US Citizen bringing in an iMac for me

markst33

Hi there,

I'm not sure if I'm in the right place for this.

A U.S friend of mine is coming to Ireland for 5 weeks and knows that I am thinking of buying in iMac. She has offered to purchase it inn the states and carry it through in her luggage. If stopped she is saying that she is here to study and brought it with her from the US cos she is aware of how expensive these items are in Ireland.

I'm wondering if she is entitled to do this or could it be taken off her in Customs or what is the legal situation here.

Thanks in advance.

Mark.

Our man in Havana

There is nothing they can do if she has a receipt showing it is her property.

coylemj

Our man in Havana wrote: »

There is nothing they can do if she has a receipt showing it is her property.

They can ask her to pay Irish VAT on it surely? I'm thinking that if she claims that she's lugging a desktop over here for just five weeks they'll probably say something along the lines of 'pull the other one'.

A quick check on the Apple website for the serial no. will show that it's unregistered meaning it's brand new and even if she does register it, it will only be a few weeks old and will be equally suspicious and obviously an import which is liable for VAT.

And the logistics of the plan are questionable. I have the smallest model of iMac (21.5") and with any kind of padding around the edges there is a good chance that it will be too large and fail the size test that a lot of airlines apply at the check-in desk. What does the OP's friend do when the airline says it has to go in the hold?

Just in case there's any confusion, this is an iMac....

Victor

So you want to engage in tax fraud?

Reloc8

Victor wrote: »

So you want to engage in tax fraud?

This, precisely.

markst33 wrote: »

Hi there,

I'm not sure if I'm in the right place for this.

A U.S friend of mine is coming to Ireland for 5 weeks and knows that I am thinking of buying in iMac. She has offered to purchase it inn the states and carry it through in her luggage. If stopped she is saying that she is here to study and brought it with her from the US cos she is aware of how expensive these items are in Ireland.

I'm wondering if she is entitled to do this or could it be taken off her in Customs or what is the legal situation here.

The legal situation here is that your friend is proposing to lie to revenue & customs officials. Did you expect people to help you with that ? If so then yep you're not in the right place.

It is possible for customs & VAT to be waived on certain goods temporarily imported into the country, on declaration of same and application for waiver. This is course is not a temporary import at all. Its a scam. And you know that and knew it without posting your thread, or you wouldn't have come up with a series of lies for your friend to tell.

If your friend is detected - which I hope she will be - and her story falls asunder - which it should under any level of questioning - the computer can and will be seized until duty & VAT plus penalties are paid on it.

Depending on whether she declares it or not on the way through customs she is also liable to prosecution for various offences.

Sorry (ish) if that sounds harsh, but there it is.

markst33

?

Reloc8

I fink you're looking for the tax evasion forum OP :pac:

Our man in Havana

Tax avoidance forum?

Reloc8

Our man in Havana wrote: »

Tax avoidance forum?

No. The plan here is to lie to revenue and illegally import something without paying the applicable tax.

Procrastastudy

Can I just ask why anyone would want one of these overpriced pieces of rubbish in the first place? Buy a proper computer for about half the money in PC World.

Okay okay I do admit they are good for certain creative applications...

I'd ask in the Building and Upgrading computer forum OP - a number of us get parts shipped in from places and someone might be able to advise on how much you're likely to pay. It might still work out cheaper.

Is there no way this can be brought in as a bone fide gift?

Our man in Havana

There is a way but that would also be construed as tax evasion.

Reloc8

Procrastastudy wrote: »

Is there no way this can be brought in as a bone fide gift?

You can get relief from Customs & VAT on gifts provided value of goods plus any insurance and freight does not exceed €45.

Where 'intrinsic value' does not exceed €700 you can be charged at a flat rate of 2.5% customs duty, but still full VAT and any excise.

Subject of course to full declaration as opposed to being discovered post fact.

Is the intrinsic value of an I-Mac less than €700 ?

Neewbie_noob

Our man in Havana wrote: »

There is nothing they can do if she has a receipt showing it is her property.

I thought there was a legal limit on the amount of goods you can bring in tax free from outside EU??

spiderman1885

Sorry to wade in here with a different question altogether. Friend of mine is travelling to New Hampshire, and offered to pick me up a mac(as I'd been thinking of it anyway). What would the situation be here,

If I gave my friend money, and then they bought it for me and brought it home, would they have to pay tax?

