quote:

Originally posted by Cristina:

I would love to be able to compile some data on this though. If anyone gets a box and they have to pay customs, could they keep the receipt etc. and scan it for me so I can do a little bit math?

That's from a box that I received a little over a month ago. It's a bit blurry but you can still make out the words.

Two boxes were sent with birthday gifts to me from the USA about July 10th. Neither have arrived yet; I'm assuming they are in customs. I'm fully expecting the mailman to ring one of these days and demand the typical approx. 30Euro amount for each.

quote:

Originally posted by alaskaitaly:
If I can find the suppliments I want on a UK site, I will buy them there too ....BUT there are many suppliments and items I can not get from the UK.

If we're talking vitamins, food supplements etc...take a look at:
www.zipvit.co.uk
Massive range + cheap

Just received a package from my parents in the U.S.

They sent it International Priority Mail.
It weighed abt. 5 lbs.
It cost $36 to mail.
They listed it as "used clothing", because that's what it was (my dry cleaning that wasn't ready when I left a few weeks ago), with a declared value of $20.
Upon receipt there was NO MONEY DUE.
It took 7 days to arrive in L'Aquila from Brooklyn, NY.

HTH.

quote:

Originally posted by DeeBee:

quote:

Originally posted by alaskaitaly:
If I can find the suppliments I want on a UK site, I will buy them there too ....BUT there are many suppliments and items I can not get from the UK.

If we're talking vitamins, food supplements etc...take a look at:
www.zipvit.co.uk
Massive range + cheap

I use these people all the time. Postage to Italy for any size order £2.50- all customs requirements provided on every package. Delivery never more than 9 days!

Worth a look at least!

Thank you for the webpage...unfortunately, nothing I wanted was available.

I had a friend mail me some of my products from the States in smaller padded envelopes and then one very small box.

I received a notice from the post yesterday indicating they saw where they were vitamins. They sent a form for me to fill out, declaring they were either for personal use (6,30 dogana) or for commercial use (63,60 dogana), address, phone number, codice fiscale, value of the product even though my friend had declared 0 value as a gift.

I had to fax the form with copies of my codice fiscale and personal ID to Milano.

Now, I wait. This form also was for cosmetics and pharmacy.

For one of my boxes I received a letter today in Italian. It's from GATEWAY INTERNAZIONALE, Ufficio Relazione Doganali in Lonate Pozzolo (VA). I am required to fill out the form and fax it back (the email address has been crossed out). Anyone familiar with this form? It appears that I have describe the contents (for my surprise birthday gift ) and declare a value. The package would then be sent via "SDA".

I received several packages in the past, both with and without payment due; this is the first time for this letter.

quote:

Originally posted by stelviorider:
Two boxes were sent with birthday gifts to me from the USA about July 10th. Neither have arrived yet; I'm assuming they are in customs. I'm fully expecting the mailman to ring one of these days and demand the typical approx. 30Euro amount for each.

I have gotten that form. I filled it out and faxed it to them. A few days later, my package did arrive using SDA...WITH a huge customs amount due.

This last form I received was just for cosmetics and pharmacy items. It stated the amount I would have to pay.

By the way, the other two envelopes with similar items in them (vitamins and supplements) arrived today with no customs duties and no form to fill out. Glory Be!!!!

So the only item I have had problems with is a small cardboard box that stated candy/caramello/suppliments with a 0 value. The box was probably about 4 inches x 8 inches.

BTW, the form says, "per la DOGANA non esiste Valore Zero"

quote:

So the only item I have had problems with is a small cardboard box that stated candy/caramello/suppliments with a 0 value. The box was probably about 4 inches x 8 inches.

Filled out the form, faxed it Monday, package arrived today. We claimed a value of 51 Euro on the form.

The customs charges were 19.27 broken out as follows:
DAZIO 6
IVA 11.20
TOT. ONERI DOGANALI 17.20

DIRITTI POSATALI 2.07
TOT. DA INCASSARE 19.27

quote:

Originally posted by stelviorider:
For one of my boxes I received a letter today in Italian. It's from GATEWAY INTERNAZIONALE, Ufficio Relazione Doganali in Lonate Pozzolo (VA). I am required to fill out the form and fax it back (the email address has been crossed out). Anyone familiar with this form? It appears that I have describe the contents (for my surprise birthday gift ) and declare a value. The package would then be sent via "SDA".

I received several packages in the past, both with and without payment due; this is the first time for this letter.

quote:

Originally posted by stelviorider:
Two boxes were sent with birthday gifts to me from the USA about July 10th. Neither have arrived yet; I'm assuming they are in customs. I'm fully expecting the mailman to ring one of these days and demand the typical approx. 30Euro amount for each.

