Those who regularly buy various goods on foreign Internet sites must have encountered the customs service of their country of residence. All postal items sent to the country pass through the hands of workers in this field of activity. Customs officers examine the contents of the parcels for legality and consider the procedure for paying the appropriate fee. Such a fee is paid in the country where the goods are sent. That is, if a parcel was sent to you from Australia to Russia, then you will pay the tax in accordance with Russian law.

In this article, we will consider the basic rules for passing mail through state border Russia, Ukraine, Belarus and Kazakhstan. And we will find out what tax on parcels from abroad needs to be paid in each of these countries.

Some terminology

Customs clearance— a set of procedures related to the clearance of cargo crossing the border. Registration of interstate items (postal) is carried out through MMPO (places of international postal exchange) located in the country of the recipient. There are 24 such points in Russia. All of them have a different degree of congestion, which depends on the popularity of trade and transport routes.

IGO- postal item (international), forwarded goods, package, parcel.

Declared value (estimated, customs)- the cost of the goods being transported, appointed by the sender or established by the employee. The tax on foreign parcels depends precisely on how much the goods being sent cost.

Duty- Tax collection charged by customs officers.

Duty free limit- the rate of cargo by value or weight, for which no tax is levied when crossing the border. The limit is set in accordance with the legislation of the country of the recipient.

Customs Union - a single zone consisting of Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan, which is a common customs territory. This means that customs does not charge taxes on parcels sent within these countries.

Customs clearance methods

Delivery of goods to the country and subsequent customs clearance of cargo can be carried out in various ways:

  1. personally by the recipient. In the event that it becomes necessary to pay additional tax on parcels, the recipient himself deals with this issue - he goes to customs, fills in the necessary documents, pays the fee and picks up the goods.
  2. Courier service. If the goods being sent comply with the established standards, all clearance is undertaken by employees special service delivery. If the courier is not accredited to work with IGOs, an additional fee will be charged from the client.
  3. customs broker. Their services are usually resorted to only in controversial cases, since the work of a broker costs a lot. Usually they take at least 10% of the amount of the due fee (in practice, much more). Also, delivery services that do not have rights to work with IGOs ​​(UPS, DHL, TNT and others) are forced to turn to the services of brokers. At the same time, VAT is additionally added to the amount of duty.
  4. postal operator. With this option, all issues related to customs are taken over by Russian Post. In this case, the parcel tax is issued in the form of a regular receipt, which the recipient will pay when he picks up the goods at the office. The usual notification will be sent to the home address that the package has arrived.

Duties in Belarus

Now let's talk about what kind of tax on foreign parcels citizens of a particular country pay. Let's start with Belarus. It is in this country that the rates are the toughest.

Since mid-April this year, the duty-free limit in Belarus is only 22 €, and the weight of the item cannot exceed 10 kg. And this monthly rate per recipient. If the sending parameters exceed the norm, you will have to pay tax on international parcels. The duty is 30% of the amount exceeding the established limit (but not ˂ 4 € per 1 kg of cargo). And if the value of the received goods exceeds 1,000 €, the rate increases to 60%. In addition, for the very fact of customs clearance, you will have to pay an additional 5 € for each parcel.

In the event that the delivery is carried out by a courier service, you will have to additionally arrange it. You can do this yourself or turn to a customs broker for help. By the way, if you decide to use the services of a courier service, you should know that you will pay tax on foreign parcels received with their help for everything that exceeds the duty-free limit of 10 euros (instead of 22 €).

Until all the formalities are met, the postal item is located at the customs office located right at the airport.

Kazakhstan

The tax on parcels from abroad in this country is one of the most loyal. You will have to pay a fee if:

  • the value of all shipments received in one month exceeded 1,000 euros;
  • the weight of all goods that came from abroad in your name during the month exceeded 31 kg.

The Kazakh customs has some peculiarities. Here you need not only to understand which parcels are taxed, but also to know the rate of shipment of some goods:

  • food - no more than 10 kg per month;
  • cosmetics - a maximum of 3 pieces of the same type;
  • caviar (sturgeon or salmon) - no more than 250 grams;
  • sports equipment, baby carriages, Appliances and some other goods - 1 pc. per person;
  • bed linen, shoes, clothes, toys, bicycles, kitchen and household utensils - a maximum of 2 pieces of one type of product;
  • jewelry - 6 pieces.

And most importantly, the tax on international parcels is not paid only for 1 shipment per month.

Ukrainian customs

Ukraine has a law that came into force on April 1, 2014. In accordance with it, the limit on duty-free import of goods is 150 € per day (or 50 kg by weight).

