poppy10

Hi,
I'm moving to NZ on a long term work visa and am using a removal company to send my belongings by air freight. The removal company is aware I am coming on a work visa and have a copy of this.

I heard I can move all my household belongings free of any import duty/GST etc
But my removal company is asking me to fill out a valuation form for everything box I am sending, and says that if it comes to over £250 it will be stopped by Customs and charges may be applicable.
Is this advice true?

http://i.imgur.com/BTZEivF.png

MrsFychan

if the items are over 12mths old then you should not get charged but new goods can get gst added to them by customs on inspection, and it is up to customs, no one can say for sure it will or won't.

poppy10

But even if it is all second hand, my belongings will still come to more than £250. E.g. I have 4 suits, several overcoats, partner's dresses etc that in total will be worth more than £250. Does that mean we would be charged if we declare the value as say £400

MrsFychan

I think you are confusing matters. You will not be charged gst on any items that are more than 12mths old. you may have to on newer goods.
the costs are for insurance purposed I would of thought.
who is your removal company?

Persephone

If you are moving to NZ for more than 12 months [you say you have a long term work visa] then you do not have to pay duty on your personal and household possessions.
I agree with MrsF, I think the removal company want a valuation for insurance purposes, they have a copy of your visa which is to prove residency.
New Zealand Customs Service : Allowances & duty free concessions Look under the section 'documents authorising residency'

moving2NZ2013

Unless they can prove it's new you won't be taxed.

MrsFychan

sorry you cannot say that, if customs say it has to have gst it will have to be paid or they won't get the item.

moving2NZ2013

Maybe so then

But I have yet to meet anyone that has been taxed on anything from a house shipping container. (Unless it's brand new items)

poppy10

It's PSS Removals. They know we aren't taking out their insurance.
They really haven't been very helpful, our removal manager doesn't seem to know what the rules are and just keeps saying contradictory things (ne minute saying we won't get charged for bringing in household effects as we are migrants, the next minute saying we need to fill their valuation form and that we would be charged if the value is above £250.) He says it is because they use DHL for air freight and it is their requirement, but that really doesn't seem to make sense

MrsFychan

We used PSS and had no problems, container thought, and yes you have to fill out an itinerary and costing - its for customs at this end. the £250 in total seems to be a mis lead, maybe ask to speak to an alternative person as you feel you are not get sufficient help from your existing manager.

you will need to fill in a unaccompanied personal baggage declaration and on that form it asking what sort of items are in the package. ask PSS to send you it if they have not already done so, to give you some idea's. it does ask on that form if there are any goods insured/assessed at a value over £0.00 (fill in). and its that where you will get the gst added. we just put 0 in that field, as the box just had items we wanted to get before the container arrived and my photo's that I would of been very unhappy about if they ended up at the bottom of the sea.

please also be aware that you may have to pay for the items to be released and delivered from depot this end after customs had checked it.

what sort of things are you putting in the parcel.?

poppy10

I was planning to take some valuables but I guess I won't be able to do that. I phoned PSS again and they said the rules are different for air freight - the duty free allowance doesn't apply. You can send what you like by sea but the air freight has to be below £250. That's going to severely limit what I send - even a few suits could bump me over the limit

MrsFychan

seems to come under the same rules as when you purchase from abroad the items within the parcel, as well as the cost for delivery. have to be under a certain amount or you really get hit with gst. unfortunately the calculator site that I was using to make sure I didn't go over has ceased to exist and at the moment I have not found another - so if anyone has a link for one please let us know.

jmh

I wonder whether it is worth sending the freight in separate lots - just a thought. You could also try wearing some of the valuables if applicable.