Customs clearance of parcels over 150 euros

There may be several reasons for the detention of a parcel by customs authorities:

• The value of the parcel exceeds 150 euros.
• There are mistakes or inaccuracies in the accompanying documents.
• The documents do not indicate the value of the parcel.
• The parcel contains prohibited goods or items.

In order to avoid problems at customs and receive parcels immediately upon arrival, it is necessary:

• Calculate in advance the cost of customs payments and know the details of payment.
• Make sure that accompanying documents are filled out correctly and that there are no mistakes in the customs declaration.
• Have receipts or other documents confirming the value of the parcel.
• Know what goods are prohibited or restricted to import into Ukraine.

Observing these simple rules, you can avoid most of the causes of delays in parcels and cargo at customs.

If you decide to do customs clearance on your own, you need to familiarize yourself with the stages of customs clearance, prepare the necessary documents and understand the algorithm of the customs authorities.

Before going to the customs clearance point, make sure that the package has already arrived at the place and is ready for clearance.

Take your passport or a document replacing it, identification number (TIN), and go for customs clearance.

To follow up, you will need:

• A document that confirms the purchase or a printout from the website;
• Bill of lading and an invoice for the parcel - this can be obtained from the carrier's reception desk;
• The filled-in M16 declaration - a blank M16 form sample is provided by the carrier;
• information about the amount of customs duties and payment details.

Once the money arrives on the account and customs confirms that your completed documents are correct, you can pick up your package or cargo.
 
Under ideal conditions, a customs clearance takes 1 to 4 hours. If you or the sender have made mistakes, however, the process may take considerably longer.

If your parcel or shipment exceeds the duty-free limit of 150 euros, you are required to go through customs clearance and pay customs fees.

The amount of customs fees can be divided into two tariffs:

• A parcel between €150 and €10 000. You pay 10% duty and 20% VAT on the exceeding difference.
• The cost of a parcel is over 10 000 euros. Duty payable, depending on the commodity code, and 20% VAT on the excess difference.

To find out the UCCFEA (Ukrainian Classification of Goods for Foreign Economic Activity) code and not to make a mistake in calculations, contact a «Semero» customs broker for advice.

Example of calculation of customs fees for a parcel from 150 to 10,000 euros:
 
The notional value of the goods is 151 euros.
 
The base for taxation would be: 151 - 150 = 1 euro. 
Duty: (151 - 150) * 10% = 0,10 euro
Value Added Tax (VAT): (1 + 0.1) * 20% = 0.22 euro
 
Taxes payable on a parcel of 151 euro:
duty 0.10 euro + VAT 0.22 euro = 0.32 euro
 
* Tentative amount of charges at the rate of the NBU - (11.91 UAH) depends on the exchange rate set by the NBU on the date of the declaration
 
To know the exact cost of customs duties on your parcel or cargo, you can contact the company «Semero».