In case of non-compliance with the norm, the tax on parcels is 10% of the amount exceeding the limit, to which 20% VAT and a processing fee (about 2 euros) are added. If the parcel weighs more than 100 kg or its total value exceeds 10,000 €, the cost of insurance and delivery of the goods is added to all the above.

All that has been said for clarity can be placed in the table:

In Ukraine, there are also requirements for the contents of parcels:

  • products - no more than 10 kg per 1 parcel;
  • electronic equipment or means of communication - a maximum of 2 pieces;
  • other norms.

If you do not follow the rules, the parcel may be recognized as commercial, and completely different payment rates will apply.

How to pay tax at Russian customs

In Russia today, the tax on parcels from abroad is the same as in Kazakhstan:

  • monthly limit — €1,000;
  • weight - no more than 31 kg.

For exceeding the standards, a fee of 30% for the excess will be charged. In this case, the amount cannot be less than 4 € / kg of excess weight.

Example:

  1. The parcel weighs 30 kg and costs 2300 €. The fee will be: (2300 - 1000) * 30% = 1200 * 0.3 = 360 €.
  2. The shipment weighs 40 kg and costs 380 €. The fee will be: (40 - 31) * 4 = 36 €.

If both the cost and weight of the postal item do not fit into the standard, then the fee is calculated in two ways, after which a large amount is presented for payment.

Exceptions to the rules

All of the above is true for sending goods for personal use. However, there is a group of goods that do not fall under this definition. These include:

  • slot machines;
  • medical equipment;
  • ICE (engines);
  • furniture for medical purposes (couches, massage tables, etc.);
  • solariums;
  • photo lab equipment;
  • other goods, a full list of which can be viewed on the FCS website.

In addition, according to a special scheme, duty is paid for the so-called indivisible goods. A special scheme is applied here: duty + VAT + excise duty. To calculate the amount of such a payment, you need to additionally find out the specific product.

Is it possible to bypass the rules?

If you are used to buying quite a lot of goods abroad, and you don’t want to pay the parcel tax, you can try to circumvent the existing norms. If the cost of goods does not fit into the limit, the parcel should be divided into two or three smaller ones. In this case, it must be remembered that the interval between shipments must be more than 30 days.

There is another option: break the package into several parts, and send each of them to different people. Parcels can be sent not to your address, but to the place of residence of a friend or relative. Just don't forget to warn them about it. After all, they will have to pick up the shipment.

If you live in Belarus and have already chosen your limit of 22 € per month, you can do this. Find a friend/relative in Russia or Kazakhstan, where the duty-free limit for importing goods is much higher. Ask them to order a parcel for no more than 1,000 € in their name (give them the money, of course). When they receive the parcel, they will be able to send it to you for free in Belarus. Since these three countries are members of the Customs Union, there is no duty charged for the transfer of goods between them.

What awaits us in the near future

For some time now, persistent talk has been circulating in Russia that the rate of duty-free import of goods needs to be tightened. There are several options for this:

  • pay extra 15 € for parcels whose value is more than 22 but less than 150 €, weighing no more than 10 kg;
  • for goods more expensive and heavier than the above, it is proposed to pay 15€ + 30% of the customs value.

There are other suggestions as well. For example, to tighten the rules to the standards adopted in Belarus. So far, this is all talk. However, no one guarantees that the rules will change in the near future.

Since you now know for sure whether parcels from Aliexpress, E-Bay and other marketplaces are taxed, it is worth adjusting your shopping schedule.

If you still decide to purchase goods abroad, the value or weight of which exceeds the established limits, choose delivery by regular mail. In this case, you will only pay the fee. If courier services or brokers are involved in the shipment, the amount of the overpayment will increase significantly.

Do not order many products of the same type unless you can prove their non-commercial purpose. For example, if you have five children, then 8 identical T-shirts different size can still be explained. But here are 15 footballs that clearly demonstrate the commercial purpose of the package.

In recent years, officials from the Russian Federal Customs Service (FCS) have come up with a resonant proposal to impose a tax on parcels from China.

The essence of the proposal was that the state treasury should now be replenished at the expense of Russians who prefer to shop in foreign online stores. The fact that the tax was introduced made people revolt.

Employees of the FCS came up with a proposal to impose a tax on parcels from China back in 2014. But then the Russian parliamentarians reacted to this initiative without much attention.

The question regarding the tax on parcels from the Middle Kingdom was raised at the level of the EAEU. In addition to the Russian Federation, the EAEU includes the following countries:

  1. Belarus.
  2. The Republic of Kazakhstan.
  3. Kyrgyzstan.
  4. Armenia.

The EAEU member countries did not support the Russian initiative. But the Russian side is not going to give up and continues to actively promote this issue. The Council of the Eurasian Union postponed the final decision on the issue.

