right now and much to my surprise not everything here is cheaper, quite a few things, especially in the supermarkets are cheaper back home.
JS477
23-08-2011
Originally Posted by the chimp:
“I'm in the US right now and much to my surprise not everything here is cheaper, quite a few things, especially in the supermarkets are cheaper back home.”

I think it depends what you're comparing for example items like audio and computer items are cheaper in the US compared to the UK because the manufacturers know they can get away with ripping off UK consumers.
the chimp
23-08-2011
Originally Posted by JS477:
“I think it depends what you're comparing for example items like audio and computer items are cheaper in the US compared to the UK because the manufacturers know they can get away with ripping off UK consumers.”

If uk consumers are being ripped off then what about eu countries, I looked for a tv for my mum in Spain and was shocked to see how much more tvs were there than the uk, I haven't seen any big difference in tvs here in the states either, ps3s are around $320 (299 + state tax at 7%) again no big difference when you take our tax difference into account, with DVDs I saw Anchorman in wall mart the other day priced up at $10 (£7) here it hasn't been more than £3 for years, it's definitely swings and roundabouts, some we win some we lose.
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