Bringing stuff back from the US - The Rules

Bri

Hi there,

I'm aware the nice people in airport customs have got a bit more active over the last number of months...so I'm anyone could clarify what's allowed and what's not.

Is there a certain value under which a good cannot be taxed? Like if I brought one DVD home can they get me for it?! Or is it the total value of all goods carried?
Are you allowed to bring in more than one of the same good - electronic or clothes or anything?

Lastly, any tips?
Are they clever enough to spot what your wearing/carrying on you aswell as your bags? Thanks.

D-Generate

You could try taking some of the items out of the boxes and post back the manuals and warrenty dockets and all that and keep the item itself in your bags so that it looks like you brought it over with you.

Trizo

The duty-free limit on bona fide (unsolicited) gifts is $100. On non-commercial shipments (e.g. trade samples, tourist mailings, books, artwork etc.) the duty free limit is $200.

also if you have anything with price tags or store wrapping take it of if asked its for your own personal use.

Highlander

AFAK the limit is goods up to value of €145.00, anything over that will be liable to duties and taxes.

Couch Potato

Customs and Excise - Public & Travel




Traveller Information
Travelling from countries outside the EU

If you are travelling to Ireland from any country outside the European Union* (including the CANARY ISLANDS the CHANNEL ISLANDS or GIBRALTAR) the following information is for you:

You are allowed to bring in the goods shown in the table subject to the upper limits. The goods may have been bought either duty-free/tax free or duty paid/tax paid outside the E.U.
GOODS MAXIMUM QUANTITIES

Cigarettes 200 or
Cigarillos 100 or
Cigars 50 or
Tobacco 250 grammes

Spirits (whiskey, gin, vodka, etc.) 1 litre
OR
Intermediate Products (port, sherry, sparkling wine, etc.) 2 litres

Apportionment of the above allowances is allowed on a fractional basis; e.g. ½ litre of spirits plus 1 litre of port; 100 cigarettes plus 50 cigarillos.

Still Wine 2 litres
Perfume 60 mls (50 grammes)
Toilet Water 250 mls (0.25 litre)

Other goods including BEER, gifts and souvenirs - €175 per adult. €90 if under 15 years.
TRAVELLERS UNDER 17 ARE NOT ENTITLED TO TOBACCO OR DRINKS ALLOWANCES.
Please Note.

A group of people travelling together cannot pool their individual allowances to buy goods.

Goods imported for commercial purposes must be declared.
You should keep your receipts as proof that you have paid duty and taxes.

*The Countries of the European Union are:
Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain*, Sweden and the United Kingdom*.
*Although the Canary Islands, the Channel Islands and Gibraltar are part of the EU, they are outside the Community customs territory. The customs allowances for outside the EU, therefore apply.



Customs Procedures

If you are travelling,
(a) from a non-EU Country to Ireland or
(b) from a non-EU Country via another EU country (e.g. New York-London-Dublin)**
you must, regardless of nationality or country of residence, clear Customs by going through either the Green or Red Channel.

Use the Green Channel if you have:
· only the allowances you are entitled to, and
· have no prohibited or restricted goods

Use the RED Channel if you:
· are in doubt, or
· have more than the allowances you are entitled to, or
· have prohibited or restricted goods

**Note: If you travel as at (b) above you must go through the green or red channel, as appropriate, unless ALL your baggage (hand luggage and hold luggage) was cleared by Customs at your first airport or port of arrival in the EU. If all your baggage has been cleared by Customs on arrival in the EU you may exit by the Blue Channel. Passengers are reminded that entry into either the Green or Red Channel is effectively a Customs declaration.

Goods Prohibited/Restricted from NON-EU COUNTRIES

Certain goods may not be imported from outside the Community, or may be imported only under licence. The principal items are firearms, ammunition, explosives, dangerous drugs, indecent or obscene books, plants or bulbs, live or dead animals, poultry or birds, hay or straw or articles packed with these materials, meat or meat products.

Note:

Customs Authorities at all our airports operate on the basis of risk. Actions in particular areas are prioritised based on the level of risk - loss of revenue and danger to society. These areas include combating the importation of such items as dangerous drugs, firearms, ammunition and explosives.

If there is a perceived loss of revenue to the exchequer from any source that risk will be assessed and may be targeted for attention at some stage.