The Russian Federation is ready to adopt an unpopular law even without the approval of the rest of the EAEU member states. If this happens, then most of the parcels from China will go to Russia not directly, but, for example, through Belarus. This will favorably affect the final cost, but it will take a very long time to wait for the parcel. And sometimes there are situations when.

What is it about

Parcels, which, at the initiative of the FCS, will henceforth be taxed, must meet certain criteria. Firstly, the weight of the parcel must be at least 1 kilogram; secondly, the price is above 22 euros. The mandatory fee is 10-15 euros. If the value of a foreign order is more than 150 euros, then the Russian recipient will have to pay 30% of the value of the goods, which is indicated on the package.

It is important to understand that the real value of the goods in the package is often much higher than the one that the seller indicates on the package.

This "contradiction" is explained by the fact that the Chinese sender, insuring the parcel for international shipment, specifically indicates an extremely low price.

There are some restrictions on the weight of the parcel. If the weight of the goods exceeds 10 kilograms, then the recipient undertakes to pay a considerable amount.

Today, parcels coming from China are still taxed only if the real value of the goods exceeds 1,000 euros. Also, Russians still have the opportunity to receive about 31 kilograms of goods in 30 days without having to pay customs duty.

Important addition

There is one important annex to the existing agreement. It concerns the peculiarities of the movement of goods by those who are not legal entities. Goods moved by Russians should not fulfill a commercial function.

But not all products will be exempted from paying customs duty in 2019 intended for personal use. This is relevant only for those goods whose value does not exceed the amount of 1.5 thousand euros. The total weight must not exceed 50 kg.

People's opinion

The Russians accepted the new proposal of the authorities with indignation and sarcasm. At the end of last year, a petition was compiled on a well-known international website, which collected more than 70,000 signatures.

Passions are boiling in domestic forums. Today, the Russians are divided into two camps. The law-abiding "population" of the first camp is ready to support the state budget. Representatives of the second are convinced that it is not worth putting up with this state of affairs.

Today, the opinion is being expressed that in the end, the people and the state will come to a consensus. It is assumed that the fee limit for parcels sent from China to Russia will be reduced to 500 rubles. According to some officials, the limit of 500 rubles against the "predatory" 1000 is a "trial balloon". The final decision on the size of the tax will be made only after assessing the new situation in the domestic market.

For almost the entire 2018, the issue of reducing the amount without a duty limit on online purchases was actively discussed. At the same time, quite contradictory and often unreliable information was received from the Federal Customs Service, the Government of the Russian Federation and associations of Russian entrepreneurs about the timing and methods of future changes. But at the moment, it can already be confidently stated that from January 1, 2019, the threshold for calculating the fee has changed.

The current customs limit and the amount of duties in 2019

From the beginning of 2019, goods for a total amount of up to 500 euros and weighing no more than 31 kg can be imported duty-free for private use for a month. If these limits are exceeded, the duty will be 30% of the excess value or 4 euros for each overlimit kilogram. In this case, we are talking about delivery by international mail. For personal transportation of purchases by road and air transport, other limits apply.

Example 1 digital was ordered Canon camera With kit lens in the amount of 800 euros. In this case, the customs payment will be (800 euros - 500 euros) * 30% = 90 euros.

Example 2 When buying ceramic tiles in Italy, it turned out that its total weight was 35 kg, while the cost was at the level of 400 euros. In this case, you will have to pay a fee for excess weight (35 kg-31 kg) * 4 euros = 16 euros.

If the parcel exceeds the limits both in value and in weight, then a larger fee is payable.

It is important to take into account the following nuances.

