DHL Import Duty

[CLW]

Never us courier services, just regular, ordinary postal services. Ordered many things from China and abroad, none of these ever got stuck at customs or I had to pay any import taxes for them.

[Yellowtail]

49 minutes ago, Heng said:

 

I agree with the rules behind the inspections, my post was in reference to the less than accurate wording they use, and how that is what may be causing a lot/some of the dissatisfaction in these cases.

 

I'm guessing people having to pay more than they expect is what causes the vast majority of dissatisfaction. 

 

 

[Heng]

4 minutes ago, Yellowtail said:

I'm guessing people having to pay more than they expect is what causes the vast majority of dissatisfaction. 

 

Of course.  But also the 'at their own discretion in applying the rules'....

 

In my experience:

Ibuprofen + candy = no issues + tax collected at the destination

Ibuprofen + airplane models = no issues + tax collected at the destination

Ibuprofen + snowboard boots (or anything of value it seems) = oh you need a license to import ibuprofen; and yes we'll go ahead and tax the boots too (all fine, those are the rules) ...not an issue money wise; it's the 'feeling' that they just want you to abandon the items by putting up the clearance hoops. 

[Yellowtail]

2 minutes ago, Heng said:

 

Of course.  But also the 'at their own discretion in applying the rules'....

 

In my experience:

Ibuprofen + candy = no issues + tax collected at the destination

Ibuprofen + airplane models = no issues + tax collected at the destination

Ibuprofen + snowboard boots (or anything of value it seems) = oh you need a license to import ibuprofen; and yes we'll go ahead and tax the boots too (all fine, those are the rules) ...not an issue money wise; it's the 'feeling' that they just want you to abandon the items by putting up the clearance hoops. 

 

You need a license to import Ibuprofen and you need a separate import license to import candy. Assuming your paperwork was correct, your goods got through due to incomitance. They should have  been confiscated. 

[ukrules]

On 6/10/2021 at 7:34 AM, Ralf001 said:

Different HS code.

 

Watches are taxed at 5%.

I was under the impression that these codes are only used if you're a registered importer of foreign goods, if you're not and just importing something personally then they screw you every time, and it's quite deliberate.

[Yellowtail]

35 minutes ago, ukrules said:

I was under the impression that these codes are only used if you're a registered importer of foreign goods, if you're not and just importing something personally then they screw you every time, and it's quite deliberate.

 

The codes are for everyone that fills out the documentation correctly. 

[Heng]

57 minutes ago, Yellowtail said:

 

You need a license to import Ibuprofen and you need a separate import license to import candy. Assuming your paperwork was correct, your goods got through due to incomitance. They should have  been confiscated. 

 

They got through due to selective enforcement for personal gain.    

[Yellowtail]

1 hour ago, Heng said:

 

They got through due to selective enforcement for personal gain.    

 

So you illegally import stuff, and and your stuff is confiscated it is because the customs people are doing their jobs and they tell you you need a license, correct?

 

And when you legally import the same stuff and it get's delivered, it is because the customs agents are lining their pockets with the illegal fees they collect from you, is that also correct?

 

I think you are making it up.

 

 

 

 

[Heng]

16 minutes ago, Yellowtail said:

 

So you illegally import stuff, and and your stuff is confiscated it is because the customs people are doing their jobs and they tell you you need a license, correct?

 

And when you legally import the same stuff and it get's delivered, it is because the customs agents are lining their pockets with the illegal fees they collect from you, is that also correct?

 

I think you are making it up.

 

 

 

 

 

I've never had anything confiscated (well not forfeited), not sure what you're talking about.   

 

The 'you need a license' card comes out (again in my experience) ONLY when they want to hold up something of value.  

 

What they are doing is lining their pockets with perfectly legal methods, that's the beauty of it.   They could do the same thing at the airport if they wanted piles of over the counter meds and candy filling up the customs warehouse, but they only appear to choose to do so when other items of value are involved.  

 

 

 

[jackdd]

6 hours ago, ukrules said:

I was under the impression that these codes are only used if you're a registered importer of foreign goods, if you're not and just importing something personally then they screw you every time, and it's quite deliberate.

Every time i had to pay duties customs applied the correct rate, do you have a specific example where they deliberately applied the wrong rate?

[ukrules]

3 hours ago, jackdd said:

Every time i had to pay duties customs applied the correct rate, do you have a specific example where they deliberately applied the wrong rate?

 

No, it was just something I read a few years ago, maybe I'm remembering it incorrectly but I don't think so.

There is some difference between personal imports and importing something as a licensed importer, not sure what it is though but it might depend on how the package is sent.

 

[Susco]

3 hours ago, jackdd said:

Every time i had to pay duties customs applied the correct rate, do you have a specific example where they deliberately applied the wrong rate?

12 years ago I imported a salt water chlorinator from Australia, which is 0% import duties.

 

TNT was the transport company, and I had the correct HS code on the import documents.

 

When the goods arrived in Bangkok, TNT called me and told me I owed 10% import duties .

 

I told them that it was 0% and a few hours later they called me back that they would settle for 5%.

 

I told them again that according the HS code there was 0% import duties. Think there were a few more phone calls from them trying to bargain, but the chlorinator was delivered to me with 0% import duties.

[dinga]

10 hours ago, jackdd said:

Every time i had to pay duties customs applied the correct rate, do you have a specific example where they deliberately applied the wrong rate?

Me too.  A few years ago, I imported a gold coin - which was legal tender of the Country of Issue.  I bought the coin from the Government's Mint and (unsurprisingly) all the documents had the correct Description; Values and HS Code.  The correct duty rate was 0%, with only 7% VAT payable.  The initial duty bill from the courier company was for (I think) 30% with a bizarre HS Code covering Statues.  After my push back and numerous backwards and forwards - and supposed re-confirmation by their Broker - the company only agreed to change the HS declaration to the correct one provided I accepted full responsibility.  Which of course I did given the correct classification and 0% duty rate should have been clearly non-contentious and  beyond doubt to even a novice.  The whole experience made me very suspicious about what really goes on with courier clearances.