Travellers should note that entry to either the Green or Red channel is deemed to be a Customs declaration. Travellers in excess of their allowances should declare the goods in the Red channel and pay the appropriate import taxes.

Travellers found in the Green channel with goods in excess of their allowances risk having the goods seized and they may be subject to prosecution.

Public Notice No. 1878 June 2004 sets out the allowances and procedures for travellers and is available at all airports.

zod

ie. if you buy off of Amazon.com or Ebay.com .. is everything taxable or up to a certain limit?

Thanks

Bri

Thanks for that.

"Other goods including BEER, gifts and souvenirs - €175 per adult." is what's important for me. That's not actually too bad.

I'm aware of the unwrapping and so on. AFAIK they can seize suspected goods and make your bring in the Irish receipts to prove purhace in the EU.

Thanks.

Quatre Mains

what is the situation around bringing home 2nd hand items? AFAIK all second hand stuff is exempt, anyone else know different?

Bri

And I forgot to ask about doubled items - i.e. Two identical cd players. Presumably from that one can count as a gift?

Hornet

Bri wrote:

And I forgot to ask about doubled items - i.e. Two identical cd players. Presumably from that one can count as a gift?

Bri, if you read the Customs and Excise quote, it says there explicitly "Other goods including beer, gifts and souvenirs - €175 per adult. "

So it doesn't matter if you bought one and got the other one as a gift OR if you bought one for yourself and will give the other one away as a gift. The limit is EUR 175. It is totally independent from the quantity or purpose of items.

--Hornet

Hornet

Johnnycabs wrote:

what is the situation around bringing home 2nd hand items? AFAIK all second hand stuff is exempt, anyone else know different?

Johnnycabs, it doesn't matter if the items are new or second or third hand. If their origin is outside of the EU and you import them into the EU, the EUR 175 limit applies. Only exception is if you move house from one country to the other. In that case the specified Customs & Excise Rules don't apply in the same way.

However, it clearly all depends on how suspicious items appear to Customs. If you have a battered used item with you that was previously purchased in the US (e.g. your old digital camera, which you bought on your last trip), then they can let you through without further problems. BUT they have the right to request bills, invoices, receipts, proof of purchase or proof of (previous) ownership.

So bottom line is: Second hand items are NOT excempt as a general rule!!

--Hornet

maccydoodies

zod wrote:

ie. if you buy off of Amazon.com or Ebay.com .. is everything taxable or up to a certain limit?

Thanks

I bought an Item of Clothing off JLO.com and it was $90. When it arrived by UPS they had a bill of €46.11 that i had to pay before they would give me the package. This is normal. I done all the research before i ordered . Rang rev. comms got the commodity code, and then the percentage that i would be charged for customs. Every product has a different comm. code. It was 10% of value then VAT on top. Its a total rip off. I would never do it again. Rev. comms say some things might slip through but mine didnt. So be warned

magpie

If you're getting anything posted (ebay etc) make sure they write "gift" and "value $20" on the customs declaration no matter what it is.

Bri

Thanks. I read the details but felt the multiple items question was worth asking explicitly due to a few details I heard last week. But it's clear enough now!

masterK

Have customs tightened up the checks in Dublin Airport. The last time I came from outside the EU I had 1000 cigerattes and a 3 bottles of vodka plus some electrical goods. After I retrieved my bags I just exitied through the section headed for travellers arriving from within the EU and not the Red or Green exits. There was nobody there to make sure you exited the correct way. There was not one person around so anbody could just exit where they pleased.

spongebob

Whenever a jumbo arrives from New York the customs swally their coffees and head off to patrol the exit channels. I was told the best strategy is to wait 1 hour after the last US flight touches down and then head for the exit .

M

holly_johnson

I just came back from Florida a couple weeks ago.
I spent a bomb on clothes and stuff, and heard while I was over there about the new regulations. Spent an hour and a half cutting off all the tags etc.
Arrived home to find not a single sinner in the customs area - I didnt see one employee! So don't get too hung up about getting caught, I reckon like me you'd find not a soul there to check the stuff!

Bri

More questions:

Having never been stopped by customs myself...Do they just search bags? Or do they pat people down? i.e. Can you wear your new iRiver with Victorias Secret and other covered clothes and they'll be none the wiser?