All about customs

[anjcam]

Hello guys, I just need some help. I am planning to get some stuffs sa ibang bansa then balak ko benta. ask ko lang, how customs work? pano ko malalaman kung kelangan ko magbayad ng tax or what?

Hope somebody can help me thanks so much!

[whitestarrr]

Same problem, we need help here ^_^

[janachen]

Hello guys, I just need some help. I am planning to get some stuffs sa ibang bansa then balak ko benta. ask ko lang, how customs work? pano ko malalaman kung kelangan ko magbayad ng tax or what?

Hope somebody can help me thanks so much!

Sis, depende sa location mo pero isa lang ang masasabi ko. Sakit sa bangs ang customs. May relatives ka ba na sya ang magpapadala? Kung mayroon, much better pero kung binibili mo sa online tapos ipapaship mo, kailangan mautak ka.

Tip ko sayo, huwag mong ideclare yong talagang amount ng items. Or magdala ka ng invoice pero iedit mo sa smaller amount. Kasi pagbinuksan nila yan at nakita ang totoong amount ang computation is

12% ng total amount binili mo
tapos meron pang additional tarrif na dko alam kung saan nila kinuha yung charge na yun
at mayroon pang iba..

So ibig sabihin lugi ka.

Noong kumuha ako ng item sa UK mga 2k ang amount, yung tax ko 1k.. LOL

[aquacharly]

Even if you have relatives sa Customs -- you will pay.  Hindi ka nga lang kaliskisan big time.

Ok, if you are bringing in container vans -- per 20footer ang unit of computation for taxes -- x for 20 footer;  2x for a 40footer, etc simple math of corruption. Lol
May lower rate for bukasan.  May higher rate for no bukasan (but puede ka pa rin ma double cross dito).  You cannot deal with Customs directly, at the harbors.   You must get a customs brokerage, its agent negotiates and pays for you. 
You must stuff your container up to the point ma sukasuka na so that mabawi mo the undeclared fee you pay to the corrupt.  (Bibigyan ka ng recibo naman -- for a portion of the total you fork over. Lol)
When we import dump trucks/heavy eqpmnt from Japan -- we fill up all free spaces with tires & tools. Pag nag bukasan - they negotiate with you only for the big items (the trucks/heavy eqpmnt.). 

If you are gonna bring it with you through the airport -- do NOT use boxes. Ayos ka dyan.  Use cheap huge duffle bags or suitcases.   If you can get promo cheapo fares -- better you bring a maid or 2 to distribute your luggages -- yan, baka nakalusot ka pa, or -- hindi ka gitgitin  masyado.  Kahit na baggage allowance is 1 from your destination (ex. HK, within Asia) -- act casual, with your 2 suitcases.
If you have more than 2 full suitcases -- titignan ka na nila.
Best you bring only max 15pcs of any item para hindi ka maipit ek-ek  "commercial qty".   Do not bother with undervalued receipts -- hasa na sila, they will not honor your receipt -- magaling sila mag eyeball estimate, puede mo na sila isali sa Price Is Right game show.

Alam mo what boxes are not taxed sa airport?
Ang ilagay mo on the box in big letters the recognizable name of a person sa Malacanang or PNP/Airforce (not Army, not Navy, lol) or Senator/Congressman/Mayor of MManila.   Kahit 1 train of boxes pa ipasok mo.  BUT the customs aswang expect 1/2 (with ID of the Office )secu of the VIperson to be there with you at the Customs choke point (may access pass sila kaya naka pasok  ) to fetch the boxes from you. Lol. 

So, to answer your question: You will be taxed for sure. 98% sure  -- for bringing in over 2 suitcases all by your one self. 

If you are gonna import for resale - do it big: by the container para hindi ganon ka hirap to make profits. But of course, higher risk = bigger potential. 

Good luck. Think it out well.

[whitestarrr]

Balak ko mag import ng glutathione and other products from thailand. Kailangan ko paba ng custom broker para don?  Big boxes lang naman

[aquacharly]

Anything passing the harbors are processed through customs brokers.
If you own 100% contents of the whole container, you deal with your chosen broker.
If your boxes occupy only a part of the container -- you ship through a forwarder or agent at the port/city of origin.  Parang Johnny Air --  we all send boxes, deal with Johnny Air say in NYC, dito problema ni Johnny Air to deal through its broker with customs at the harbor.   You do not get your own broker. 
So even if you occupy over 50percent of a container --  it is the forwarder/shipper that gets the broker (negosyo nya yang bring in others' goods eh, madami yang deal na containers).   

Airport: told ya... Boxes make the Airport customs examiners' eyes sparkle. Eto na! Eto na!   Lol
1 tactic I have when I am bringing in pricey stuff like a laptop, a brand new Hermes --  I insert myself in front of a traveller na obviously marami dala, or has clean boxes (hindi gutay gutay bbox ha na Foodstuff/ordinary clothes/goodies obviously lang laman.). 100% sure -  kulang na lang itulak ako palabas --  quesa bulatlatin nila my cases  at mainip yung target nila behind me, at lumipat sa kabilang counter. Lol
Boxes, lalo na big ones, -- may fatal attraction yan to airport customs brokers.   Hahaha

[anjcam]

thanks for the detailed replies =) Nakakatuwa, sobrang daming natututunan. Ask ko lang, mas mdali ba kung magpapadoor to door nalang ako? dba wala tax pag door to door?

