Hello all,

Apologies if this has been covered before.

Could someone please explain how import tax works?
I've asked the Post Office but they weren't very helpful...

My understanding is that you pay VAT + customs tax (around 30.-) for anything over 65 francs...is that correct?

Could someone give me examples when importing from EU and the US?

Thanks

Don't know of that 65 CHF rule but here's what I know

Upon import there's 2 things you have to pay.

VAT: 2.4 or 7.6 % depending on the product
Duty: Depending on the product. For a lot of products there's 2 duty fees. One if the country of origin is within the EU and you need a EUR1 certificate to prove that. Another one if it's not from the EU.
Usually the EU duty is a lot lower and a lot of products are duty free from within the EU.

The swiss duty tariffs can be researched online http://xtares.admin.ch/

What is it you would like to import?

http://www.englishforum.ch/general-c...hlight=customs

the search was simply for "customs"

Does anyone know of a website that lists all the import duties /tariffs and restrictions on importing goods into CH (preferably in English or French)

I'm interested to know why some things (not always an obvious one) seem to be so much more expensive than in other countries.

Thanks, Nick

Hi Nickj,

If you're talking about post, there's a link in English here (Swiss post).

For customs info for private people there's this page (not in English, but available in De/It/Fr) for private people.

Or for companies try here.

hope that helps!

Hi Jot,

Thanks for that, the site looks good, just need to find my way around the site and I'm sure the answers are there.

Nick.

Seeing as I just got into this here is the information I have:

www.tares.ch shows you the duty to be paid on imports. You have to click a few times to get to the right page and it is not that clear what to do when you arrive... But it is bloody good when you get the hang of it...

Interestingly more or less the whole of the duty section of the swiss government website is NOT in English...

If anybody needs any specific help or wants to know the duty and cannot work it out themselves and it is not on the little form at every border crossing then I will let you have it - so to speak...

this one though is for the us..

TariffPro – Import Duties Harmonized Tariff Schedule

Ok, I'm just not getting the hang of this site!
I haven't found anything on textiles. Can you tell me if there is a section on importing textiles? (fabric, not finished goods)

When we import we need to pay both VAT and import duty? Is that correct? Does this page you suggest indicate how much these might be?

Hi All
Wanted to know if I have to pay customs duty on items imported to Switzerland for personal use.

The Item I am planning to buy from a US-based website is NOT an electronics item. It is actually a "tripod" for my camera.

Since the consignment will be sent to my via post / DHL, how would the Zoll (Customs) office know what exactly the consignment looks like or what it contains? Incase I am charged, is there a way to get a refund?

Regards,

You are liable to pay Swiss sales tax on this item.
You won't get it back.
The merchant will declare the value of it and post or DHL will bill you for the tax plus an admin overhead.

I don't know about UPS or USPS, but DHL has bad conditions for one time customers: Last year I ordered shirts worth 84$ in an American online store. DHL charged me:

- ca. 8 Fr. VAT/MWSt, as I expected
- 17 Fr. administrative fee
- 8 Fr. Vorlagenprovision (interest for their generousity to advance the VAT to the customs)



Their advise for frequent importers is to open a ZAZ-Konto ("Zentralisiertes Abrechnungsverfahren der Zollverwaltung"), DHL won't charge you this 25 Fr. if you have one.

There is nothing for you to get back because web shops from the US don't include VAT in their prices.

Hi all,

I am planning to buy an electric guitar worth about 2000 euros/3000 CHF from a French website. On the Swiss Customs site, they say that this kind of product is subject to

i)the usual 7.6% VAT
ii)a duty rate of 24 CHF per 100kg (that's about 5 CHF)
iii)an additional tare 20% of the net weight

So, I would expect to pay an extra amount of about 300 CHF. Is this correct or are there any additional charges I am unaware of?

Thanks.

A handling charge for taxing you if you get it through mail. This varies from carrier to carrier... but up to CHF60 should cover it and from CHF 10...

I just received a few computer things in the mail. I had it sent via USPS priority, and it was fast enough. 7.6% VAT + 10 Franks was the total charge. I'm glad someone here told me to avoid FedEX, UPS, DHL, etc.

is it cheaper to import goods bought from a US website into the UK or into CH? I have the option of either....

thanks,
undercover mole

DHL now charges 19 SFR Administrative Fee. What a rip-off

Hi,

The Internet takes tax-free shopping to a new level. In fact, no-tax shopping has become a prime lure of online retailers looking to hook consumers on click-and-charge buying. Despite what you sometimes hear, however, some Internet sales are subject to sales tax, and even when a site doesn't collect sales tax, consumers are technically responsible for remitting any unpaid sales tax on online purchases directly to their state.

I think this article may help you get some more info.
http://www.taxreport.info/document.php?id=34

But to get specific data, its always best to contact your local accountant.

--brookes

Did you ever find anything out about this? I just ordered some slipcovers for my sofa from Sweden to be shipped to my home in Geneva; I have six weeks of hand-wringing until the things arrive and then I'll finally know how much I'll *really* be paying for them...

Just got a package from the states and was charged for 3 different charges. The handling fee (Formalites en douane) is now CHF 35, not the 10 anymore......and this was definitely the highest cost of the three charges: Droits de douane, TVA (VAT), and Formalites en douane.

btw, I was told after calling the number on the reciept that the VAT is caculated by (value of goods + postages + Droits de douane) * 7.6%. You are effectively taxed VAT on the duties which makes absolutely no sense to me.

My question now is (I forgot to ask over the phone) if I return part of the purchase back to the sender, can I get a partial refund of the duties and VAT? Anyone?

OTOH,
I like it back in the states where I shopped all over the world online and never once had to pay any duties or taxes, not even on a brand new cell phone and >10 packages with over 200-300GBP value declared...