  • The parcel must be intended for private use, which also includes the use of the goods by close relatives and members of the same family. Thus, the limit does not apply to professional industrial equipment. Also, if there is a large amount of the same product in one parcel (usually from 4-5 pieces), then this can be regarded by the customs officer as a commercial consignment, and therefore the mentioned duty-free limit does not apply in this case either.
  • For the purchase of food products in foreign online supermarkets (cheese, ham) there are other weight restrictions - 5 kg for personal consumption. More in the article.
  • The limit does not apply to dimensional indivisible goods, the weight of which exceeds 35 kg. As a rule, we are talking about furniture. In this case, the duty will be calculated on the entire value of the goods (its amount depends on the category of goods), and you will also have to pay 20% VAT and excise taxes, if applicable.
  • If earlier the FCS did not have an efficient accounting system for absolutely all parcels passing through all goods checkpoints, which made it possible to bypass the limits, now the control methods have been seriously improved. Often, the customs authorities receive information about the real value of the goods already at the time of its sale. Also, in some cases, the TIN control method is used. In 2019, the method of “splitting” a large order into several small ones and sending them to the name of various individuals(relatives, friends). For example, a family of 2 can place orders up to 1000 euros per month. It is only important that the amount per person does not exceed 500 euros.
  • The value of the goods in the parcel is assessed both according to the customs declaration and invoice, and according to the subjective assessment of the customs officer, who will rely on the market assessment of their value. Thus, if the customs officer suspects that the amount in the declaration does not correspond to the real value of the goods, then he can delay the shipment until the buyer provides evidence to the contrary (an invoice from the store, a screenshot of the price, etc.). As a result, if a slight understatement of the declared value in the range of 1-2 hundred euros can also help you avoid paying the fee, then it is best to refrain from outright deception when it comes to exceeding several thousand euros. Read more about ways to bypass customs restrictions in the article.
  • The customs limit is the same for all delivery methods to Russia: , EMS, private courier services (DHL, FedEx). But at the same time, courier delivery implies a more complex procedure, which involves the collection of a package of documents showing the real value of the goods.

Prospects for changing customs duties in 2020

According to the information that gets into the media and published by official bodies, it can be concluded that in the coming 2020 the customs limit will again be changed downward. At the same time, the most reliable estimate of the future decline is as follows.

  • The duty-free limit will be reduced to 200 euros, but for one parcel. The weight limit will remain unchanged, i.e. 31 kg.
  • The number of parcels per month will not be limited, that is total amount purchases may well exceed 1000 euros, it is only important that each of them fit into a new small limit.
  • If the cost of the shipment or the weight exceeds the new norms, it is proposed to establish a duty of 15% or 2 euros for each kilogram of overweight.
  • It is assumed that when buying from Aliexpress, payment of duties can be made directly at the time of ordering on the site. Also, a similar opportunity will be available through the Russian Post.
  • There was no complete rejection of the idea to additionally impose VAT on foreign purchases, which is 20% in 2019, and therefore it is very likely that the idea will be implemented in the coming years.

Thus, as of 2019, there has been a real reduction in customs limits, but the idea of ​​introducing VAT on foreign products still looks vague and not fully thought out.

Making remote purchases in foreign online stores or auctions, we all, one way or another, come into contact with the activities of not only the postal, but also the customs services of our country. Often this is not noticeable at all, but there are situations in which there may be problems with receiving the goods you purchased, or you suddenly find out for yourself that in order to receive your parcel you need to pay a certain amount and perform some additional actions.

To prevent possible problems or know how to solve them, it is necessary to at least approximately understand how customs works.

In this article, we will talk about the main functions of the customs authorities, the conditions and features of their activities in the context of customs clearance of incoming international mail (hereinafter IGO).

In processing incoming IGOs, in fact, the customs authorities perform three main functions:

  1. Functions of monitoring the content of MPOs to verify the legality of the import of this category of goods into the country
  2. Functions of monitoring the contents of IGOs ​​for the purpose of collecting customs duties
  3. Functions of collection of customs duties

This activity is regulated by the customs legislation of your country, orders from the customs service and other acts regulating the activities of customs. Links to official documents can be found at the end of this article.

Customs clearance of incoming IGOs ​​is carried out at places of international postal exchange (IMPO), where all incoming items are presented selectively or completely for customs control.

This information is displayed in the tracking numbers assigned by the IGO by the sender's postal service, as follows:

Today, there are 24 MMPOs in Russia that carry out customs clearance of incoming international mail. The main flow falls on MMPO located in Moscow, St. Petersburg, Kaliningrad, Bryansk, Samara, Orenburg and Novosibirsk.

To begin with, we will consider the issue of the dependence of the passage of customs procedures on the delivery methods of the goods that you choose when making a purchase.

International mail can be sent to the addressee in two ways:

  1. With the help of the state postal service of the sender's country, which has the right to work with IGOs, for example, the American USPS, English Royal Mail, German DeutschePost, Chinese ChinaPost, etc., or EMS. As a rule, these are the most common and cheapest shipping methods. If the payment of customs duty is not required, then the addressee receives the parcel at the local post office, having received a notification in the mailbox.
  2. With the help of international courier services that do not have the right to work with IGOs, such as DHL, FedEx, UPS, TNT, etc. This method delivery, as a rule, are characterized by more high speed and tariffs, but delivery occurs mainly by courier to your home, which is undoubtedly more convenient. If this postal item is subject to the need for customs clearance or payment of customs duties, a commission for the services of a customs broker is usually charged additionally.

