I had a package stuck in customs in Santo Domingo for over 6 months before they released it....good luck with your pursuit
- Thread starter santanatwins
- Start date
Package stuck in customs
How $299 multiplies in customs
We just imported a new Xbox 360 Kinect ($299 amazon) for one of the kids, and I think a lot of misunderstanding surrounds this issue, and how tax is calculated, especially surrounding on what number they use, and how on this package it was RD$6,178 (arround $166 which is 56% of the xbox)
So I will break this down as I had this explained in detail this year...
First of all, the taxable value is on the entire value plus ALL shipping (CIF value I think it's called)...
So first of all, Amazon putting an additional game we ordered ($55 value) in the same box didn't ease the burden. We won't make that schoolboy error again....
So we start with a package arriving in Miami with a value of $360.91..
Now, to the $360.91, aduanas add 2% de seguro (insurance) and 15% de flete (transportation).
My package is now worth $422.27 (RD$15,771.78)
Now to this we take 20% gravamen (import tax) RD$3154.36
Totalling $18,926.14 to which ITBIS (VAT) is added at 16% - RD$3028.18
Totalling overall RD$21,954.32
On top of that is the tasa aduanera which is US$0.25 per kilo.
So in reality, aduanas did absolutely nothing wrong.
So just the Xbox in pesos
RD$11,152 item
RD$6,178 tax
RD$2,700 shipping
RD$20,030 TOTAL
which I was happier about when I saw Plaza Lama knocking it out at $23,995 last week!!!
If we'd done it right and not put the other game in, it would have been another RD$1,000 less in taxes too....
To the OP, RD$2272 + RD$2181 + RD$100 = RD$4,553 or US$121.90 to get it out and will be payable in advance usually.
On the topic of times and so forth, we've used Pobidom in Santo Domingo for years with no problems, and this is the first time we've had to pay tax with them..they were in contact immediately with the amount and cleared the item within a day or two....
To the poster who suggested reducing the item value, get real....they're not stupid, they look at the value of items all day long, and are more likely to stuff you if you try and lie about it...I have seen this and they are holding all the cards so you're pretty much stuffed....
Finally, to all the people thinking US$200 US$200 for tax, remember the shipping cost, plus the 17% that aduanas are adding and if the CIF value is over $200 you're liable.....so give $10 shipping and the %, keep it below $165 to be safer...
We just imported a new Xbox 360 Kinect ($299 amazon) for one of the kids, and I think a lot of misunderstanding surrounds this issue, and how tax is calculated, especially surrounding on what number they use, and how on this package it was RD$6,178 (arround $166 which is 56% of the xbox)
So I will break this down as I had this explained in detail this year...
First of all, the taxable value is on the entire value plus ALL shipping (CIF value I think it's called)...
So first of all, Amazon putting an additional game we ordered ($55 value) in the same box didn't ease the burden. We won't make that schoolboy error again....
So we start with a package arriving in Miami with a value of $360.91..
Now, to the $360.91, aduanas add 2% de seguro (insurance) and 15% de flete (transportation).
My package is now worth $422.27 (RD$15,771.78)
Now to this we take 20% gravamen (import tax) RD$3154.36
Totalling $18,926.14 to which ITBIS (VAT) is added at 16% - RD$3028.18
Totalling overall RD$21,954.32
On top of that is the tasa aduanera which is US$0.25 per kilo.
So in reality, aduanas did absolutely nothing wrong.
So just the Xbox in pesos
RD$11,152 item
RD$6,178 tax
RD$2,700 shipping
RD$20,030 TOTAL
which I was happier about when I saw Plaza Lama knocking it out at $23,995 last week!!!
If we'd done it right and not put the other game in, it would have been another RD$1,000 less in taxes too....
To the OP, RD$2272 + RD$2181 + RD$100 = RD$4,553 or US$121.90 to get it out and will be payable in advance usually.
On the topic of times and so forth, we've used Pobidom in Santo Domingo for years with no problems, and this is the first time we've had to pay tax with them..they were in contact immediately with the amount and cleared the item within a day or two....
To the poster who suggested reducing the item value, get real....they're not stupid, they look at the value of items all day long, and are more likely to stuff you if you try and lie about it...I have seen this and they are holding all the cards so you're pretty much stuffed....
Finally, to all the people thinking US$200 US$200 for tax, remember the shipping cost, plus the 17% that aduanas are adding and if the CIF value is over $200 you're liable.....so give $10 shipping and the %, keep it below $165 to be safer...
SteveS:
And if you had had someone ship it to you by DHL or UPS with a declared value of 125 dollars you would have paid nothing!! Or if you had shipped it in a barrel or a box with 140 pounds of rice, 30 pounds of sugar (cheaper in the US), 30 pounds of good peanut oil, and a laptop or two,you would have paid maybe 80 dollars and had it delivered door to door...
HB
And if you had had someone ship it to you by DHL or UPS with a declared value of 125 dollars you would have paid nothing!! Or if you had shipped it in a barrel or a box with 140 pounds of rice, 30 pounds of sugar (cheaper in the US), 30 pounds of good peanut oil, and a laptop or two,you would have paid maybe 80 dollars and had it delivered door to door...
HB
Just got off the phone with fed-ex and still waiting on them to inform me of the taxes I owe. They also called my mother to inform her of the same.
They did said that fed-ex is scanning the package everyday so it brings a little comfort in knowing that the Wii isn't sitting in someone's house.
They did said that fed-ex is scanning the package everyday so it brings a little comfort in knowing that the Wii isn't sitting in someone's house.
