rexypexy

hi
I ordered goods from the US a few weeks ago.I tracked the package( no problem) showing parcel arrived in Lisbon 2 days later.8th Feb. On Friday
25th Feb I received tel.call from someone whom I assume was a customs officer which I did not understand even though I speak portuguese
The call didn't regsister on my blackberry so cannot return the call and I cannot find a tel.no for Lisbon customs anywhere I even tried the Post Office for assistance. No joy there.Can you help please??

garden2002

Hi. Sorry to hear you are having problems. We had no contact with customs directly - only via the courier (UPS) used by our US seller. Suggest you contact the courier or postal service used by your seller and see if they can update you.

bigglesafloat

If local office of carrier cannot help try FAOTIR in Faro - they used to be despechantes (customs agents) but check on any fees first.

james.mc

I agree in principle, but there are types of goods that do not attract import tax in the UK. Computer goods (for example) were once in that league.
I would suggest just about everything would attract import duty in Portugal.

For sure, here in Portugal, you will just about end up nailed for import tax on everything and delayed on delivery compared to the UK where you may pay (some) import tax and might be delayed a little on delivery.

Once, we had two sweatshirts (for the wife and I) and about four small motorbike stickers sent by a friend in Singapore as a gift. The robbing buggers in Lisbon wanted us to provide an invoice/receipt (we didn't have one) and eventually charged us around 20 Euros import duty. We got the shirts about three weeks after they arrived in Portugal.

If you involve Alfandega in the loop they will always nail you and inevitably delay delivery, probably even more so now that they must scrape in every Euro to keep this country afloat!

We've been here 8 years and will now only ship into the UK and then UK to here.

bigglesafloat

'Twas always so in Portugal. Pre E#U days we even had to pay the Customs Agents (Despechantes) to clear our imported goods on top of the duty, IVA etc

Mitzyboy

Most goods into the UK from outside the EU attract duty / VAT on importation, with the exception of those covered by quota systems and those zero rated (however I don't remember computer parts being zero rated) ........ and those quotas often run out during the year so duty is reimposed. So the great majority are subject to duty, but some are subject to quota relief

Supremegermalene

I've had a fair bit of stuff from the US/Canada delivered to the UK and only ever paid duty once and that was when it was sent to a company name rather than an individual.

I don't think I'd like to risk anything being sent direct here unless it's from China.

G

Mitzyboy

Thats because (a) UK customs only select a percentage of items for examination and maybe (b) the item descriptions on the shipping documents are often ... well .. misleading . I had a camera from the US some years ago and it came straight through to the UK.