the BLF GT customs declaration survey

What is the "legal top limit" in the USA to get items from China without needing to pay customs duties/taxes?

Thanks!

General EU tax limit seems to be 22€ so down payment amount of $14.96 is good number for each of packets when using the registered mail. You don`t necessarily want to use even numbers like 22 which is just the taxable limit as that may seem suspicious to customs.

I believe it’s $200. It’s convoluted though. But I’ve never had a problem with larger amounts using DHL since they have their own lines through customs. If you are flying back to the US, you are allowed up to $400 worth of stuff. Says so right on the customs entry forms they give you on the plane.

I always ask sellers to not put a price higher than 19$ on the package.
For all packages to the Netherlands I’d advice to do the same.

:+1:
And no more than $19.

In Canada, anything UNDER $20 CDN comes through without taxes or DHL brokerage fees. If declaring in US$, then $14 at todays’s exchange rate would be safe.

Pretty sure its more than that. I’ve ordered stuff from abroad that passed this number quite a few times and never had any sort of customs duties assessed. In fact I had a flashlight come in just today that was declared at $300 on the customs form, no taxes required.

EDIT: Seems to be $800. De Minimis Value Increases to $800 | U.S. Customs and Border Protection

Good find !

But I wonder what they mean by

Archived Content
In an effort to keep CBP.gov current, the archive contains content from a previous administration or is otherwise outdated

This discussion makes me feel nervous.

Just by choosing regular registered mail we probably will not get a letter from the customs but just receive our goods.

They might not even look at the values marked on the package, as those are almost always fake or random when the country of origin is China. If the package looks valuable or is identified and tagged for further scrutiny, they’re going to ask you. With probably just a few GTs arriving in Finland it’s not going to draw much attention. At this point you have the options to truthfully declare ~100 euros and pay some VAT or to commit customs fraud, it’s your choice.

I’m not going to discuss fraudulently marking low values on shipments. Asking for that is not actually legal here, and my best guess is this would be case in several countries and jurisdictions. I don’t care what is printed on the parcel, and even if this discussion never took place the value would probably be something way below the actual value of contents. That’s an ages old practice we cannot change.

My major concern here is the relatively large size of the packages. If chosen for closer inspection, I’m going to receive the Customs letter asking for a declaration. At that point my only option is to provide a copy of the receipt. Yes, the actual receipt. I don’t think trying to avoid VAT of about 25 euros is worth a criminal process.

As I have already stated in the GT main thread a long time ago, at least around here any actual customs declaration is done by the importer, in other words the recipient. Any false “declaration of goods” on the parcel is just paper and worth nothing outside of mainland China. To commit fraud(as in submitting a false receipt or invoice in response to the customs query) may result in prosecution.

Party-pooper.

:party: :beer:

Nobody is saying nor forcing that any private person importing anything should declare any false amounts themselves and if somebody for any personal reasons decides to do so they should be aware of possible consequences.And it would be their OWN decision and their own only with their own responsibility!

I have been ordering and getting parcels well over 10 years now from abroad so I have dealt with customs several times.Now when I come think of it first time I had to go to customs personally to declare something was in the 80`s.

Of course I have declared the true amount every single time even thought not even once I have had to show receipts of any kind. I just declare the true amount and pay if needed and thats that.Never showed any receipts at all. But in any case remember to be truthful.And never had any troubles with customs other than waiting of course.

Registered mail comes in 2-parts and there was a 2-part payment,one $14.96 and the rest some $100. If customs stop and look only one of these packages and asks especially its value which value would you declare $14.96 or $100? It is up to you at that point and both options would be right as they are just parts at that point not a complete product. Nobody is avoiding anything here as you really have only flashlight parts and not a complete flashlight at that point.

And yes I have previously contacted Customs CS and there they specifically instructed that in a cases like this it can be done.

Just dont go and eagerly post on your Facebook about you upcoming high dollar high-end light end product and show that to very interested Customs officials. That is definitely not mandatory nor recommended!

