To Declare or Not To Declare Your Shopping Abroad: VAT Refund Guide & Import Duties
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 29 ส.ค. 2024
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Good coverage. I always declare. The customs men always say the same to me about “don’t let my wife know, haha” kind of stuff. And also I frequently get a break. I once came back from Italy with a whole ass suitcase packed of shoes, and an LV bag. I gave the big pouty eyes, asked him not to judge, and he literally started doing the import duty math and on the 5th shoe he was like, “yeah, never mind it’s not worth me struggling with this calculator.” And he just let me go!!! That was my best break; I never packed a suitcase so fast!
I went to Japan a year ago and you get a foreigner’s discount for purchases over $75 if you have your passport with you when you make the purchase. Like in France, they validate that your passport is real and the purchase is then associated with your passport. Having made a few purchases i wanted to make sure that i declared since I assumed that they would know of all my purchases that were tied to my passport. I wasn’t sure how to declare so when I went through immigration I told the guard stamping my passport that I had $2200 in purchases . He asked me if I was traveling alone or with anyone else, I said yes that it was me and 2 of my friends and I was the only one over the $800 limit. He thanked me for being honest and said we’re going to say that the purchases are split between the 3 of us so you aren’t over the limit and can continue with your day! This was at the Dallas International Airport.
I believe you. I had no problem with around 2 to 3k purchases of not declaring…but when I spent more than 10k, they held me and inspected my luggage. They asked me to pay 9% of my total purchase with the threat to revoke my global entry next time. I learned my lesson😊
I agree a cashless world would be scary and the lack of privacy is annoying.
Obviously they knew bc of the VAT refunds and your passport number. Now it's all connected and they've an Automated System for Customs Data. Purchases are linked to your passport number, particularly if you paid with a credit card and/or you are seeking a VAT refund. Your purchases will show up when Customs checks your passport number.
Amen!! I agree. We are on the way to more and more control as the days go by
It really pays to be honest with customs. I once brought back to USA $2000 worth of Audio equipment from the UK. Declared it all. Custom officer asked if it was for my own personal use and I said YES cause it really was. No Charged he waved me thru. Going to the UK one of my friends there loves Segrams 7 but it is not available there. I always brought 2 bottles, the limit is only one. I always went thru the Red Line and declared the second bottle and the officer thanked mr for being honest and waved me thru, no charge. When I go to Philippines I always bring a bunch of things for donation such as stethoscopes, Blood Pressure cuffs for donations to nursing students. I always present a list of things I am bringing in and the only time I was questioned was about bringing in 144 pencils ! Yes thats right Pencils. I explained they were a donation for school students as one of my friends there is a school teacher. In my case being honest actually saved me money !
@EricasGirlyWorld I can’t thank you enough for this video!!!! I fly back to the US next week from France! This was a great reminder so I can properly prepare. Listen, nobody is trying to lie about anything PERIOD Thanks again ❤
I tried to hide my purchase a few years back and they caught me and threatened to take my Global Entry if I tried that again. And it was only 1 bag. So I’m always honest now. You just never know!
It happened to me and my husband. 😢
We came back from Paris with a ridiculous amount of items to declare. We wrote everything down in a very organized manner so the customs agent was impressed. He totally cut us a break because we were so honest. He told us we’d be surprised about how many people try to cheat the system. He also told us he caught people not declaring their items and every item was seized. He said if they wanted them back they had to repay for them plus pay huge fines. Moral of the story, like you said, be honest and pay US Customs what you owe. You still save a lot of money in the end.
So it sounds like you still had to fill out a form and present it to the agent. Is that correct?
@@patriciateague8677 We filled out the custom’s forms on the plane and presented them to the US agent. The US agent filled out another form but we had to pull out our receipts and go over every item we bought. He added everything up in categories then charged us the US tax amount. He didn’t ask to look at any of the items but he did ask if we had them all with us and unworn. The agent in France asked to see some of the jewelry pieces and the Hermes birkin. You just have to be organized and honest then they customs agents won’t give you a hard time.
@@JOO-vf8jz Thank you. I wasn't clear after watching the video if forms were still being given to fill out.
@@patriciateague8677 Are you traveling soon? We can’t wait to go back to Paris and London. I hope you have a fun trip planned too.
@@JOO-vf8jz Not until November. I'm coming as part of a group but will essentially be on my own so I'm watching a lot of TH-cam videos to decide what my priorities are. I want to spend time enjoying the food, seeing the sights, shopping and just enjoying a bit of the Parisian lifestyle. I don't want to pack my days too full.
Going to EU this summer and this is good information. Went to EU many times and no one knew how much I spent. It seems that’s changed. These changes in the world are not good.
Thank you soooo much for this super informational video! I had so many questions/concerns about the whole VAT refund/customs process and you addressed all of them in this video. It makes me feel SO much better about any future European shopping sprees I may go on!
