aduanas introduce new rule of taxing personal articles

dv8

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Sep 27, 2006
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very interesting article in DL today:
https://www.diariolibre.com/noticia...-impuestos-por-articulos-personales-IE9547695

note this:
viajeros (...) se vieron obligados a pagar impuestos por artículos de su uso personal como son laptop, tabletas, celulares, cámaras digitales de fotografías y videos.

i'm not getting it. who is a subject of those taxes? dominicans residing outside of the country? as per this line:
Los pasajeros que llevan tres meses en adelante fuera del país, por ley se le permitía US$500 en mercancías personales, ahora le será aplicado el pago por el equivalente, muchos hoy se vieron precisados a dejar en aduanas televisores plasmas, laptop, mini componente musicales, entre otros artículos.

or are they charging tax for private phones of dominicans who went out of the country for a week? that does not seem right. and i cannot imagine DR taxing tourists for such things...
 

Cdn_Gringo

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Apr 29, 2014
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I suspect the items being taxed were items clearly identifiable as being new - in a box, with a price tag or in the case of that "TV in a suitcase" trick, with the protective plastic still on the screen. Tourists who are leaving in a week or two probably aren't affected unless they arrive with a suitcase full of goodies for friends who live here.

As is normal when processes change, common sense application of the new rules is often difficult for some functionaries who only seem to be proficient at sticking their hand in their pockets with some regularity. First I heard about all this so, once again great communication from aduanas.
 

cavok

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Jun 16, 2014
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Typical of pretty much any governmental law or regulation here - clear as mud!

That way they can apply it on what they want, when they want, and on whom they want.
 

ju10prd

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I bet they made a conscious decision not to print the personal item definition on the back of the form......I read the report that way (ya que no tiene inscritas las reglas para traer objetos personales como el anterior documento.)

The definition of the computers, cameras and telephones as being personal items no doubt gets heavily abused so they are doing like other countries and posting the duty free lists on arrival and you choose nothing or something to declare.

Keep it simple, some booze, some perfume and some cigarettes plus a personal item sum for new articles of say USD300 would be better.

We get ripped off in airport duty frees anyhow, who price close to outside prices and exploit that good feel travel mood.

On a related note, I do think the country is now looking to increase revenue from taxes at each and every existing source because of the budget deficit. The tourist card being applied to airline tickets is in this vein knowing it wont be reclaimed by the many eligible to do so. What's next?
 

william webster

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Jan 16, 2009
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without having an opinion on this...

we have all read here about bringing in several phones, etc that were not for own personal use.

this reminds of Migracion disallowing 'paid' sponsors for the citizenship applications
those people who were paid to sponsor applicants otherwise unknown to them
 

franco1111

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May 29, 2013
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Some of this has already been refuted by aduanas. Imperfect Google translation:

SANTO DOMINGO. The Directorate General of Customs said Tuesday that the rights of passengers entering the country personal items such as clothing, laptop, cameras, cell phone and other gifts to a maximum of $ 500 remain intact .

"Passenger rights remain intact; It is not true that they must pay (taxes) for their items in the category of luggage, such as clothing, a laptop and camera, cell phone, among others, as well as gifts up to a ceiling of 500 dollars, " said the Communications Office of the institution in an explanatory note to Diario Libre.

This Tuesday, Diario Libre reviewed the complaints of passengers that after the change of Customs form they had to pay for personal articles brought to the country.

In this regard, Customs explains that the passenger declaration form was modified to respond to Law 155-17 on Money Laundering and Financing of Terrorism, which orders the declaration of values ​​higher than US $ 10,000 upon leaving or entering the country, gathering information regarding the origin and destination of these, as well as the data related to the owner, issuer and receiver thereof.

The DGA stressed that the new form, clearer and more comfortable to fill, began to replace the previous one in February and its circulation has been accompanied by a campaign through written, radio and television media, in addition to social networks and the digital platforms of Customs, where the rights and restrictions of travelers are also disseminated, campaign that still remains.