Yes Customs has its rules as you said and everybody should be aware of their own countries regulations but each is responsible only for their own parcels and actions. Lets not try to make this any harder to anybody else.

You stress FAR too much on this issue on behalf of others not to mention that “measly” VAT of 25€ as you say! Unless you dont happen to work at the Customs yourself would you? It would be just fair to say if you do.Now THAT could make many here feel nervous!

Registered, € 19 per package.

It does come in 2 packages, right?

$14.96 seems a good option all around to me - that way as the above comment suggests, you could just show a receipt for the $14.96 you paid (if needed) so not technically breaking any laws. Highly unlikely both parts would be held up, if they were then I guess the game would be up lol!.

If they are separate shipments, In the UK,

The $14.96 parcel would be free from any tax.
The $100 box would be subject to 20% VAT + customs clearance fees.

In the UK:

Under £15 — 0
£15 to £135 — 20% VAT + customs clearance fees. Customs clearance fees are not a tax. They go to the shipping company.
£135 and up — 20% VAT + duty + customs clearance fees. The duty depends on what in the box and where it came from. For example parts may be charged a different duty rate than a complete device. The tariffs are very complex.

im from Vietnam
Declaring for 30$ each package is good for me, this flashlight is big, so if it’s lower 30$, it will get suspicion from the Custom
i dont want to have trouble with the custom, because it costs money and A LOT OF time

That’s what I’m saying. They should be aware of possible consequences, however unlikely.

I still have to repeat that while customs fraud(false declaration) is illegal, so is requesting someone to facilitate this fraud. As in asking the merchant to mark a false value on your parcel.

I’ve only had to declare anything I received by mail a couple of times, and it’s getting easier all the time. Now with even the DHL not extorting protection fees to release the package, the de facto situation is pretty much OK. Even with the ridiculous VAT limit.

When requested for the online declaration I was required to provide a copy of an invoice or receipt, including the whole amount for goods and shipping. AFAIK, this is the normal procedure at the moment. I was never charged any import duties for my relatively minor purchases, just the VAT.

It should be obvious to anyone that this course of action is illegal.

This advice is, of course, plain wrong.

Never rely on authorities for legal advice. It does not reduce your liability that someone told you you could do this or that. They will also never be held responsible for their errors while giving advice, at least in Finland, and they also tend to avoid giving advice. They are only responsible when they make official decisions, and even then their responsibility is very limited, to be generous.

Yes, I’m being overly cautious here just because, and for educational reasons. I’m not like this IRL.

Did you know you are supposed to self-declare any goods exceeding the VAT limit and pay even if you receive your shipment without Customs interference? Guess if I ever paid.

Agreed. I’m, not realistically expecting for the Customs to be very interested in the BLF GT. I mean, how many are going to be shipped to Finland? Maybe 3-10 examples. Not very significant and probably less than the amount of xxxFire cheap big lights during the timeframe.

That’s what I’m saying as well. On my behalf, I’m not going to ask for any value to be printed on the parcels.

Nah. It’s not like I’m experiencing a panic attack because of this. Just sayin’.

That would be amusing. :smiley:

BTW, I chose the registered mail option. Had I chosen DHL I would be guaranteed to have to declare. Do the math. Not that I ever deviated from blindly following the law. :wink:

in australia we only have to pay import taxes in items over $1000 AUD

https://www.border.gov.au/Busi/cargo-support-trade-and-goods/importing-goods/importing-by-post-or-mail

so we all good for the GT :sunglasses: :+1:

Opted for $14.96 (for both parcels).

But in NL you never know.
The X6-SS+X5-CU+box weighed like a ton and was >>>$25: no customs intervention.
Yet had to pay about $20 before I could receive my tiny Nitecore EA11.

in Poland generally 22EUR or max 25$ is very safe for taxes.

For the Netherlands it must be under 22 Euro.