Most countries have a generous personal effects relief period where normally within 6-12 months of a person arriving in the country they can gain relief on customs charges. This can vary per country with some being more strict than others and we recommend you check this with your destination's customs authority.
For most customs agencies, the recipient of the shipment may need to supply proof of their circumstances to apply for exemption. These circumstances would typically require:
The customer having been outside the country of import for at least 12 months prior to shipping
The customer must have eligible residency proof at the time of shipping
The customer must have eligible employment proof at the time of shipping
The relevant customs authority may request alternative documents if a customer is eligible for exemption but is missing one or more necessary requirements. However, this is on a case to case basis.
If a customer is found not to be eligible for exemption, customs may clear their shipment as a standard import. This means that duties and taxes will apply, and your shipment will be declared as a commercial one.
A number of customs agencies have loosely defined personal effects as "items kept and used within one's person." However, this definition has also evolved to include basic household items. Items considered as excess, such as luxury goods, are not typically defined as personal effects due to its high value nature.
Can I claim back duties and taxes paid?
If documents for exemption cannot be provided and your shipment is cleared as a standard import,
It is still possible to claim back duties and taxes paid on an order. However, this is dependent on the policies placed by the relevant customs authority you are shipping to.
If in the occassion Customs find you eligible for exemption, they may contact Sherpr on your behalf, or the recipient of the shipment directly to request additional documents.
Customs will not always offer elgibility for exemption proactively. If you have the documents necessary for duty and tax exemption, it is essential that these are uploaded into your Sherpr account prior to your labels being generated. This ensures that the documents for exemption are uploaded onto our partner courier's database for consideration.
If a shipment is sent through with no relvant exemption documents attached, Customs may opt to clear your shipment as a standard import without prompting you for additional documents.
Personal effects exemption is the most common reason for customs delays and requires additional documents and processes prior to the release of your shipment.
Please note that any shipments with or without applicable duties and / or taxes may still be subject to clearance fees imposed by our partner courier.
Sherpr is not liable for occasions wherein no exemption is offered by the relevant customs’ agency of the country you are shipping to, and you acknowledge that you are responsible for providing all necessary documents needed for exemption ahead of shipping.