Reception, processing, transportation and delivery of international postal items in accordance with the provisions of the Universal Postal Convention are provided by the postal administrations of the member countries of the Universal Postal Union. If your parcel was sent by the state postal service, then in the Russian Federation the organization that will carry out customs clearance and delivery will be FSUE Russian Post.

If the parcel is sent through a courier service, then customs clearance will be carried out by this service (within the agreed limits), or customs clearance will have to be carried out by the recipient personally or using the services of a customs broker.

Since 07/01/2010, unified rates of customs payments have been established in Russia, regardless of the type of organization that processes postal items. Customs rules regarding the collection of duties for state mail and courier services (DHL, TNT, FedEx) are now almost the same.

But despite this, residents of the Russian Federation, when choosing a delivery method using courier services, must take into account the following features.

The official position of UPS regarding the importation of goods and their customs clearance is presented and reads as follows:

  • All transported goods, including those addressed to individuals, regardless of value, are subject to the customs declaration procedure.
  • Goods, the value of which (including transportation costs) does not exceed the equivalent of 200 euros, can be issued in a simplified manner, without the recipient providing additional documents and information.
  • Goods whose value (including transport costs) exceeds the equivalent of 200 euros, as well as goods whose value does not exceed the equivalent of 200 euros, but which require additional documents and information to be submitted to the customs authorities, are subject to the procedure of individual customs declaration.

Delivery of goods, the customs value of which exceeds 200 euros or for which an individual customs clearance procedure is applied, not produced in relation to cargoes addressed to settlements other than Moscow, St. Petersburg, Krasnodar, Vladivostok, Stavropol, Novorossiysk and Nizhny Novgorod.

It does not matter whether the consignee is a natural or legal person. For such shipments, including goods ordered from online stores, the automatic return to sender procedure will be applied.

Thus, if the value of a package delivered by UPS does not exceed 200 euros and there are no questions from the customs authorities regarding the investments in this package, such a package will be delivered to the recipient. Otherwise, individual customs clearance will be required.

An individual, within one month, has the right to duty-free receipt of goods in international mail (IGO) for personal use for an amount not exceeding 1000 euros and weighing not more than 31 kg. If the goods worth or weighing more specified norms, then a fee of 30% of the cost is charged, but not less than 4 euros per 1 kg of weight in terms of excess value or weight.

However, it should be borne in mind that despite the uniform duty-free limit, all international courier services have additional internal restrictions on the delivery of IGOs ​​to individuals in Russia.

The procedure for calculating duties and the conditions for delivery and customs clearance of IGOs ​​in Russia are discussed in detail in.

As a rule, the value of the parcel is decisive in calculating the customs duty, and the higher it is, the higher the payments will be. Therefore, the following must be taken into account:

  • Usually, the cost of the parcel is declared by the sender by filling in the appropriate box in the postal receipt and customs declaration.
  • Do not ask the sender to indicate a too low cost of sending. The customs inspector will certainly pay attention to this and he can change it, guided by the cost of similar goods and the price indicated in various catalogs. For example, if the accompanying documents indicate that a laptop is being sent, and its cost will be indicated at $ 200, then this will undoubtedly arouse the suspicion of customs officers and the customs value of such a shipment may become $ 1,000 or more (depending on the average market value of this product ), despite the fact that in reality you paid for it, say 800 dollars.
  • If the cost of the goods is really very low, and the goods look much more expensive, it is advisable to enclose sales receipts, invoices or other documents confirming its value in the parcel.
  • In the case of sending expensive goods, you should not ask the sender to indicate the word "gift" (gift) in the cost column. In this case, all the goods included in the parcel, with a very high probability, will still be evaluated by the customs officer. This will result in increased payments and delays in processing.

Currently, the customs authorities practically do not keep a summary record of the value and weight of IGOs ​​per recipient per month, and it is quite possible that you will be able to receive goods in different parcels worth more than 1000 euros and weighing more than 31 kg within one month. But, nevertheless, it is important to know that such norms exist and try not to violate them if you do not want to pay customs duties.