So happy to hear that!!!! I am glad it was helpful!!!!!
This is very important information. Also declaring your purchase is of uttermost importance in case you want to have insurance of your items. Most insurance company policy requires receipt of you claim a case of refund due to stealing etc.
Your thumbnail! 😂😂
Great video Erica. Very honest & complete. I’ve seen other videos discussing the VAT refund process that fail to mention the fact that you could be charged taxes & duties on return to your country.
Thank you, Erica for all the helpful info. I came back from Paris about 1 month ago and actually my detax form for 2 pairs of Balen sunglasses (worth roughly eur 800) was flagged red, and I had to show the sunglasses to the officer. What's also interesting was that another form for eur 950 worth of cosmetics from Biologique Recherche was green. Hope that is helpful for you and everyone.
Were you subject to any import taxes on the way back to the US? For the €950 of cosmetics you bought
Besides paying import tax, you also have to pay a luxury tax, 10%, if your items total are exceed $3,000. The luxury tax will bill you at the end of the year. That was what I paid many years ago.
I never bother to claim VAT so that explains that. I also don't keep any packaging unless it's for someone else.
So you don’t declare or mention you bought anything?
@@lovealwaysjasmine Not generally. I also don't spend these amounts either.
Great information! As much as we hate not having that privacy, it happens because people are dishonest. So unfortunately honest people like you and I have to suffer for it. Its always the dishonest people that ruin it for everyone else
Now that everything is more expensive they need to increase the $800 per person allowance.
I agree!!!! Where is the inflation there!
100% one pair of Louboutins is more expensive than that 😂 that fee is probably from the 1990s
Thank you so much for the information. I didn’t understand the whole declaration system at all. You made it very clear. God bless. Obey the law 🙏🏽
Always declare.
Yeah I agree. I love cash, it's no bodies business what I spend my money on.
I deserve a heart reaction from you Ms.Erica for watching you for 5yrs and searching if you have already upload new video 😊❤
I love your video and your sense of humor, including the fact that you’re encouraging people to be honest. ❤
What an amazing and comprehensive video Erica!! You really covered a lot, I read from the IG stories you shared that customs can also confiscate the goods. Hoping for more videos, you can talk about how to boil eggs and I would still watch, hahahhha💗
Coming back from Paris, the customs agent at Dulles Airport in VA only asked me if I purchased cigarettes, alcohol and food.... nothing to declare!!
I’m coming back through Dulles tomorrow hopefully I get this lucky
Thank you so much for sharing your story and being so open.. i wish you were around with your story years ago, i so needed it. Conclusion i was blessed with a baby boy 2years ago. Sending only positive vibes your way and everyone who is waiting for their blessing to come...
I just went to Spain and got something from Prada. I had to get my vat refund in Valencia even though I hadn’t a layover in Paris so I literally had to go through security again. When I came back through the Atlanta airport the guy at customs literally just took my picture and let me go. Didn’t even check my passport. This was my first time traveling and buying luxury abroad.
Thank you for this video. I came through NY and declared and they were very kind because I was honest.
Where I live, also the bank gets a "red flag" in the system spending x amounts abroad and report to customs. Here you get a big fine to pay if you don´ t declaire your items AND they TAKE it. So you lose your money spent on the item, pay a fine and leave with no items. So not worth it!
I totally agree with you.
We not longer have privacy.
Thanks for sharing this info. It's not surprising. This is how they're keeping tabs on everybody now. Appalling lack of privacy anymore. I was on a flight to the US recently (from Europe) and noted that they are no longer handing out landing cards like they used to where name, passport, flight info and purchase declarations were filled in. I guess it's because they already seem to have all this info.
Question could you do a luggage video. What carry on do you recommend and also do you check your bags with lux or is that all in your carry on?
They don't give you all the VAT back. VAT is about 18-20%. They are clamping down because so many people are going overseas to shop.
With all the fraud going on, it’s pretty amazing that they can now share the info! Great!
Excellent Video!! Thank you for being so detailed regarding this process. This is very much appreciated!
you make a lot of sense. Honesty is the best policy.
Thank you so much for watching!
Everything is automated now. In Cancun last year the VAT is entered into the computer system and you get a receipt and it’s reported to them now. So if you don’t declare I’ve heard they now can later send you a letter of an amount you owe because you didn’t declare it.