The Customs Communications Department recalled that taxes apply to specific merchandise and those that, due to their quantity, may be considered for commercial purposes. He invited to read the passenger instructions on the web portal of the institution and added that its content remains unchanged, applying the best international practices in this regard.

https://www.diariolibre.com/noticia...eben-pagar-por-articulos-personales-GX9550329
 

ju10prd

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Travelling out of JBQ today I picked up a copy of the new customs form and please find attached photos of the back and front of the form:

90n6li.jpg


b3l79y.jpg


You only fill in on arrival despite the form having boxes for departure and arrival.
 

ju10prd

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Where do they tell you what merchandise is subject to taxes?

They do not on the form but the duty free exemptions may be posted in the airports......I will advise if I see as such on return.

It appears you have to list all purchases and I would work on the basis you get gifts of USD500 exempt for you or others, plus 3 litres of spirits, 20 packs of cigarettes or 25 cigars as previously with zero issues with your pre-owned personal items.

If you import a TV now bring the receipt and expect to pay anything over US500...or a good propina. It would appear perfumes and other toiletries bought for your lady will fall in the USD500.
 

cavok

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But it says right on the back of the form to list those items that are subject to tax - not all items(?). Also, the Diario Libre article link said passengers were obliged to pay for personal items like laptops, tablets, cellphones, and camaras and many people had to leave their TV's, laptops, small stereo systems, and "other"(?) articles. Maybe they didn't have the money to pay the taxes(?). Based on that, it sure doesn't sound like items under $500 are exempt(?).

What you have to declare and what is going to be subject to tax still seems very unclear to me.
 

ju10prd

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But it says right on the back of the form to list those items that are subject to tax - not all items(?). Also, the Diario Libre article link said passengers were obliged to pay for personal items like laptops, tablets, cellphones, and camaras and many people had to leave their TV's, laptops, small stereo systems, and "other"(?) articles. Maybe they didn't have the money to pay the taxes(?). Based on that, it sure doesn't sound like items under $500 are exempt(?).

What you have to declare and what is going to be subject to tax still seems very unclear to me.

Declare new purchases...gifts.

Those existing personal items you travel with as news articles today are not subject to tax.

It is no different anywhere where you have a personal gift allowance plus alcohol, cigarettes and often perfumes.

Don't expect to arrive in DR with lots of new personal items without scrutiny from now on and if you don't declare the question is like other countries will they prosecute.......I some how doubt the same intensity that would happen of you lied to customs in say the UK....which is pretty fierce from personal experience.

It is all normal stuff in other countries and DR is slowly beginning to shape up.

For me if I buy alcoholic drinks....3 litres max, this trip I wont write on form. If I buy perfume I will.
 

jahjahwarrior

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The concern for me is that it is stupidly easy to have more than $500 in stuff. An iPhone us $700-1000 alone!

Mexico has a light system where people are randomly chosen for inspection and forced to pay taxes on stuff they already owned and are traveling with.

As a photographer when I go on trips I often have $10k worth of camera gear with me, and I never want to haggle with someone over current value and paying taxes.

So I avoid Mexico... Hope Dr doesn't turn into the same. Every time I leave and enter Dr I have a Mavic drone with me, for example.

But all I bring for alcohol is beer which is pretty cheap. Charley Horse doesn't count as good craft beer yet..too foamy and only three types... Any self respecting craft beer store in the states has 5-30 brews...
 

ju10prd

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United Airlines was still handing out the old forms today. 

I arrived back at JBQ yesterday with new form that I had picked up on departure completed.

Several other passengers had completed the old form but were made to complete the new form instead. I think the customs officers are still unclear on what gets taxed and what not. No issues here. Declared nothing having nothing new to declare. Deplane to taxi 5 minutes.

JBQ now has an X Ray machine to check all bags on arrival so the bag search is no longer needed.