Taking into account the above, for Russia, the conditions for customs clearance and payment of customs duties can be summarized as follows:

Forwarding with the help of the state postal service

Delivery

No cost limits

No cost limits

 No cost limits from a limited list of stores Up to 200 euros - no restrictions. Over 200 euros only to certain cities.
Customs clearance is carried out by the carrier company For all IGOs ​​within the duty-free limit Only MGOs up to 200 euros from a specific list of stores Only IGOs ​​up to 200 euros
Customs clearance is carried out by the recipient or customs broker No MGOs worth more than 200 euros from a specific list of stores MPO worth over 200 euros
The size of the duty-free limit MPO in the amount of not more than 1000 euros, weighing not more than 31 kg, in total within one month MPO in the amount of not more than 1000 euros, weighing not more than 31 kg, in total within one month MPO in the amount of not more than 1000 euros, weighing not more than 31 kg, in total within one month
The amount of customs duty 30% of the excess of the duty-free limit, 4 euros per 1 kg of excess weight 30% of the excess of the duty-free limit, 4 euros per 1 kg of excess weight 30% of the excess of the duty-free limit, 4 euros per 1 kg of excess weight

In the event that the contents of the parcel are recognized by the customs authorities as related to the implementation of entrepreneurial activities ( those. for commercial needs), the amount of customs fees in this case will be much higher, will be regulated by other rules and will require separate clearance.

All of the above applies only to goods received by individuals for personal(non-commercial) use. When determining the purpose of goods, the official of the customs authority shall take into account the following factors:

  • The nature of the goods. The consumer properties of goods, the traditional practice of their application and use in everyday life are taken into account
  • The number of goods in one parcel. Homogeneous goods (of the same name, size, style, color, etc.) in an amount clearly exceeding the need of one person receiving the goods (as well as members of his family) may be considered as not intended for the personal use of the addressee
  • The frequency of shipment of goods. Homogeneous goods sent even in small quantities by the same person or to the address of the same person at the same time or within one week may be considered as not intended for the recipient's personal use.

As a rule, goods worth less than 5,000 rubles are sent by employees of international postal exchange places to recipients with selective customs inspection.

  • subject to economic prohibitions and restrictions
  • for which the accompanying documents contain information (name, weight, cost, etc.) that does not correspond to the goods sent by IGO

Summing up the above norms, rules and conditions, we can draw several main conclusions:

  1. Before placing an order in a foreign online store, be sure to specify what type of mail it will be delivered. Will it be the state postal service of the sender's country, or a courier service engaged in international transportation.
  2. Also be sure to check the customs regulations of your country and the limits on duty-free importation of goods.
  3. If you intend to purchase an expensive product, check the amount of customs duties that you have to pay. Make sure that in case of payment of customs duties, this purchase is expedient and economically justified.
  4. IN without fail check out not only the list of goods prohibited for shipment by postal services, but also the lists of goods whose import is prohibited or restricted by the customs authorities of your country.
  1. If your orders exceed the value limits and amount to a total of more than 1000 euros per month, try to split them into several shipments and make sure that their dispatch interval is 10-14 days. This will most likely help you avoid paying customs duties.
  2. Try not to order a large number identical names of similar goods in one parcel. Otherwise, you will have to reasonably prove to the customs officer that you need all these goods solely for personal use. If you, for example, purchased 5 pairs of sneakers, then by presenting documents on the composition of your family, you can convince the customs officer that this product is intended for personal use and is necessary for you and your relatives to play sports together. But if your parcel contains 20 covers for cell phones, then you are unlikely to be able to prove that this is a product for personal use. In this case, for the customs clearance of this product, you will have to provide documents that you are legal entity with the right to exercise foreign economic activity, you may have to certify the product, etc. Those. the customs clearance procedure will be extremely difficult for you and the rates of customs duties will be completely different.
On the website of the Federal Customs Service of Russia, the customs limits for the delivery of parcels (international mail) from abroad:
Upon receipt in international mail within calendar month goods, the customs value of which exceeds 1,000 euros, and (or) the total weight of which exceeds 31 kilograms, in terms of such excess, customs duties and taxes are payable at a single rate of 30% of the customs value of goods, but not less than 4 euros per 1 kilogram of them weight.
At the same time, the following quote from the site tks.ru is often given:
On July 1, 2010, uniform rates of customs payments were established, regardless of the type of organization that processes postal items (parcel, parcel, etc.). The rules for state mail and courier services (DHL Express, UPS, TNT, FedEx, SPSR Express) are now almost the same.

If the value of the parcel is less than 1000 euros and the weight is not more than 31 kg, customs duties are exempted.

ATTENTION! It is possible to receive goods without paying customs duties only if the value of such goods sent within one month to one recipient does not exceed 1000 euros. In case of receipt within one month of goods whose value exceeds 1000 euros, customs duties are applied in the part of such excess.

If the product costs or weighs more than the specified norms, then a duty is charged in the amount of 30% of the cost, but not less than 4 euros per 1 kg of weight in terms of exceeding the value or weight norm.

From this quote, buyers often conclude that the customs limit of 31 kg does not apply to all parcels received during the calendar month, but to each parcel.

