Duties and Taxes
Package forwarding companies like OPAS save you money by letting you shop at online stores in the United States for lower retail prices than in your home country. But what happens when you import your purchases? You may be responsible for duties assessed by your country’s customs authority. This guide will help you declare your assets accurately to avoid unnecessary taxes.
Item Value
When you make a shipping request, you need to declare the value of your shipment. The value you enter on your request form is the value that will be declared at customs, so you must say it accurately. If you declare too high a value, you may be assessed more taxes than you want to pay! On the other hand, if you declare too low a value, your declared value may be considered unreasonable and adjusted upward.
Quality
Your items may be assessed differently by your country’s customs authority, depending on how they were made. For example, leather goods may be taxed more than vinyl goods, and new interests may be taxed more than used or repaired goods. To avoid unnecessary taxes, make sure to describe your item(s) as accurately as possible on the shipping request form.
Country
Different countries have different regulations regarding the import of goods. For example, the European Union has special guidelines for imports from the United States, and Australia does not tax the import of any hand-made goods! When filling out your shipping request form, check the import regulations of your country to see if there are any special allowances that apply to your items
Insurance
Your items are insured against loss or damage during shipment up to the value you declare on your shipping request form. Declaring the value of your items helps you avoid unnecessary taxes and keeps your shipments safe!
Avoid extra taxes
The value you enter on your request form is the value that will be declared at customs. You are responsible for declaring the value of your items accurately and for any import duties assessed by your country’s customs authority.
