amir431974

Hi,

My UK house contents will be arriving at Dubai Port very soon. I have a letter from my company saying that my residence visa is being processed. I have now been told that the Govt will value my goods and ask for 5% of the value to be paid because I have no residence visa yet.

Does anyone know this to be the case or can I get my goods without this 5% being paid based on the letter from my company?

arbroath_abroad

would imagine an NOC from your company will suffice...

Sam FTQ

I have heard this, too, but not related to having/not having a Residence Visa. I was told by Customs that I would have to pay them 5% of the value of my goods. I have no idea why.

Does anybody know???

Meow

Really? I didn't pay anything when I had half a container shipped some 18 months ago. I didn't have to produce any paperwork (I didn;t have my residency at the time) and the company I employed handled everything, including delivery to my door.

Inselaffen

Personal effects are on the list of exempted items from the standard customs duty of 5%. I guess they cannot be classifed properly as personal effects if you are not a resident.

Give a call to Dubai Customs and see if there is any way around this.

Madam Medusa

yeah, we were the same...

MM, xx

amir431974

I have just spoken with the agents dealing with my shipment here (Ahmed Saleh) and they told me that this new rule of 5% to be paid if no resident visa was introduced this year.

So, a letter from employer will not suffice - only way to avoid the 5% is if you have a residence visa at time of clearance.

Madam Medusa

wow, that's a bugger...

MM, xx

Border Reiver

Amazing the way these "little" taxes keep cropping up in a tax fee country. At least Dick Turpin had the decency to wear a mask.

Sam FTQ

If the 5% charge only applies if you do not have a Residence Visa, then it should not be a problem for most people. The Residence Visa only takes a few days, whereas it takes weeks for your stuff to arrive by boat.

Madam Medusa

ahh...but here he does it with a dish dash, a delicious scent and a winning smile...!!

MM, xx

Inselaffen

ask the agent to keep it in the port until you have your residence. Clearance only has to be done when it exits the port zone!

Eeyore

Depends entirely on whether or not your company has its arse in gear and whether or not you're in a free zone. And even in free zones (where it usually only takes a week to get residency), it's not unusual for some companies to wait until staff have completed their entire probation period - as long as six months - before beginning to process their residency.

I would imagine that this new rule is in some way related to this particular practice.

MADali

Dont do this. You'll have to pay storage after the grace period of 5 days.

You can always undervalue your items. I mean, what exactly are you bringing? Clothes and shit can be undervalued to basically nothing.

Sam FTQ

But then that has implications for your insurance.