Or if they bought it as a present from me would it be any different?

The price difference, regardless of tax and exchange rate is ridiculous!

Procrastastudy

spiderman1885 wrote: »

Sorry to wade in here with a different question altogether. Friend of mine is travelling to New Hampshire, and offered to pick me up a mac(as I'd been thinking of it anyway). What would the situation be here,

If I gave my friend money, and then they bought it for me and brought it home, would they have to pay tax?

Or if they bought it as a present from me would it be any different?

The price difference, regardless of tax and exchange rate is ridiculous!

You've exactly the same issue you have to pay the taxes etc. Unless you've a specific need for a Mac (you're an animator for example) I'd think again - all macs come with a 50% steve jobs tax regardless of where you buy them.

MaxSteele

I assume shes bringing it in her suitcase ? If so, I doubt customs are going to be on the lookout for "that one with the Imac in their case". They'll probably think it's an iPad anyway.:D

Have to feel sorry for the miserable posters here, hoping she get's caught.

God forbid someone would like to import something at a reasonable price without getting shafted in this overpriced dump.

Reloc8

MaxSteele wrote: »

I assume shes bringing it in her suitcase ? If so, I doubt customs are going to be on the lookout for "that one with the Imac in their case". They'll probably think it's an iPad anyway.:D

Have to feel sorry for the miserable posters here, hoping she get's caught.

God forbid someone would like to import something at a reasonable price without getting shafted in this overpriced dump

I take it your sympathies extend to everyone who comes up with a scheme to evade tax that they're liable for ? Sure I'll just take cash in hand and stick it into my back pocket - what's the problem.

I mean, if I didn't pay income tax I'd have more money and could avoid getting shafted in this overpriced dump of which you speak without the need to evade customs & VAT.? You'd be ok with that ?

Or say if some person came up with a scheme to avoid DIRT - say if was lets say banks that did that - you'd be ok with that too ? The people who took advantage of it (when I say scheme I mean nothing more than outright lies by way of claiming not to live here when really you do) - they're sound as far as you're concerned ?

Or say if some elected representative was involved in evading tax by a company of which they were a director - also fine ? Again, shure they're just trying to not get shafted by de tax man.

Or is it just people who want an expensive computer but don't want to pay the cost of it that are ok ?

MaxSteele

Reloc8 wrote: »

I take it your sympathies extend to everyone who comes up with a scheme to evade tax that they're liable for ? Sure I'll just take cash in hand and stick it into my back pocket - what's the problem.

I mean, if I didn't pay income tax I'd have more money and could avoid getting shafted in this overpriced dump of which you speak without the need to evade customs & VAT.? You'd be ok with that ?

Or say if some person came up with a scheme to avoid DIRT - say if was lets say banks that did that - you'd be ok with that too ? The people who took advantage of it (when I say scheme I mean nothing more than outright lies by way of claiming not to live here when really you do) - they're sound as far as you're concerned ?

Or say if some elected representative was involved in evading tax by a company of which they were a director - also fine ? Again, shure they're just trying to not get shafted by de tax man.

Or is it just people who want an expensive computer but don't want to pay the cost of it that are ok ?

Not on a mass scale like you're describing no. Everyone should pay income tax, motor tax, VAT etc.

We're talking about a consumer item someone wants to bring in once in a blue moon. Same way if you went to New York on a shopping spree or brought a few bottles of vodka and cigs back from Spain and expect not to have customs noseying through your bag because you decided not to buy it here.

The country isn't on it's knees because of people like the OP importing an iMac from abroad and not paying excise on it FFS. I'm sure he/she pays taxes like everyone else.

The type who love to use the term tax dodgers and point out the moral and legal technicalities are what's fairly sad. Maybe give some helpful advice and stop harping on and chastising someone trying to save a bit of money.
Mr model citizen here.

Procrastastudy

Save loads of money - don't buy overpriced rubbish.

MaxSteele

Procrastastudy wrote: »

Save loads of money - don't buy overpriced rubbish.

True. Still though, people get up in a jock at others dodging VAT on a product when they can get it at it's real value from somewhere else.

