manchester2016

Hi all,

I intend to bring back approx half of my belongings when I move from the US to the UK in June.

There will likely be a few electronics, perhaps valued at around $7k total.

Some will be under 6 months old at the time and will have receipts, older ones have no receipts.

Will I have to pay anything to do this? Does it matter if I bring them in my suitcase or via a storage container?

Thanks

Pulaski

You don't pay duty on your possessions, no matter whether you are a British citizen or a new immigrant, and no matter whether you carry them, pack them, or ship them.

I admire your attention to detail regarding the items less than six months old, but the chances of anyone examining your stuff closely enough to identify anything that might have belonged to you for less than six months, and then doing the due diligence to prove it, and then bother to bill you for a small percentage of the relatively low value of computers and consumer electronics in the 21st century, is approximately zero.

manchester2016

That's great to hear.

I read a thread on here where someone was sent an invoice for duty on their belongings, but it looked like it was a mistake.

Also, I can't bring my car into the UK without paying a huge chunk of change, so wanted to be double sure.

Thank you.

Pulaski

A vehicle is still exempt from VAT and duty so long as you have owned it for six months, same rules as for everything else.

Of course there are all sorts of good reasons not to bring most vehicles into the UK from overseas.

Bermudashorts

I think the thread you have seen was when somebody didn't fill a form in to state that they were importing personal possessions.

I wished I had brought my car over from Australia now, I wouldn't have swapped it if we had stayed put but ended up spending a lot of a newer model. However that was Australia, I wouldn't even think about it from the U.S. assuming it is a LHD.

poppy10

The HMRC C3 form asks if you have had your home outside the EC for more than twelve months. When I return to the UK I will only have been living in NZ for 10 months. Will that lead to any tax charges?

Pulaski

If you follow the instructions on that form, if your "normal home" has been outside the EU (in your case presumably NZ) then it directs you to complete "Part B" listing things which you have owned for less than six months. So no, you're not going to be taxed on all the things you're bringing back from NZ, only those you've owned less than six months.

My advice in post #2, above, also applies.