Purchases from Japan through 3rd Party Buyers

[Undead]

Does anyone know what the rules are as to VAT when buying from Japan and sending to the US? I made a purchase recently and was charged 10% VAT but never have been in the past even when the value was higher than tis one.

[crowzilla]

Does anyone know what the rules are as to VAT when buying from Japan and sending to the US? I made a purchase recently and was charged 10% VAT but never have been in the past even when the value was higher than tis one.

EMS was notoriously poor at actually collecting duty even when it was due on items. DHL and FedEx are much better at it, and if your item is over $2500 in value a formal entry will be prepared for it, and there is a high chance you will owe tax.

[Undead]

Thanks Crowzilla. Was actually wondering if there is VAAT to the US in general. Using a third party I had never been charged VAT then was for a single recent purchase and not for three more purchases since then.

[crowzilla]

Pretty much all inbound parcels with a value over $2000 are subject to duty, and anything over $2500 has to have a formal entry filed - which is where it can get messy. The post office includes $6.50 in the price of each parcel to handle customs clearance for you, and they are notoriously poor when it comes to invoicing and collecting any additional duty fees. The customs brokers at FedEx are much better at it, but a lot of it has to do with how the originator of the shipment prepares the paperwork to be filed with customs and what categories they label items. If the categories are not clear, then the packages get held up with customs until they can properly identify the items (I've been asked by FedEx on multiple shipments this year if any of my items were wooden toys).

https://www.cbp.gov/trade/basic-import-export/internet-purchases?

[Undead]

Thanks, purchase was well under the $2,000 so will continue trying to get them to answer. Been having radio silence with the middleman/shipper that has both the money and the items.