I want to send a camera to somebody in Germany because Amazon will not shop there for that cam.
Does anybody have experience with this?
This is a straight-up gift and I'm not trying to pull anything... but I would anticipate problems on the other end with German customs if I do not play it right.
I am thinking of ways to enhance the "Gift" part - as opposed to some merchant trying to get out of paying duties.
Maybe send the camera in my own box and lose the manufacturer's packing?
New vs used? Maybe some way to make the (now new) cam properly "Used"?
I would just ship it, in an exterior box and crumpled up newspaper etc. around the original packaging, send it USPS registered so you can track it. The recipient may still have to pay some duties, but that is life. It mat get there faster with FedEx or UPS, but they are more likely to have the duties and such charged. That is my experience with stuff shipped from the US to me here in Canada, USPS to Canada Post usually comes straight to my door with no customs intervention.
Back in the 'cold war' days, I used to send to collegues and friends in Russia, but limited shipments to 'seasons' as much as possible, with greetings of Merry Christmas etc. Or, once out of season, Happy Birthday. The recipients even commented about their surprise at receiving! They said usually the 'inspectors' tend to be a bit light fingered going through items and stuff is usually missing, but when labeled personally, they said always came through. Guess, they have the same ideas as here in the US, screw the big companies, and be nice to individuals.
Also, received items from South Africa during apartheid labeled similarly. Once due to total value AND size, had to drive up to SFO to pick up directly from customs, but because of labeling, no problems. Signed a little declaration slip.
Just like you, not playing games but sending directly to and from a person. Oh, yeah, personal addresses, no company labels.
I did it for someone in the UK. It was a toy Christmas gift for his son and same situation as you describe where Amazon would not ship there but would ship here in US. I bought it from Amazon and repackaged it in a smaller package as there was a lot of wasted space in the Amazon package. He received it with no problem.
I always put notes in packages with my address in case exterior is damaged and maybe that is where you should write, "here is a gift". Don't know about Germany but there is a value added tax in the UK on everything.
In the past, I also shipped a couple of books to the UK not because they could not have gone directly there but to expedite them getting there.
- Customs declaration should be marked "Private Geschenksendung"
- Germany will not accept any Express Mail International or Priority Mail International insured item valued at more than $500. Items valued at more than $500 will be returned to sender.
- Should probably elect some sort of tracking option to reduce chance of theft within USPS
- German Postal service regularly loses small packages. Best chance is a *big* box weighing 1 kg or more.
- The primary goal of Customs in Germany is to prevent drugs, weapons, explosive materials, and illegal products from entering Germany.
- Customs does not normally open every parcel; these checks are rather random; however, their frequency increases when the declared gift value is over $100 USD
- It is also more likely that your parcel will be opened when it has an unusual appearance:
are all likely to catch the eye of a curious Customs agent.
- In most countries, if the gift is over a certain value it is taxable, and Germany is not exception.
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lists under "Prohibitions" Lithium cells and batteries ? including items containing lithium cells and batteries under 135.6.
- Customs Forms Required + PS Form 2976-A inside PS Form 2976-E (envelope). An invoice, in duplicate, is required for all commercial shipments regardless of value and all personal shipments valued at $300 or more. The invoices must be either affixed to the outside of the parcel or enclosed in PS Form 2976-E with the customs declaration.
- Insurance looks tb about $7.00 for $400 or $8.20 for $500 max.
Why post to an off-topic message to a group, and think it's ok if you preface it with "OT". It's like crapping in the kitchen sink (with a sign, of course, stating "out of place"), because your'e in the kitchen, and it's too much trouble to go down the hall to the bathroom.
People don't want to ask questions of a bunch of strangers, especially where they don't know which ones are fools and which don't answer unless they know something.
They want to ask the questions to people they know.
No it's not. Are you part of the generation that brings up scatology without any provocation.
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