Reloc8

MaxSteele wrote: »

Everyone should pay income tax, motor tax, VAT etc.

*koff*

MaxSteele wrote: »

True. Still though, people get up in a jock at others dodging VAT on a product when they can get it at it's real value from somewhere else.

:pac:

You're funny.

you're not in the garlic business by any chance ?

Procrastastudy

MaxSteele wrote: »

True. Still though, people get up in a jock at others dodging VAT on a product when they can get it at it's real value from somewhere else.

No-where sells macs at 'real value' if they did they'd cost roughly the same as the same spec'd PC and wouldn't charge for minor software updates.

It's all well and good buying stuff up in Newry or in New York - during the boom I'd have said crack on - these days though people shouldn't be avoiding import tax and Irish VAT. If its overpriced don't buy it imho.

MaxSteele

Reloc8 wrote: »

*koff*



:pac:

You're funny.

you're not in the garlic business by any chance ?

Dodging a bit of VAT on your presents from abroad is hardly that outrageous.

220% excise on garlic ? Would you pay that ?

Reloc8

MaxSteele wrote: »

Dodging a bit of VAT on your presents from abroad is hardly that outrageous.

220% excise on garlic ? Would you pay that ?

If I didn't want to I wouldn't import the garlic :cool:

crazygeryy

Victor wrote: »

So you want to engage in tax fraud?

there's always one.

get her to bring it back op.take off all the new wrapping on it and prices etc and if she's stopped tell her to say it's her own and she uses it to study in the states.
if she doesn't get stopped excellent you got yourself a cool new mac pc.
the only thing I'd be worried about is the size of it. could be a bitch to pack

we are taxed out the arse in this country hope you get it through.

Reloc8

crazygeryy wrote: »

get her to bring it back op.take off all the new wrapping on it and prices etc and if she's stopped tell her to say it's her own and she uses it to study in the states.

You're an evil genius !!! How did you come up with this !!!

markst33 wrote: »

If stopped she is saying that she is here to study and brought it with her from the US

Wait...ANOTHER ONE !!!

This is like Ocean's 12 or something only with just 2 people.

Dr Turk Turkelton

crazygeryy wrote: »

there's always one.

get her to bring it back op.take off all the new wrapping on it and prices etc and if she's stopped tell her to say it's her own and she uses it to study in the states.
if she doesn't get stopped excellent you got yourself a cool new mac pc.
the only thing I'd be worried about is the size of it. could be a bitch to pack

we are taxed out the arse in this country hope you get it through.

That's about it .Unpack the item say she owns it and breeze through.
Have done it before with jewellery,golf clubs and a laptop.

With golf clubs just a couple of divots out of a lawn before you leave to "muddy" them up.

Reloc8

Cuchulainn1. wrote: »

That's about it .Unpack the item say she owns it and breeze through.
Have done it before with jewellery,golf clubs and a laptop.

With golf clubs just a couple of divots out of a lawn before you leave to "muddy" them up.

WE ONLY NEED 9 MORE TO MAKE THE FILM !!!

Bluefoam

Thanks Boards.is if I ever get caught on tax fraud I'll make sure I left the authorities know that I picked up the ideas and methods here.

Reloc8

Bluefoam wrote: »

Thanks Boards.is if I ever get caught on tax fraud I'll make sure I left the authorities know that I picked up the ideas and methods here.

The eh 'schemes' in this thread are not exactly plans for a dirty bomb built from household supplies :pac:

Wils110

Take it out o the packaging and bring as hand luggage easy peesie

Lol at all the posts making out its a major crime

Bluefoam

Reloc8 wrote: »

The eh 'schemes' in this thread are not exactly plans for a dirty bomb built from household supplies :pac:

What?

Reloc8

4 in, 8 to go. But they're getting less charismatic.

Wils110 wrote: »

Take it out o the packaging and bring as hand luggage easy peesie

Lol at all the posts making out its a major crime

Also this one thinks the thing will fit in hand luggage.

Hope he's a decent wheels man, because he's not going to make chief smuggler.

Wils110 wrote: »

I was tested taken to the station whizzed in the jar for a doctor I was 61 mg per 100mg if I was over 67 I woulda being charged heard nothing more of it that was 2 pints

But as said before as long as you weren't ridiculously over the limit its fine and points on the licence

Curses !