Because in this moment The FCS of Russia does not keep any record of incoming international shipments, so in fact many buyers manage to receive several parcels duty-free during a calendar month, each of which does not exceed 31 kg and the cost of goods in each of which does not exceed 1000 euros, but which in total exceed the limits of 31 kg and/or 1000 euros.

But if the Federal Customs Service starts keeping records of parcels coming from abroad, then the restriction of 31 kg and 1000 euros will most likely apply to all parcels received during the calendar month. In addition, the analysis of goods arriving at a particular address will be able to identify those that are clearly not intended for personal use. But at the moment, the inefficiency of the FCS is to the benefit of recipients of international mail.

It is also worth noting that this inefficiency does not apply to courier services (such as DHL Express, UPS, Fedex, SPSR Express, Shiptor, Qwintry Air, Shopfans Express, PE Express), as well as other delivery services other than Russian Post. In this case, in addition to stricter limits, customers sometimes have to deal with the fact that the cost of duty-free shipping is limited to 1000 US dollars (instead of 1000 euros), or that the limit of 1000 euros applies to the value of the goods, including shipping costs.

Since the beginning of 2014, customs clearance is required for all parcels delivered by courier services (previously this only applied to parcels up to 200 euros). For the customs clearance procedure, the courier service or its customs broker requires you to provide passport data. You may also need a scan of your passport, confirmation of orders in foreign online stores (invoices), links to goods in online stores, and even bank statements. In addition, the customs declaration is different from that required by the state post office or EMC.

Customs limits and features of the Russian Post and EMS (EMS)

Parcels of state mail USPS, DHL, Royal Mail, China Post, ... are delivered by Federal State Unitary Enterprise Russian Post and its branch EMS Russian Post (EMS). At the same time, for a month, you can enter goods in the amount of 1000 euros, weighing 31 kg, for your own use. Unlike courier services, subject to the duty-free customs limit, it is not required to provide passport data for customs clearance. Since the customs clearance procedure is much simpler, the accounting for compliance with the duty-free customs limit is less strict. But we still do not recommend exceeding the duty-free customs limit, especially since parcels can be sent to relatives and friends.

Customs limits and features of the SPSR Express courier service (SPSR-Express)

SPSR-Express delivers from foreign stores Next, Asos, Stylepit and others. The company also cooperates with the American company BorderFree, which allows you to make purchases in dozens of American online stores and deliver them all over the world, including to Russia. With the help of Borderfree, Russians have the opportunity to make purchases at Gilt, Zulily, Cabela's, J.Crew, Macy's, ShopBop, ... Some also offer SPSR-Express as delivery from the USA to Russia.

Since SPSR-Express is a courier service, the duty-free customs limit is very strict, and customs clearance is required to receive parcels of any value. At the same time, the company does not require additional payment for customs clearance in the absence of exceeding the limit of duty-free importation of goods from foreign online stores to Russian Federation. For customs clearance, you must provide passport data and a copy of your passport. You will also have to agree with the terms of work on customs clearance of SPSR Express, but this can be done electronically.

Some buyers were faced with the fact that in order to confirm the cost, they needed a link to a store where you can find such a price! To confirm the cost, a copy of the page from the store and an extract from the card turned out to be insufficient. If you bought a product on sale, then try to ensure that the price recommended by the manufacturer (MSRP) does not exceed the customs limit.

Customs limits and features of the work of the courier service Boxberry (Boxberry)

Boxberry delivers from overseas stores such as iHerb. In addition, the company

Since Boxberry delivery is courier, the duty-free customs limit is very strict, and customs clearance is required to receive parcels of any value. At the same time, the company does not require additional payment for customs clearance in the absence of exceeding the limit of duty-free import of goods in international mail. For customs clearance, you must provide passport data.

Customs limits and features of the work of own courier delivery methods from postal intermediaries (Shiptor, Qwintry Air, Shopfans Express, PE-Express, ...)

Many American postal intermediaries have offered their own courier delivery methods. However, smaller postal intermediaries may offer these delivery methods to their customers.

Since these delivery methods are courier, the duty-free customs limit is very strict, and customs clearance is required for parcels of any value. Filling out the declaration is identical to SPSR Express. In addition to passport data, you may be required to provide a scan of your passport, confirmation of orders in foreign online stores (invoices), links to goods in online stores, bank statements.

The cost of delivery to the postal intermediary is not included in the declared value. The duty-free limit is the same 1000 euros and 31 kilograms for your own use. It is important to bear in mind that the weight of each individual parcel may be limited by the postal intermediary. In addition, please note that the cost of such delivery may take into account the volumetric weight, calculated taking into account the dimensions of the package, and not just the physical weight.

