Tips on Importing Goods
Posted: Fri May 06, 2016 2:55 pm
Thought I'd try and consolidate some tips on importing goods into Australia since I've learned something new this week.
Please add your own tips.
1. If possible, try and keep the goods under A$1,000 to eliminate the need to pay import duty - note that this A$1,000 limit is for goods only, it does NOT include S&H.
2. If your goods cost over A$1,000 and can be split into multiple deliveries, consider doing so (more on this later).
3. If your goods cost over A$1,000 and cannot be split and you want them ASAP, make sure you track your package electronically.
As soon as you see that your goods have arrived in customs:
i. Call customs directly and get them to provide you with a mail reference number for the good. Try and get them to provide the tariff classification information needed because that's confusing (I imported an ECU and there is no obvious tariff classification for that)
ii. Fill in the customs form https://www.border.gov.au/Importingandbuyinggoodsfromoverseas/Documents/b374-importdeclaration-goodn10post_submit.pdf using the mail reference number and tariff classification from the previous step (if you're a Windows user, you can edit this form using "Foxit Reader", a free .pdf application).
iii. e-mail the filled-in form to customs
iv. Wait for customs to e-mail you a "Payment Advice for Import Declaration" (took me 2 days after e-mailing in the form)
v. Pay the customs duty ASAP (unfortunately you pay customs on the cost of the Goods+S&H, not just the goods alone which is just a rip-off IMO).
This can be accomplished in 4 days, you then have to wait for the payment to clear and the goods to be sent out (hopefully 2-3 days).
If you do need to pay import duty and only use snail-mail:
i. It will take 5-10 days before you will receive notification that your goods have arrived, along with the paperwork you need to fill out
ii. It will take 5-10 days after you post the paperwork before you will get the invoice by snail-mail
ie. The paperwork alone can take 20 days to process, that's insane!
If you want your goods in a hurry and can split them so that they're under A$1,000 in each package, it's worth splitting them (you may want to send them to different addresses and use different names though in case Customs decides to investigate why multiple packages are being sent from the same sender to one receiver on the same day).
Please add your own tips.
1. If possible, try and keep the goods under A$1,000 to eliminate the need to pay import duty - note that this A$1,000 limit is for goods only, it does NOT include S&H.
2. If your goods cost over A$1,000 and can be split into multiple deliveries, consider doing so (more on this later).
3. If your goods cost over A$1,000 and cannot be split and you want them ASAP, make sure you track your package electronically.
As soon as you see that your goods have arrived in customs:
i. Call customs directly and get them to provide you with a mail reference number for the good. Try and get them to provide the tariff classification information needed because that's confusing (I imported an ECU and there is no obvious tariff classification for that)
ii. Fill in the customs form https://www.border.gov.au/Importingandbuyinggoodsfromoverseas/Documents/b374-importdeclaration-goodn10post_submit.pdf using the mail reference number and tariff classification from the previous step (if you're a Windows user, you can edit this form using "Foxit Reader", a free .pdf application).
iii. e-mail the filled-in form to customs
iv. Wait for customs to e-mail you a "Payment Advice for Import Declaration" (took me 2 days after e-mailing in the form)
v. Pay the customs duty ASAP (unfortunately you pay customs on the cost of the Goods+S&H, not just the goods alone which is just a rip-off IMO).
This can be accomplished in 4 days, you then have to wait for the payment to clear and the goods to be sent out (hopefully 2-3 days).
If you do need to pay import duty and only use snail-mail:
i. It will take 5-10 days before you will receive notification that your goods have arrived, along with the paperwork you need to fill out
ii. It will take 5-10 days after you post the paperwork before you will get the invoice by snail-mail
ie. The paperwork alone can take 20 days to process, that's insane!
If you want your goods in a hurry and can split them so that they're under A$1,000 in each package, it's worth splitting them (you may want to send them to different addresses and use different names though in case Customs decides to investigate why multiple packages are being sent from the same sender to one receiver on the same day).