Very well presented Erica! 😍
Can’t wait to see your haul especially the Hermes.:)
Great video... very informative! Great perspective and concise. I was there last August and got so lucky most of mine scanned green. 😊
Not sure if you mentioned the items must still be brand new to collect the VAT and the officer needs to see it in that condition to approve it. Also, some EU countries give bigger VAT refunds than others! Italy gives nearly 14%, whereas France is 12%. I think Spain is also higher. ☺️
Amazing information Erica❣️❣️❣️ Thank you 💖💖💖
I dislike the modern world with all this super intelligent technology. We’re slowly losing our freedom. It’s like the film Minority Report 😏
Gone are the days where you could “duck n dive”, “wheel n deal” 😊 - Big Bro is watching you 👀
The younger generation don’t have a clue how we had so much freedom. Not being controlled by technology,
Thanks for the video. Will your unboxings also show us your Hermes family? I still remember when you got your B35 in Paris years ago. 😍
On the issue of getting a break, I think the higher your spend the more likely the agent's interaction with you the passenger gets scrutinized by higher ups.
Such a good video. Loved the thumbnail too 😂 Thank you soo much for sharing! 💕
I guess if you want privacy don’t take the VAT rebate.
I agree DO NOT LIE
Erica is BACK!❤
Yesssss! I am back!!!!!!!
I always declare everything too. But I also read on purseforum (several years ago) that they can penalize you for not declaring couple months after you come home. Have you heard that? Few years ago, I came through atlanta airport late where our luggage was lost for several hours and the customs officer didn’t charge me any customs tax on my 3 Chanel bags I declared on my form. I think he felt sorry for me for going through the luggage hassle late at night. ❤
Absolutely they can charge duties after the fact! I actually know people who were charged for items from previous trips!
You bought 3 Chanel bags on one trip?! I wish one day I have that kind of money to spend!
Thats why ppl need to study and learn who they are and what their real rights, as man or woman, and not fictitious person on the id or passport… if you know you know. Everything is already paid and every corporation , charge you twice, because funds are coming from your B.C. Created trust at birth, and at the end of the year, they fill out certain irs forms, and get the amount that you paid already again, from your B.C. Trust. Its the biggest scam, created against, we the people, worldwide. If anyone thinks that its crazy, just wait. All this going to be revealed soon…. And i exercise my secured party as free woman, i bought some stuff online from another country, and Fedex sent me crazy bill, so i sent my secured party paperwork, and irs forms, with instructions, how to get their payment, and …. Fedex corporate called me and told me.that they received my docs and No worries, i dont need to do anything …. That proves that they cant scam the one, who knows who she or he is 🤪😜
Another video with substance. ❤ Thanks for all the info.
Erica, you are very brave to talk about the globalization …..usually people get shut down on telling the truth about what is happening under the name of „ globalization „👍💫
Thank you for this video. I just came back from Paris and that was so helpful! I came back with a Kelly bag and like you said, at the Vat at the airport, it asked me to show the bag to an agent. I was super lucky because even though I spent a lot, the US customs didn’t make me pay anything. Of course, I declared absolutely everything I had.
That's crazy! They did not ask me anything at all after spending $$$$$ and just let me through. No duties paid for me.
Didn’t you fill out a form that asked if you purchased merchandise?
Yeah I kind of figured vat refund claims are shared with the US (and possibly other countries). Some EU countries have 20% vat so it’s still worth it for you guys to claim it - I guess between 10 and 12% it’s not that much of a difference. However if you don’t claim it and still declared or were caught not declaring in the US you’d pay both taxes .. at least like that you pay about the same tax
Very good coverage. Thank you so much
wow, thanks for sharing this vital info! hope you enjoyed your trip in Europe!
How does everyone pack their boxes etc for a flight when buying larger items like bags? The packaging I got with my last bag purchase would have taken up the whole carryon
I ship my big boxes via DHL. I absolutely have to have my boxes especially for Hermes!
Yup! ALWAYS DECLARE, DECLARE, DECLARE. Be honest. Not worth paying all those fines just like Arnold Schwarzenegger did in Munich just recently ... that is where my rabbit hole took me from this time. From the article about Arnie to your video! How cool is that? LOL Great content, btw! :-)
Wowwww your very good in explaining...love it...
Good to know! Thanks for sharing ❤
LMAOO THE THUMBNAIL
Very informative - thank you!! Question: When coming back to the US, at what stop will the Customs want to meet with you? First stop back to the US (we have a connecting flight) or our final destination stop?
Is the price for LV merchandise in London Heathrow Airport the same price as in France and Italy? Gonna be traveling to Europe in October.
I didn't know that, I wonder if I will able to do so because I'm a french citizen with a Green card
Great video Érica…..going to visit the south of France…thanks…..❤❤❤❤
They know because your passport is scanned when u buy items to receive a vat refund!!!
