Duty on gifts from USA

[wisewomen]

I am going to NY in a couple of months and plan on doing some Xmas shopping.

What is the deal on paying Tax/Duty on the items I bring back?

[Dee Sa]

when I go shopping in the USA [ sheer bliss], I take 2 suitcases one inside the other and minimum clothes as I am going to buy new there, remove labels before the return so the clothes dont look new, pack everything else and go through green.
Good luck and enjoy yourself, if you are a serious shopper take the bus [from The Port Authority--- dont ask me why the bus station is named thus] and go to Paramus[pronounced PER-AM-US] in NJ for a serious days shopping, go to the Florida Mall, the bus station will put you on the right bus, journey takes about 45mins through "Soprano" territory, they have lockers at the mall so you dont have to carry all your shopping around all day.

[wisewomen]

If buying gifts is it best to get them gift wrapped, does this stop you paying duty or is it just a case of put everything in a suitcase?

[Cathyhuns]

if you import goods of more than �145 (I think) value you are supposed to use the red channel and pay duty on the goods purchased. However no-one does but if you should get caught you will be fined as well as having to pay the duty.

[Reverandfunk]

Take all the tags off the clothes/items you buy (its not like you'll be taking them back for a refund) and how on earth can customs possibly tell what you have bought over there?

[auntiebertie]

Take the labels off and wear a few of the items so they don't look new. Best place IMHO for shopping is Woodbury Common Outlet Mall - catch the bus from the Port Authority on 42nd and 8th. About an hour out of town - very pretty drive up into the hills and fantastic bargains for serious designer stuf!
http://www.premiumoutlets.com/outlets/outlet.a sp?id=7

[Buenchico]

The rules for personal imports from non-EU countries are here:
http://customs.hmrc.gov.uk/channelsPortalWebAp p/channelsPortalWebApp.portal?_nfpb=true&_page Label=pageTravel_ShowContent&id=HMCE_PROD_0102 20&propertyType=document

Be careful about buying cotton-based clothing. The import duty is normally 12% but the UK is currently operating a trade sanction against the USA. (This is because the USA is breaching World Trade Organization rules on subsidies to cotton farmers). So the present rate of duty is 27%. As an example, if you've already used up your �145 allowance and bring back a $100 (�50) dress, you'll get a bill for about �13.50 for import duty plus about �11 VAT. (VAT is charged on the duty, as well as on the value of the dress).

Many electronic items have very low rates of import duty, so your total bill (for duty + VAT) for importing such items wouldn't be as large as for clothing.

Chris

[Trotbot]

If you cut the labels out and you are stopped and lie about it, Customs will assume they were bought in the US and question you accordingly. It moves it from an innocent mistake (duty and penalties) to something potentially much more serious.

The chances of getting stopped are very small, but Customs (in the main) are not stupid.

[JonnoGenie]

Taking off price lables is a bit naive, although the chance of being stopped is small.

If customs open up your bag, you having spent a weekend in NY, with only one US stamp in your passport from the last year or two, and find a wardrobe of obviously new American lable clothes... what do you think they will conclude?

For electronic goods, they know what models are on sale where, and can search the serial numbers, to find where the items were sold.

They can search you for receipts, and search your credit card records if they wish.