Anyone with experience importing computer equipment?

Maybe cafta applies to some goods that are manufactured in the USA. Not sure much if any components for a computer are actually made there and few if any completed components are assembled in the US. Plugging in a bunch of foreign made parts into a foreign made motherboard and putting it all in a foreign made case probably doesn't meet the "made in America" benchmark. I suspect anything arriving by air over $200 will result in a tax bill and the onus will be on you to prove the item should be tax free.

Probably best to make this initial tax free ascertain with supporting documentation when you advise your courier of the impending delivery stateside. I'd probably reach out to a customers broker in SD and ask for clarification and how best to proceed. Let us know how you make out. I need a new server and it's well over $200.

Computer is exempt from import duties, but pays ITBIS tax on its value, if over US$200.

I have imported or mailed a computer to the DR and sometimes the charge me taxes and other times they don't. I suspect it's based on the value of the item as was mentioned earlier.

Hi Expat,

I do this all the time. I live in NY and my wife's family lives in Santo Domingo. We send down iPads, iPhones and laptops that we buy off of eBay (buy you could send anything). What you need to ensure is that each shipment is less than $200 cumulative value. So for example, I can send down (2) iPad 2's quoting them as a used value of $9 each and I don't pay import taxes or say, a Dell or Lenovo laptop that's a year or two old (say, with an i5 processor, 4 Gb RAM, 15" LCD screen etc.) quoted at $200. TV's would be the same. The key is that whatever tech you send, you only pay taxes if the current value is greater than $200.

So, here's what I do paperwork-wise and it seems to work well. I've never had a shipment held, delayed or otherwise questioned. I include in a clear envelope on the outside of the box (you know the type a FEDEX label would go in):

#1. An invoice that I type up in Microsoft Word with a line item description of each item I'm sending and a price. I've included an example below of one I used for sending an iPad2 (note, I've put the links in as both a link and an image link, not sure which will work)



https://1drv.ms/i/s!Aiq5GmzBb9XX5zfnLfxGlhW2zpC5

#2. Then I send something to support the price I put in the invoice. Note, this step is probably optional however I do it so it isn't questioned how I got the used price valuation. Note I tend to go to eBay and find the item I'm sending and print one of the postings that are listed at the time in order to show relative value. See link(s) below for an example of this.



https://1drv.ms/i/s!Aiq5GmzBb9XX5zhdYpLif69kJhkr

#3. That's it. I use a courier in Miami so I FedEx Ground the item to the courier with the two items above, the invoice and price support document in a plastic envelope on the outside of the box so when it hits the DR, they can examine it. Note that for good measure, I also include a copy of the two docs inside the box as well. I hope they never open the box because I know that it means I'll probably never see the items again! LOL! Hope this helps

-Jim

Expat,

One last thing in re-reading your original post.

a. I don't believe CAFTA enters into this unless you're importing (as an importer/business) from the USA for resale in DR. (or vice versa). In your case, you're buying something for personal consumption. CAFTA would be, say, for Apple to ship a shipment of iPad's to the DR to be sold new by a DR store (where tax is collected during the sale). The $200 limit you're referring to is a personal exemption limit. Above that, the rationale is that the DR revenue authorities would be collecting import taxes that are technically lost by not purchasing locally.

b. The key for any of this is to show as reasonable as possible the value of what you're importing. That's where the invoice and supporting document come into play. Note, you can stretch this within reason because the person who is working the day your shipment arrives is making the call on whether the valuation you've put down is reasonable. If the item is used and you note that on the invoice, that immediately helps. However if you ship a brand new, LG 56" latest technology curved-screen LCD television and try to claim a price of $200, you'll probably be banged for tax on the value above $200 that they find online (and of course, they won't be looking for what the lowest value they can find it online either).

Hope this helps

...the 2 laptops I have brought down, have been in my carry on luggage... no problem.. the other electronics, tablets, tvs up to 32 inch also in checked luggage...never a problem, but last week was in pricemart, 32inch tv , 11,500 pesos, so I bought one...at that price hardly worth the problem of bringing TVs from the US on the plane.......Doc......

miesposo and his BFF bring computer parts in all the time. if they arrive by a courier and the value is over 200 dollars you pay ITBIS, like rubio said.
if you bring it in your hand luggage as personal item you don't pay.

in the past occasionally one could luck out. we did have few items over 200 bucks that did not pay the tax. whether it was by luck or by accident, who knows. now they are cracking up on this stuff and it's far less likely to happen.

assume that all items over 200 dollars will pay ITBIS and try to find items below this value or take additional charge like a man and pay up.

I cannot see DR-CAFTA ever applying to computer equipment since virtually no computer equipment is US made.

If you can keep each shipment under $200, that will certainly help to avoid any additional fees other than shipping.

Personal luggage is how I normally bring in anything computer related over $200 in value.

Hi Expat, why don't you just hop on a flight to Miami, enjoy the weekend, buy whatever computers you want and bring them back in your computer bag after taking them out of the boxes they come in. They will not bother you at the airport and you will pay no duty or taxes. I have done this many times both here and in other foreign countries. Just took a couple of computers from Miami to Belize this way for some friends of mine that live there.