FEDEX/Customs Query.

[sunny27]

hi!
my friend in the us is sending me a parcel weighing 310gms.
the contents are some personal documents, a brochure of an us university and a comic book.
he told me the cost of the contents is 0$(the comic is a gift)
however he told me that i might be taxed by customs for the shipping.
He told me he cannot declare the price at 0$ and that the shipping value would be on a packing slip on the parcel and that the customs might tax me based on the shipping.

Questions::
[1]if i am taxed who do i have to pay? fedex or the customs dept in ahmedabad?

[2]how much do i have to pay?

[3]do i have to pick it up from the customs office?

[4]how long would it take for the parcel to reach me in ahmedabad if it is dispatched today from the us?

 

[AK3D]

If any dutiable items are sent via Fedex, they will pay the customs fees, and take the same from you on delivery.

The best thing would be for your friend to mark the contents as documents, and there should be NO duties on the package.

 

[PhOeNiX]

For documents, the price can be zero i guess, but not for the comic book nor the brochure (unless its an academic brochure). They all have a Taxable value assessed by the customs guys if not declared. FEDEX will pay all the duties and will ask you to reimburse them at the time of delivery.

Charges for comics and Brochures are 10% basic duty, and another 15% excise plus cess etc. So around 25-30% of the value (mind you, assessable value is basic value+shipping+insurance costs). yes, you have to pay duties on the shipping costs also most of the time

 

[adder]

but if i remembered correctly if they are marked as gift ,one won't be taxed provided the gift item doesn't exceed Rs5000 ,if it does exceed 5k then it will be taxed with shipping included.

i had bought a performance air filter from UK it wasn't taxed since it was marked as engineering sample the air filter costed $50.

on the other hand i had ordered a washer which costs only $10 and $40 for shipping via USPS was taxed about Rs210 since it was mentioned as motorcycle part,the post man will bring the parcel and u have to pay him the tax amount.

 

[sunny27]

Questions::

[1]if i am taxed who do i have to pay? fedex or the customs dept in ahmedabad?

[2]how much do i have to pay?

[3]do i have to pick it up from the customs office?

[4]how long would it take for the parcel to reach me in ahmedabad if it is dispatched today from the us?

it is an academic brochure! masters in business management brochure -- so i have to pay for that and the comic book.can anyone tell me how much--in case the parcel comes and i am not at home i can leave the amount with my neighbour.the parcel would come by fedex - so the postman is ruled out.

so technically i am looking at ~ 500rs.(correct me if i am wrong) what is the point of a gift if you have to pay for it?

 

[cranky]

1. Fedex will collect from your doorstep

2. You should declare some small value. If customs sees a value of about $5 on it (which is about right for a comic), they may not bother to charge customs. I have had times when they have waived charges on packages for electronic kits, CDs and books. But sometimes they will even charge for a single pin.

3. Fedex will deliver package to your door and collect customs from you. They will give you an invoice. You cannot avoid some amount of duty with Fedex.

4. Should be about a week, it takes about two days to Mumbai, after that it depends on customs. If there is only paper in the packet, they may not bother with customs at all and your package may come through by middle of next week.

Good luck.