Well first off I should say hello all as this is my first post. I hope I'm in the right forum as I've had a browse and can't see anything specific to my question.

I'll try keep it brief. I'm on a several months stay out here but I had to go back to the UK to deal with some issues that cropped up that I couldn't deal with from here. Anyway, now I am back but rather stupidly I left a camera lens in the UK. It's quite important to me as photography is one of my major pastimes. 

Now I can have it sent to me at no  great cost via DHL express. It is a used item and I will be taking it home with me when I go. So would this item attract import duty/tax? If I had brought it in my bag with me as I should have done then it wouldn't have attracted any sort of duty. 

Hope you fellas can advise.

1. Do NOT have it sent by DHL - use of couriers like DHL and Fedex for anything other than a document virtually guarantees customs problems. Have it sent by regular post, if concerned about loss then registered mail or equivalent, but regular post, not courier.

 

2. That it is used and was already yours won't change the duty assigned. That will be based on what it is and its value as declared on the customs form. In practice small items coming through by regular post are often let pass.

 

3. Your biggest risk is if customs cannot figure out what the item is. When that happens you have to go in person to customs to clear it, and while once there things in my experience go smoothly (assuming it is nothing of value and not contraband, of course) but having to go there can involve significant time and travel expense.

 

Have it sent by regular post and on the customs form write "camera lens, used", include the applicable customs code which is 9002 11 00 and give an estimated value which, since it is used, will be low.

 

The applicable duty on this is 6.7% of the value including shipping.

1 hour ago, Sheryl said:

1. Do NOT have it sent by DHL - use of couriers like DHL and Fedex for anything other than a document virtually guarantees customs problems. Have it sent by regular post, if concerned about loss then registered mail or equivalent, but regular post, not courier.

 

2. That it is used and was already yours won't change the duty assigned. That will be based on what it is and its value as declared on the customs form. In practice small items coming through by regular post are often let pass.

 

3. Your biggest risk is if customs cannot figure out what the item is. When that happens you have to go in person to customs to clear it, and while once there things in my experience go smoothly (assuming it is nothing of value and not contraband, of course) but having to go there can involve significant time and travel expense.

 

Have it sent by regular post and on the customs form write "camera lens, used", include the applicable customs code which is 9002 11 00 and give an estimated value which, since it is used, will be low.

 

The applicable duty on this is 6.7% of the value including shipping.

Hello and thanks very much for the advice. Would you consider Parcelforce as a courier or would they come under regular mail? 

I think after consulting the post office website that I already know the answer. Parcelforce is going to be classed a courier so regular parcel insured it is then :-)

Edited February 11, 20188 yr by Stuckinthemiddle

On 2/11/2018 at 12:20 PM, Sheryl said:

1. Do NOT have it sent by DHL - use of couriers like DHL and Fedex for anything other than a document virtually guarantees customs problems. Have it sent by regular post, if concerned about loss then registered mail or equivalent, but regular post, not courier.

 

2. That it is used and was already yours won't change the duty assigned. That will be based on what it is and its value as declared on the customs form. In practice small items coming through by regular post are often let pass.

 

3. Your biggest risk is if customs cannot figure out what the item is. When that happens you have to go in person to customs to clear it, and while once there things in my experience go smoothly (assuming it is nothing of value and not contraband, of course) but having to go there can involve significant time and travel expense.

 

Have it sent by regular post and on the customs form write "camera lens, used", include the applicable customs code which is 9002 11 00 and give an estimated value which, since it is used, will be low.

 

The applicable duty on this is 6.7% of the value including shipping.

I'm glad to say my item arrived a few days ago. I had small amount of duty to pay ( about 272 Bht) which I expected. I could have made the declared value below the threshhold but decided best not to push my luck for such a trivial amount. Thanks for the advice.

Glad it worked out. Having the customs code helps a lot for non-standard items

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