OK, I bought 2 dresses from China late June. from the comments left by buyers in Germany etc, normally it would take 4-10 days, usually no taxes.
A week later, I received a phonecall from the Italian Post asking me what I had in a parcel from China. I said shirts. Present from a friend etc.
2 weeks later, still nothing at my house.
I did a search at EMS (the courrier used) and they said that I was never at home (not true, I was stuck unpacking at home everyday).
I went to the local post office (open only mornings!), queued up like mad and asked for my parcel. She did a search and told me that the parcel was stuck in Modena as they couldn't find my house. Imagine the Post Office not being able to find a house in their district??? And I was asked again what I had in the package.
2 days later, someone rang at the door. A white van with a guy smoking inside. He passed me the small parcel and asked me to pay up 20 euros. Couldn't make out what the 20 euros were for but I paid up anyway. How's that for transparency, confidence etc? Glad I wouldn't normally have to live in this country forever.

Not sure if this site has already been mentioned but Figleaves is a great UK based site for women's bras, undies and swimwear. Lots of unusual sizes available and good sales. Not the cheapest but great brands. I've ordered from them twice and both times the parcel turned up no dogana (since it's from the UK.)

quote:

Originally posted by Cristina:
...I would love to be able to compile some data on this though. If anyone gets a box and they have to pay customs, could they keep the receipt etc. and scan it for me so I can do a little bit math?

(please note if you can see the photo attachment ok)

I ordered a PC part from the US. It shipped around mid July from the US. A box of the size of a medium sized book and weighing about 1.5lbs.

This morning it finally arrive.
The declared value on the package was $57 with a postage of $10.

Fearing some outrageous charge like 50 or 60€, I was charged a reasonable 14€.

I received a cheaper PC part 2 weeks ago, indicated as gift with a value of $4, and was not charged any fee.

I am still expecting 2 books from US Amazon so providing they arrive, I will post that info as well.

So here is the customs/Poste slip for today's package to help Cristina compile her list.



Pleasant day!
Ciao!

Here's some more...

From US to Milan
What: Two photobooks (not from Amazon) - "Carta / Libri" on the form
Mode: FedEx 2-day (note: it says it arrived 31/8, the invoice is printed 01/09 and it was delivered 03/09)
Value: 60euro

Taxes paid: €10,24 -

Code "201" IVA 3,04
Code "600" Spese incasso contrassegno 7,20

Code 201 is clear, the code 600 seems ridiculous..anyway.

I am worried about ordering books now...can anyone give me an update on recent Amazon orders?

I have never had to pay customs on books I've ordered from Amazon.co.uk.

Perhaps because they already charge IVA??? (but who knows for sure?)

You should only have to pay on items coming in from Non EU countries. As there is free movement of goods within the EU and you pay the IVA at the source, it is illegal to ask for any duty on EU items.

quote:

Originally posted by alaskaitaly:
I have never had to pay customs on books I've ordered from Amazon.co.uk.

Perhaps because they already charge IVA??? (but who knows for sure?)

That's correct: I was checking only yesterday for some teaching books. They add the Italian VAT to the price (books are zero rated in the UK).

No duty as Damien has pointed out.

Well...I still have not received the small package of herbal supplements sent to me from the States.

I had a friend, who speaks much better Italian then I do, go with me to the post office to see if they knew anything about my package.

They didn't ...BUT....they gave us a phone number to the customs/Milan area that actually WORKS!!!!

The phone number is: 848.800.898

The woman who answered told us:

The 6,33 per importazione ad USO E CONSUMO PERSONALE - pharmacy items, cosmetics, etc. was to be paid to the post office and the original receipt sent to the Milan post office!

This - after their form says you can fax everything - you can fax the documents but you still must mail the original receipt for this fee.

THEN she says,even after receiving the fee, they won't send me the package unless the dogana folks have approved it-telling me the package has been with the customs folks.

Keep in mind, the package has been in Italy since mid-July.

So, I will now send the receipt and hope I finally receive the package.

Reviving this to find out something - Alaskaitaly, did you ever get that package of vitamins?

I made the mistake of ordering some lotions from a brand that I cannot find here in Italy, Dermalogica. I ordered them off Ebay from the US. I now got the form that you mentioned, have to pay the 6,93 or whatever and mail it back to Milan. Eventually I am going to run out of these products and I hope that this package comes to me in time! There are only 3 tubes in there of 3 different things. Clearly not for commercial use.

Nope...never got the package! At least not in Italy. They did finally send it back to my USA address - it only took them 8 months!!!!

The 6,00 something was only for the "service" the Italian post office was giving me... They would have then charged me Dogana if it would have come.

quote:

Perhaps because they already charge IVA??? (but who knows for sure?)

I order all the time from Amazon.co.uk, and the IVA rate depends on what country you have the goods sent to and is not uniform throughout the EU. This policy is stated before you order and is researchable on the website.

quote:

Originally posted by alaskaitaly:
Nope...never got the package! At least not in Italy. They did finally send it back to my USA address - it only took them 8 months!!!!

The 6,00 something was only for the "service" the Italian post office was giving me... They would have then charged me Dogana if it would have come.

Oh no, I was so stupid to have done this. I can't believe all this mess is for three bottles of lotion. Screw you, dogana! And Poste Italiane! Grr..

I have been wondering if having things sent by UPS to the local in Italy UPS store would simplify things at all. Has anyone tried this? We have a UPS/Mail Boxes etc. store near us.