I'm normally not a betting man, but on this I would lay odds that your package IS going to find a new home.....they're just waiting for you to get FED-UP....... :ermm::ermm:
B in Santiago
heres my story and like the other guys said you should have inquired on the boards before hand. i ordered a dell laptop on ebay for my wife, had it shipped to my EPS address in Doral, FL but i specifically told the ebay seller not to put a receipt or invoice in the box for the computer which cost me $430 cause i knew what was coming from the thieves at customs here in DR. so of course they call me and tell me they need a "factura" so i printed the original and changed the values from $430 to $192 dollars. i know it isnt the right thing to do but i hate the fact that customs here sticks it to everyone and theres NOTHING anyone can do about it. so i saved myself about 15% of that 430 which comes to about $64 dollars. but best of all my wife got her laptop and the priceless moment was sticking to customs for "THEIR" import duty. take that Rafael Camilo.
When something is used or out of the box and you say its used, I think its very hard to say what the value of a particular item is. But I would guess it's maximum value is $199...
When I travel I never transport expensive items in it's box. I always open it and put the box somewhere else if I want to wrap it again (for a gift). The recipient would understand.
for used Items shipped they usually take the Value of the Item as New and discount something because it's used, by Thumb Rule, lol.
as far as Travelling and bring valuable Items with you in your Luggage and Carry On, I do exactly the same, I bring them Unpacked with no new Stickers or still the Price etc on 'em, it saves anyways a lot of luggage space without the packages, I never bring the original Boxes, they are worthless here, and if I make somebody a expensive Gift such as a Notebook or a Wii etc etc the Recipient of such Gift should not dare to complain about the missing "Package", lol.
I usually bring 2 Notebookes and several external Harddrives, a good number of Memory sticks and SD Cards and 3 compact Digicams, all unpacked, most in a Laptopcase, saves also Luggage space because on my flights of Germany they never included my Laptop Case nor the big Nikon Case in the Weight Allowance, never had a problem not even been asked about the Items, it looks as the usual Vacation Stuff you carry with ya.
Advantage for a Gringo with Residency at PC Airport:
You pass Immigrations on the Speedline with Your Residency Card in Hand, but in case Customs stops You to check Your Luggage You solely show Your Foreign Passport, not the Residency Card, such usually run's very smooth.
Happy New Year
Mike
as far as Travelling and bring valuable Items with you in your Luggage and Carry On, I do exactly the same, I bring them Unpacked with no new Stickers or still the Price etc on 'em, it saves anyways a lot of luggage space without the packages, I never bring the original Boxes, they are worthless here, and if I make somebody a expensive Gift such as a Notebook or a Wii etc etc the Recipient of such Gift should not dare to complain about the missing "Package", lol.
I usually bring 2 Notebookes and several external Harddrives, a good number of Memory sticks and SD Cards and 3 compact Digicams, all unpacked, most in a Laptopcase, saves also Luggage space because on my flights of Germany they never included my Laptop Case nor the big Nikon Case in the Weight Allowance, never had a problem not even been asked about the Items, it looks as the usual Vacation Stuff you carry with ya.
Advantage for a Gringo with Residency at PC Airport:
You pass Immigrations on the Speedline with Your Residency Card in Hand, but in case Customs stops You to check Your Luggage You solely show Your Foreign Passport, not the Residency Card, such usually run's very smooth.
Happy New Year
Mike
So I finally got the call from Fedex today. Total duty due was $129.90 usd. So lesson learned. I should have known better than to send it via Fedex but I was just trying to get the gift to my son in time for christmas.
Next time I'll bribe my mother into leaving some of her clothes behind so she can bring it back with her checked luggage or carry-on. Had it not been for Jet blue's 2 bag limit, I would have paid the $50 fee so my mother could take a third bag.
Oh well, live and learn. My next dilemma in this saga is actually hearing from my mother that she has the package in hand.
Thanks to everyone who advised me on how to do it right the next time.
Next time I'll bribe my mother into leaving some of her clothes behind so she can bring it back with her checked luggage or carry-on. Had it not been for Jet blue's 2 bag limit, I would have paid the $50 fee so my mother could take a third bag.
Oh well, live and learn. My next dilemma in this saga is actually hearing from my mother that she has the package in hand.
Thanks to everyone who advised me on how to do it right the next time.
good to hear,
and it may arrive On Time for "Los Reyes", Kings Day,
the Day Kiddies get their Presents here traditionally.
Happy New Year
Mike
I WISH I would have read this before shipping a box of used electronic gifts a couple weeks ago. Now my package is "stuck in customs" and the constant unclear communication from DHL Santiago customer reps are driving me crazy. I just want a clear answer "how much $$$$ will it cost to deliver the package?" I will never do this again. I'll update you when I hear back from them.
Santanatwins!! Congratulations! And many thanks for telling us about the outcome of this trial. I know you suffered a ton. See, I went through almost the same thing a couple of years ago when a customer sent me some cigar rings and put 1385 dollars on the value price!! I never saw the package and for all I know it is still in Customs!!
Lots of good knowledge here in this thread. Thanks to you all.
HB
Lots of good knowledge here in this thread. Thanks to you all.
HB
hey everyone i want to send 4 second hand blackberry's (they basically look new in the box with accesories)
to DR for my family menbers. im currently living in the netherlands
and i would like to know if i still got to pay dutty tax at customs and how can i find out how much?
to DR for my family menbers. im currently living in the netherlands
and i would like to know if i still got to pay dutty tax at customs and how can i find out how much?
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your lucky if you received everything in the boxes. Twice now I've shipped either a Tanque or a box here and invariably something has gone missing. First it was a handheld DVD player, this year it was more - a spare laptop computer I hid down at the bottom of the box, clothes, a motorcycle helmet....all were missing. I suspect Customs but couldn't prove it.
thanks for your reaction, this is crazy in DR that they can do these type of things,
but do they charge u any import dutty when u shipped ur boxes?