Totally disagree in still using cash. Paying by credit card, we are covered by insurance, many credit card companies hate. Pickpocketing is getting very common especially in large cities. If you are carrying a lot of cash for luxury shopping, you lost it in your hotel or you got mugged, you only have yourself to blame. As they have connected system (passport, credit card, tax refund), to me, they should just do the auto net charges back into our credit cards. So none of us need to queue at the airport, hand filling all forms, waste of time. The custom officers can spend time to random search people suitcases without wasting time filling in more forms again. It’s 2023, not 1993 anymore. As to not trusting your electronic payment, there are still people in less developed parts of China prefer carrying lots of physical cash around. They don’t understand technology and the amount of efforts major banks gone through to stop fraudulent transactions because again, they have to pay if mistakes happen. Good luck if you still want to carry cash around.
Tourists carrying a lot of cash is a huge risk, and thieves target them since they're unfamiliar with the area and won't bother filing a police report. I was in Italy last week and was very mindful of my crossbody purse. Was lucky that not a coin was missing. I would advise people traveling to only take x amount of cash with them each day and store it in the very back pocket or bottom of their bag (never in your clothing pocket). The positive side of card is that you can have it canceled and get money back.
Thank you! Very helpful!
Love this!!! Congrats!!! Can’t wait to see what I got! Curious, do you have to pay customs on items that you buy in duty-free airports leaving Europe? If they don’t give back VAT there, would there be record of it?
Exactly my question
you'd still need to show your passport when you buy luxury items at the airport tax/duty free, so yes, they'd still know or have a record. even if you didnt pay the local country's tax, since it's a good(s) that you're bringing/importinv into yours, its usually why they charge customs
“Last stop of trip”. Not true. When I left Switzerland, I had to take care of the VAT before entering France.
Thank you so much for the info! 😍😍😍
I agree that cashless is not good....just take cash out
Wow! Great video as usual ❤ your thumbnail is hilarious 🤣
Haaaaa! Thank youuuuuuu!!!
How long did it take to get the refund to your card? I did the VAT tax refund in Paris on Aug 3rd but still haven’t gotten anything back on my card and my scan turned green.
I live in Atlanta and I went to London in Dec and Paris/London in April and this happened to me.
How about the purchases from the airport? They do scan the passport so probably they’ll still know
Yes, they will still know because they ask for passport and boarding pass.
Never paid shit and never declared. Always travel with family and we split all the cost that way you never hit the limits. The more family members the more we buy. Also funny how you cant travel with more than $10k or vat over 800$ but inflation is skyrocketing yet these two prices are fixed. $10k when it was first introduced is equivalent to $130k or something in todays money
Amen sister. Privacy concerns for real, surveillance always spying on us
Thanks for sharing this information.
Glad it was useful!!!!
that is super weird, like why does the Government need to know literally everything about us...
Great video! Unfortunately, NO tax refund in the USA for people coming from the EU!!!
I am planning to fly to Europe next summer as a newly recognized Italian citizen and I now have both a US and Italian passport. As I do not live in the EU but am still an EU citizen, I wonder if I could still ask for VAT refunds when coming back to the US and / or if that changes how I declare in any way.
How do you declare ? On the form? Or at the window 🪟 when they ask if you have anything to declare?
😂😂😂😂 when you exceed an amount of expenses, that is what results, you have to declare how much you It doesn't matter if it's a VAT refund. You exceeded the logical amount of an expense in the foreigner
So if you don’t ask for vat refund they don’t get the information?
Yes!
Thanks for sharing! 😊
Great video! Ty❤️❤️
I’m waiting for unboxing 🤩🤩🤩🤩
Thx this was very informative.
Great video and thanks for the insight and information ❤😊!
So happy you liked it! Thank you so much for watching!
@@EricasGirlyWorld your welcome
I am in Bologna Italy. Everywhere we have been shopping has looked at me like I’m crazy when I ask for a tax refund form! Is there another way to get a tax refund at the airport before going back to the states?
So I went to baha mar last summer and got my love bracelet at Cartier at the resort when I got to customs they asked the same question and it looked like they had the information already
@Ericas Girly World, thanks for the useful info! Do the bags that we purchase need to be sealed in original packaging or its ok if we open them?
Thankyou such great advice
So happy you liked it!!!!
Ya they knew everything even in Japan
Why you have to declare purchases for yourself not for sale. I've never heard about it.
I thought for sure you were gonna say your CC companies are communicating with Customs. Its a matter of time. Miami n Atlanta notorious for scrutiny.
He knew because you spent over 10k and the VAT kiosk in Paris flagged you I got a red light (lol) you .. I have Global Entry so I never talked to a live agent .. I spent over 10k .. no questions at all . I did not talk to any agent at all .In Italy at the Spanish steps they will give you cash for the VAT at the top of the stairs ..in Newark they don’t usually charge the entire percentage.
thank you for this helpful video, one question that comes up to my mind, if we make a purchase online (whether it is from Amazon or another brand's website) how is the VAT refund process going to look like, please ?
My mom is visiting me here in the US from Canada and I am planning to buy her an LV bag. Should she declare it to Canadian customs when she fly back?