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 Jeff Steiner's Americans in France.Resource for people that would like to live or travel in France. |
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ForumRead Message
| Subject: | Shipping christmas gift to France |
| Date: | Friday, January 05, 2007 |
| Name: | chris |
| Message: |
Hi,
My father got me a digital camera for christmas, and he wants to send it to me to France from the US. I was wondering if there would be any customs or tax to pay when it arrives. I think french tax is like 20%, so that would be quite a bit on a 300$ camera. And it would be a shame to pay so much to recieve a gift ! I also have the possibility to get it when I visit my parents in february, would that be a better idea ? thanks for your advice :) |
Replies Posted 5.
| Name | cyndyann |
| Message |
OK this is the deal... and it is too late for you, but good information for ANYONE else that wants to ship to other countries... With family in England, France, Spain and the US we have been sending and receiving packages frequently over the last 8 or so years.
Have it shipped Priority via US Postal Service - you can have it tracked up until it leaves the US. This is typically the way we ship, unless it is a big ticket item and then we go with DHL or UPS. I have shipped packages to France, England, Spain, US and have not had ANY problems. Make sure you send it via AIR and not SEA - it makes a big difference. What you have to do at the Post Office on any package shipped out of the country is fill out a customs paper. On that customs paper, make sure you check off "GIFT" in the area towards the bottom. You'll have to list everything in the package as well, but I've not ALWAYS listed everything. Only once a friend sent me a good sized box from the US when we were living in England. She sent it SEA (bad idea! on every experience with this) and it got lost. Finally, a YEAR later, she had the box returned to her badly damaged and soaked like they dragged it behind the boat because the "TO" address was so damaged they didn't know where else to send it. (She was lucky to ever have seen the package again) So best case scenario .... You can use First Class Priority Air Mail or you can send it DHL or UPS... DHL or UPS costs more, but you know it is going to get there... Just make sure the "GIFT" box is checked and there'll be no tax to you. I've also received a package (gifts for my kids for Christmas) where my sister in the US forgot to check off "GIFT" and I had a hefty customs tax to pay for what she said was the declared value of the box... not fun. Good Luck Cindy |
| Name | cris |
| Message | I have found that packages I have sent through the post, I pay no taxes on. Packages sent UPS or FEDEX, I have had to pay taxes. |
| Name | samantha |
| Message |
That's the thing - you never know, so if you're going home in a month, why take the risk?
A friend of mine had her father ship over a box of winter clothes, and she ended up having to pay 80¬ in taxes before they would hand over the box - for her own (used) clothing! |
| Name | Emily |
| Message | I've had many gifts sent to me here in France and have never had to pay tax. I would think you're pretty safe, but you never know. |
| Name | samantha |
| Message | Whether or not you pay customs on a package seems to be a crap shoot and you never know if they'll ask you for it or not, so if you're going home next month and don't want to take the risk, I'd just wait until then. |
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