These things are not academic; as soon as they will want to renew the German passport the government will ask again whether they have dual citizenship, if you tell the truth, you will loose your German passport, you are not given a choice I think.

http://www.ezv.admin.ch/zollinfo_pri...n&CControl=yes

Yes I've read that with the help of form 18.44 you (or presumably a moving/shipping company) can bring your (6 month or older) belongings into Switzerland. From what I read about the postal customs procedure though it seemed like it wouldn't really work to send individually mailed parcels through the post with this form. I tried contacting (through the customer service links on their websites) both Swisspost and EZV (customs) to ask about this but got no reply, so I assume there isn't a nice simple answer. One of the attractions of the idea of posting was its relative simplicity, so if I have to negotiate with customs officials or arrange with shippers to send in bulk I might as well just go with a moving or shipping company anyway. (Just have to make the choice between the Too-Expensive Company and the Dodgy-As Company.)

Worst case scenario though, I lose all my books in the move and have to go shopping for more ... doesn't sound so bad actually.

To follow up on my own question (maybe it helps those searching later) I eventually did get a response back from Swiss post (I am probably too impatient) on the question of whether I could mail my books as personal belongings through the post with form 18.44.

They said:


in response to me asking the following:

I am moving from Denmark to live in Berne and would like to send some of my possessions by surface mail via Post Danmark. I have read on the EZV website that removal goods can be imported tax-free when relocating from Switzerland to abroad. http://www.ezv.admin.ch/zollinfo_privat/zu_beachten/00352/index.html?lang=en&CControl=yes Will I be able to send parcels to Berne tax-free and if so how should I do the paperwork? As well as a normal customs declaration listing the contents and value of parcel, should I also attach a form 18.44 (declaring that I am relocating to Switzerland) to each one? Also, would I be charged a processing fee, even if no duty or VAT was charged? Thank you very much for your help, Wednesday.

I'm glad I found this thread. So if you bought furniture in Germany and have them sent to Zurich, I will have to pay import taxes for these, correct? I paid toughly EUR 8,500 for the couch and 2 sessels...

i also need some help cant find customs information about how much i pay if i bring something from the US on plane.. i pay WAT but how do they calculate the c.duty? somewhere i read it's based on weight.. how much is it? (for musicinstruments e.g.)

http://www.ezv.admin.ch/zollinfo_pri...x.html?lang=en

If it cost more than 300chf you pay VAT at 7.6% (2.4% for some goods)

D

thanks, i thought there were additional charges but then it's nice

You were maybe thinking about customs duties on post and packages. D

http://www.ezv.admin.ch/zollinfo_pri...x.html?lang=en

i purchased an item this past weekend from an ebay.ch retailor located in germany. total cost including shipping - 47 euro. it was shipped via UPS, and there were no additional charges (customs or processing) of any sort. I think i was lucky, but i specifically chose a german vendor rather than a brit thinking that an item from germany might get less attention than from the UK.

Hi does anyone know what the rules are for this.....

Let me explain... I like a lot of people like to use the internet to do my shopping, ie ebay and alike....

Now when I buy something from outside of Switzerland how do I determine how much tax I will be paying on it and at what value do things become taxable?

I hope that all makes sense?


Cheers

Paul.

It's about 60CHF before you have to pay tax on it.
All the info is on post.ch but I'm not exactly sure where. sorry!

Cheers Kalli!

I don't know it's like a lottery....

I bought something from the Uk value was only 24 pounds and I had to pay 17 francs at the post office! I was stunned

I have payed for certain things in the past.... but never on anything as low as 24 pounds .

Kind of takes the interest out of ebay and a like....

Paul.

Hello
Does any one know what is the weight of a package for it to come without problem (meaning taxes) from the USA.
I have family in the USA and I started ordering supplements and cloths from internet and I would like them to send me the package and to receive it without having to pay extra fees.
Thanks a lot for any info.
Teri

Hello all!

First post here and it took me absolutely ages to figure out how....oh dear...

I have a question

I want to buy some stuff from the USA and Europe, both new and second hand, does anyone have any information regarding charges made by customs (Zoll)? How do they assess the worth of the item? And when it's second hand? Is there a limit?

I once bought a used bike part from ebay and was stunned when I had to pay extra to customs! The postman was unable to explain and neither were customs...

Perhaps the forum has the answer

Thanks

This has been discussed previously in this thread:
http://www.englishforum.ch/daily-lif...-payments.html

D'you know......I don't have a clue how they work it out. I think they take a look at the packages that come through and depending on what mood they're in, think "mmmmmm eeny meeny myney mo I'm gonna charge chf15 for that one" & "mmmmmm eeny meeny myney mo I won't charge anything for that". I order quite a few things from Amazon, and sometimes I get charged and sometimes I don't. I recently ordered two xbox games for my kids. One was delivered to my post box, the other I had to collect from the post office and pay 16 francs to collect it...........and the value of that game was 14 chf less than the other one !!!!

Private persons can obtain items through the post tax-free when the value is less than CHF 100. Otherwise, 7.6% VAT is due on the entire value.

Special duties apply to alcohol and some agricultural produce. And there are some fixed processing and collection fees.

Obviously, the Customs can only make spot checks and many deliveries slip through.

Hmmmm....the plot thickens.

I wonder if it's a genuine present do you have to pay anything?

ooops I seem to have started a new thread accidently, did'nt realise one already existed!

Thanks for your replies

yes thats a question , do they base the 7.6% on Swiss price of item or on price in country of sale?

And when the item is used ? Still 7.6% ???

I'm beginning to slowly appreciate the logistics and hidden depths of the apprenticeship of a customs official

How would they know the Swiss price?? What exactly is a Swiss price anyway??

They base the 7.6% on the declared cost as supplied by the sender.



Nigel