[aquacharly]

95percent of the time --   no tax on door to door. But it takes looonnnnggg to get your goodies this way.

[anjcam]

oo nga e, i tried it na for my personal stuffs. So maybe start na ko magcompute kung anong gagawin. may friend kasi kami sa customs kaya lang, may toka toka ata sila. so if i want to bring lets say food, hindi niya yun toka. ganun ata sila. But maybe i can still ask help from him. Thanks so much!

[ruzzette]

95percent of the time --   no tax on door to door. But it takes looonnnnggg to get your goodies this way.

Hi sis, pero bakit kaya nagkatax pa ko with door to door delivery? I ordered some stuffs from China, supplier shipped it via fedex tapos pagdating sa door namin after 1 week may dalang OR yung delivery man saying na may babayaran ako P4,882. So ayun, binayaran ko nalang para makuha ko na yung package. Total cost of the package is 500usd pero declared as 200usd. What do you think should I do para di ako mataxan via door to door? Or malessen man lang?

Thank you!

[Jachanso]

hi sis aqua, me also i ordered from china online store, 9 shoes - thru EMS. Paid more than P5,000 tax omg. What's the best courier to use from china to ph na hindi naman ganito tax? :/

[aquacharly]

JACHANSO --  it's not the forwarder/courier.  My experience: sobrang corrupt sa post offices, sobra hirap to deal with them. I got taxed for a religious pamphlet -- not even a booklet ha, with a rosary: gift yon ha, may note pa na gift: 3thousand.  For something that costs what --  200 pesos.   Ganon ka greedy.  Even if you undervalue -- they refer to a tax book of theirs. 

RUZZETTE:   From HK to Phils matindi nowadays ang  tax.  The former Pinoy franchise holders of FedEx were good at dealing with Customs. Now, it is FedEx mismo operating their units in HK & Manila. Mga hindi marunong "makisama " with Customs, so ayon -- grabe taxes.   Dati, what we have made in HK:  suits, pants shirts of hubby; our eyeglasses mga ganon: FedEx.   Now grabe!  Given the estimated tax (FedEx in HK gives an estimate of tax to be paid here to the HK client -- info comes from FedEx Mla) -- it has been cheaper to buy a Cebu Pacific ticket for an employee of ours to fly there & bring  whatever back).   

That is what I  know is happening now, based on our experience.   Better if konti lang your goods -- travel there & bring it in.  If madami, bring your helper/alalay/whoever  to distribute entry of your goods.
But if madami your goods --    Best to ship via container.. 

[kimpot]

my mom is a customs broker. But she's dealing with container vans. Im not sure how it works with boxes.

 malakas talaga ang lagayan sa customs lalo na pag mabilisan ang gusto mo.

[calin22]

Just a question, lahat na ba ng EMS ngayon may tax? 2 of my boxes from CHINA, naipit sa customs last March, paid for it. the value is 100 USD. I wonder lang kasi I have another box pero less than 50USD laman at small box.. sana wala tax kasi hassle naman baka mas mahal pa ang tax sa item. Before kasi I usually get the my boxes na wala tax eh, mga undeclared value via EMS.. pero ngayon ata kahit small parcel at mura may tax na. 

[ysa.belle]

lahat naman ng agency ng government may corrupt, di na ata maiiwasan iyon eh. ang tanong lang, sino ang mas greedy.

[calin22]

^^oops mali pala ako, di naman pala lahat ng EMS ngayon may tax. hehe just got my boxes today.. 2 sila actually, yung isang box ko na may silver na bracelet (around 15k yen) from japan, wala din naman tax, pero it was undeclared kasi.. 

[aquacharly]

Medj ingat EMS daw nowadays kasi talagang they are talked of much. So medj takot sila ma feature sila sa program ni  Babao/Tulfo. Lol.   So they now play by the books, daw. Depende rin san EMS bagsak.  Greenhills ok, Pasig: sooo greedy.

1 gimmick daw is to use other names, not just 1 name for your orders.   Kasi pag madalas na daw your name: ipitan na talaga. 

Sa harbors naman:   It is in the business section of  diarios  today:  lumaki na nga halaga ng fee per container. Lol. MinimumP300thou na; usually P500thou daw nowadays. Susko

[charmedwitch776]

Newbi ako sa importing mga sis...do I still need pay taxes if via DHL ang box ko from China?

OOT(yata itong next question ko) is it going to be door to door or need ko din puntahan sa post office? saka ilan days/week usually if using DHL then from china to phil?

TIA

[jtansanco]

Customs... Screw them. I had to leave the country and start all over because of them.

Anyway, good luck with the Customs.. Even a big ex-smuggler-with-lots-of-connections-broker family friend couldn't help me when "inipit" ako ng Customs since it's a mess there. Even my dad's container got detained there even though he's been shipping the same type of materials for 10+ years..

[shineadet]

imho nagiging corrupt ang customs kase may mga taong gustong mapababa or makatakas sa babayarang tax or ayaw magbayad ng tamang tax.