Customs limits and features of the UPS courier service (UPiS, UPS)

The UPS courier service practically does not work with individuals in Russia. The American Amazon and its projects use the UPS courier service for delivery from the USA to Russia.

Accounting for the customs limit when using the UPS courier service is very strict. Customs clearance is required for purchases of any value, including less than 150-200 euros.

For customs clearance, you will need to provide passport data. The customs declaration is filled out on the website ups-broker.ru in Russian. The customs declaration contains the name, cost, weight of each product, as well as links to products in online stores. In addition, it is required to attach order confirmations from online stores in JPEG, TIFF or PDF format.

When using AmazonGlobal delivery, there is no additional payment for customs clearance, subject to customs limits.

Do not confuse UPS (United Parcel Service) and USPS (United States Postal Service). The first of these is a courier service, and the second is the US government postal service. USPS packages in Russia are delivered by Russian Post or EMS. UPS packages are delivered by the UPS courier service.

Customs limits and features of the DHL Express courier service (DHL Express)

Despite uniform rates of customs payments, the DHL Express courier service does not work with individuals in Russia. The exception is a limited list of foreign online stores, of which DHL Express delivers, namely:
Net-A-Porter, The Outnet, Amazon (USA), Jimmy Choo, Fred Perry, Mr Porter, Browns, Mountoberon, Matchesfashion, Loropiana, Schoolwear International, Herring Shoes, CreateSpace, Luisaviaroma, G&B NegoziOnLine, Fashionis, Antonioli, GetWear, Braccialini, Three Floor Fashion, Golden State, Generalgood, Cuoieria, Miss Sixty, Gherardini, Futurart , Hit Gallery, Pierre Balmain, Sam Hober, Mytheresa
In addition, the American company BorderFree (formerly known as FiftyOne) delivers from (including Zulily, Cabela's, J.Crew, Macy's, ShopBop, ....) using DHL Express. A complete list of BorderFree customers can be found on the official website.

Accounting for the customs limit when using the DHL Express courier service is very strict. Customs clearance is required for purchases of any value, including less than 150-200 euros. At the beginning of 2015, several customers complained that the simplified customs clearance of a parcel worth up to 150-200 euros cost about 700 rubles. Before using DHL Express delivery, check the conditions of work and customs clearance at the local office of the company. Moreover, in the absence of a simplified customs clearance service, you will have to.

It is important to note that many buyers confuse DHL from Germany with DHL Express from the USA. In the first case, the parcel in Russia is delivered by the Russian Post or EMS (it is unpredictable who exactly). At the same time, the limit of 1000 euros does not include the cost of delivery, no customs clearance of goods for own use within 1000 euros, weighing up to 31 kg is required. In the case of DHL Express, delivery in Russia is carried out by the DHL Express courier service, and not at all by the Federal State Unitary Enterprise Russian Post.

Customs limits and features of the Fedex courier service (Fedex, Fedex)

The FedEx courier service is very rarely used by Russians for delivery from foreign online stores. At the same time, Fedex allows you to deliver orders for individuals (individuals), while delivery is carried out only from stores from a pre-agreed list, which includes only some stores in the USA, Great Britain, China, Italy, Estonia, Sweden, Spain, Hong Kong, Australia, Holland, Taiwan, Switzerland, Argentina,...

The weight of the delivered goods must not exceed 31 kg, and the cost of 1000 euros.

Accounting for the customs limit when using the Fedex courier service is very strict. Customs clearance is required for purchases of any value, including less than 150-200 euros.

At the same time, it is very important to note that if the limits are exceeded, customs clearance has to be carried out independently, and in Moscow (please Special attention if you live in another locality). Before making a purchase, be sure to check with your local Fedex office for details of the customs clearance procedure, especially if the value is more than 200 euros.

What to do if limits are exceeded

Since parcels of the Russian Post and EMS are limitedly taken into account in the database due to the lack of need for passport data to go through customs, some buyers simply try to send parcels with an interval of a couple of weeks. In this case, the probability that several parcels will get to the same customs officer at the same time, or the customs officer will remember that he has already checked the parcel of this client, is quite low. Others ask postal intermediaries to throw out invoices, after which they underestimate the value of goods in the declaration.

We do not recommend exceeding the customs limits, violating the legislation of the Russian Federation. If you exceed the limits, then the best option will divide the parcel into 2 (or more) and send one to yourself, and the other (others) to relatives or friends.

In addition, some postal intermediaries allow you to legally exceed customs limits by specifying several recipients of the parcel. At the same time, it is impossible to exceed the customs limits for indivisible goods worth more than 1,000 euros. For example, a laptop cannot be divided into parts, so if it costs more than 1000 euros, it will not be possible to legally bypass the customs limit.

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