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[OM] Customs Duties-Another question

Subject: [OM] Customs Duties-Another question
From: "Arnab Kumar Banerjee" <arnabkb@xxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Wed, 05 May 1999 07:55:40 PDT
Having never ordered any photo equipment in the mail before, I am not sure how these things work. Suppose if I buy a $400 (say) zuiko lens from B&H,do I have any way of knowing in advance how much duty would be charged at customs? As some of the list members have written, it depends on the declared value. Who would declare this value? B&H ? how would the process be different if i were to buy a $400 zuiko from a list member?
Arnab.
ON, Canada.

From: Olaf Greve <Ogreve@xxxxxxx>
Reply-To: olympus@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
To: "'olympus@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx'" <olympus@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: RE: [OM] OT: Customs Duties
Date: Wed, 5 May 1999 10:23:20 +0200

Hi,

[...]

>Does anyone have an explanation for this customs free treatment?  Is it
because
>the lens is used? My brother did not identify the lens as used, but while
the
>lens looks really good overall, it has a few brassing marks on the metal
rim
>above the mounting ring, which makes it obvious to the inspector that it is
a
>used lens.

Hmmm, maybe they dropped the lens and then decided they didn't dare to
charge you additional taxes on it ;) Just kidding of course.

>Perhaps there are others who can tell us about their experience with the
>US/other countries Customs with respect to photo equipment.

This is where I get serious again, the way it works in The Netherlands is as
follows:
If you buy new or used gear the declared value will be evaluated. The first
f 65,- (USD $32) is tax-free, anything above that will be taxed with a hefty
25%. There are two ways of getting around this. The first way is to declare
a lower value than the actual purchase value, say e.g. $100 instead of an
actual $400, you will still be charged some taxes then, but since you didn't
declare an unreasonably low amount, the customs officers will probably not
double-check the value with a camera store. The second way, which I'm hardly
familiar with but which seems to work too, is to have it sent with the
regular value declaration, but with the addendum "purchased as a gift".

Maybe someone can elaborate a bit on the second approach?

Also, according to Dutch customs, items will only be taxed if they're
shipped in from out of the EU. I'm expecting a parcel full of lots of
goodies from Germany, so I hope this info is correct :)

Hope this is of any help to anyone.

Cheers!
Olaf



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