Tax free package delivery in Portugal?

[tkrunning]

Is there a threshold for the value of items shipped to Portugal that would be exempt from import duties and taxes? I will be in Lisbon in October and will need to have something shipped to me from the US, and would obviously like to not pay any unnecessary taxes on it. Does it matter if the items are marked as "gift" or similar?

And are there any particular customs procedures I should be aware of when receiving international packages to Portugal?

Obrigado!

[Mario_Pereira]

Hi Thomas,

Depends on where you send it from. If you're sending it from outside the EU you can pay taxes if the package is selected by customs. Customs then asks you to provide an invoice of the item. If the cost of item+p&p is under 22€ then it is released without costs. If it's over, then you will need to pay VAT on the item + customs fees (which are small).

As an example, I had a mobile phone shipped here that cost around 100€ and I had to pay around 35€ to pass through customs.

Mário

[Mario_Pereira]

Oh.. and never ever use shipping companies. Packages ALWAYS end up in customs and you have to pay an extra fee to DHL, Fedex, etc. Just use regular registered mail.

[tkrunning]

Great tip, @Mario_Pereira

[daviddias]

Hey!

Yeah there is:
- If coming outside of EU - above 45 € will be stopped at customs and you will have to pay VAT (23%) plus customs handling (like 10 euros)
- If coming withing EU, no tax is applied

Note that faking it won't work, if you make the package look like a gift, you might get away with it, but it is like 1 out 10000

Good luck!

[zedascouves]

That's one question that many Portuguese ask! The tips below are valid for non-EU packages. EU packages are exempt.

• Packages valued bellow +-€20 and you're fine. Above that, you're on your own.
• "Gift" marking may help, but doesn't guarantee at all that it will pass customs. The above rule is safer.
• Packages from "exotic" places have a higher chance of being kept for inspection by Customs. Places like South Korea and USA included.
• If a package is selected for inspection, you're looking to around 30 days before you actually get it. In this case, you should/must have all the "paper trail" for the purchase, like receipts with all the amounts paid.
• Finally, if you have to pay taxes in the package, it'll not be cheap (amounts vary according to package contents and value paid).
• Like Mario said, it's better to not use a shipping company.

[Albuquerque]

If you brought the items you want with you in your personal luggage you would be isent from taxes but solely if those items did not exceed €300 (plus some specific legal rules).

As for VAT you will be isent to pay it if the total value of the items you want to ship does not surpass €22, and in certain particular cases provided in law.

In what concerns import duties the tresholds are different when it is from a private or from a company. In the former case the treshold to be isent of import duties is €45 and in the latest the treshold is €150, i.e., when the total value of the itens do not surpass the mentioned tresholds, the shipment is isent of import duties.

It does not matter if the package is marked as 'gift' or similar, but you can be lucky enough for the customs officer to ignore it and in that case to not pay any tax.

However it can exist something particularly applicable to your situation.

Best regards

[themiguelamador]

One time got an item sent as replacement of a broken item, and was not stopped in customs. The item can for free, but since was not the typical gift, but a free replacement, had no issues (although don't remember if was stopped). Normal mail is the best option, since Fedex, DHL will must certainly get you into customs with extra fees. Or they can help you to make the shipment as a free item, if that reason is reasonable for them.