Shipping film to Europe and dealing with VAT

[ryanmills]

Ryan, sourcing from the US might not be as attractive as you think (75-50% cheaper). Please find an example below:

Kodak TMY 8x10 box of 10 sheet

B&H

USD 105
= 93 EUR
+ VAT (+19% Germany*) =
= 110 EUR
+ Shipping (USD 40 = 35 EUR)
+ VAT on Shipping (= 42 EUR)
= 152 EUR for one box
= 1142 EUR for 10 boxes

CALUMET Germany (Link)

No stock. Delivery time: 5-7 working days. As I said, quantity shouldn't be a problem.
135 EUR
= including tax
= including shipment
= 135 EUR for one box (11% cheaper)
= 1350 EUR for 10 boxes (15% more expensive)

* VAT in Belgium is 21%

If you go for Ilford films you would save roughly 50% over Kodak.

I do not know how things changed in terms of security checks/scans for shipped goods after the terrorist attacks. I would be very careful, in particular regarding Belgium. Saving a few bucks might not pay out in the long run (risk of fogged negatives).

If you want to source your film in the US, ship it to EU and get European VAT refunded after return, IMO you need to do it on your own. You do not need the embassy or other others - google for ATA Carnet, etc. This might help: http://www.atacarnet.com/what-carnet

Sorry I did make a typo of sorts I meant to phrase that as save quarter to half the cost. I only shoot tri-x and as best I can tell calumet does not stock it. But you have to understand, I fly 6000 miles, to get there and find out my film is delayed becuase there vendor does not have it is not an option. I wont buy from someone who has not have it in hand. I'm not worried about shipping and bomb scanning, I have been shipping film with DHL and Fedex for years with zero issues. Film is not the only item that cant be bomb scanned, you just have to make sure your box and shipping docs have it marked no-xray.

Anyway if I have to pay VAT to bring it into the country regardless thats just what I have to do. I appreciate the help but just hoping someone has gone thru this themselves. There are details in it im not sure about and could have issues. For example in getting the refund unlike normal I wont have the film with me, I will ship it back before I even fly home. I will have documents but no product. Will the documents I get from DHL cover what I need still, do I need to ask for something extra. I can ask an embassy some details, I can call DHL but none of these are going to give me the practical whole picture. But again I can't be the first person who has done this so hopefully someone who has gone thru this might know.

[soeren]

One more option in German
https://www.macodirect.de/

[gary mulder]

Film will probably be seen as a consumable item.

[Doremus Scudder]

Forget 8x10 and take your 4x5 plus film in your carry on. You're just making everything harder on yourself by going larger.

Doremus

[BILL3075]

You can reduce the extra expenses by carrying, say, 5-10 boxes, and
buying the balance there, assuming some European outfit carries Tri-X.

[mathieu Bauwens]

Hello Ryan,

i'm in Belgium, so if you don't find solutions, I can take care of your films if you decide to command some boxes. i'm around Brussels. Did you try the nex Bergger Pancro 400 (http://labo-argentique.com/produits/...-feuilles.html). It take only one wwek for me to be delivered. Try one box, that could be a good solution, too.

[chris_4622]

Ryan,

I went through this 3 years ago in Italy. I shipped 20 boxes of 5x7 film via Fed Ex. Italian Customs contacted me for further clarification and even though I clearly stated this was for my personal consumption and would be bringing it back with me I had to pay the VAT. At the time I didn't know I could try to recover that after returning. The cost was quite high, and factoring in the shipping, I paid almost the same amount I paid for the film alone. In the end I would have been better carrying it with me.

This doesn't help you trying to figure out how to navigate getting the VAT refunded but I do understand your frustration.

[djdister]

Some thoughts:

Taking 10 or more boxes is crazy. All that packaging is unnecessary. Pull the film out and repackage it into fewer, larger (deeper) boxes. Keep it in the inner envelopes, but you will save a lot of space by reducing the packaging load.

Fly first class. In addition to being a whole lot more comfortable, some airlines will allow two carry-on bags plus a personal item if you are flying first class. When I flew first class to Scotland, I was allowed two carry-on bags, a personal item, and two checked bags at no extra expense. I carried my sheet film over and back with me in my carry-on bags and had no problems.

[IanG]

There's a moral issue here and also possible dishonesty.

Fist you'll have to pay VAT if you have the film shipped to Europe or buy it here. Unused (unopened boxes) you can claim the VAT back at the exit port (or airport) you leave from. However exposed film no longer has a re-sale value so it's dishonest to claim the VAT back, if you claim it has a value then you are admitting to working in Europe so would be liable to tax.

Ian

[ryanmills]

Hello Ryan,

i'm in Belgium, so if you don't find solutions, I can take care of your films if you decide to command some boxes. i'm around Brussels. Did you try the nex Bergger Pancro 400 (http://labo-argentique.com/produits/...-feuilles.html). It take only one wwek for me to be delivered. Try one box, that could be a good solution, too.

I did get your email, i only shoot tri-x for a few reasons. flying 6000 miles and shooting 200 sheets of a film I have not worked with seems like a bad idea. I have to know for sure that the film will be there and I dont want to risk paying someone else to ship it and have it not show up on time.

Ryan,

I went through this 3 years ago in Italy. I shipped 20 boxes of 5x7 film via Fed Ex. Italian Customs contacted me for further clarification and even though I clearly stated this was for my personal consumption and would be bringing it back with me I had to pay the VAT. At the time I didn't know I could try to recover that after returning. The cost was quite high, and factoring in the shipping, I paid almost the same amount I paid for the film alone. In the end I would have been better carrying it with me.

This doesn't help you trying to figure out how to navigate getting the VAT refunded but I do understand your frustration.

Yes, this what I was worried about. Customs is a lot of drama... At this point the cheapest choice is to just pay the vat, its $450 and will likely be worth it over everything else that can go wrong.

Some thoughts:

Taking 10 or more boxes is crazy. All that packaging is unnecessary. Pull the film out and repackage it into fewer, larger (deeper) boxes. Keep it in the inner envelopes, but you will save a lot of space by reducing the packaging load.

Fly first class. In addition to being a whole lot more comfortable, some airlines will allow two carry-on bags plus a personal item if you are flying first class. When I flew first class to Scotland, I was allowed two carry-on bags, a personal item, and two checked bags at no extra expense. I carried my sheet film over and back with me in my carry-on bags and had no problems.

I shot 700 sheets of 4x5 last year over two weeks, 200 is barely enough. I did think about repacking them. However tsa/customs will require it to be scanned or opened if I repacked it or break the seal. Lots of chances for fogging the film. Weight is still an issue, that much 8x10 is heavy. I wish I could fly first class but your talking about flight costs going from $1700 to $5000. Hard to justify

There's a moral issue here and also possible dishonesty.

Fist you'll have to pay VAT if you have the film shipped to Europe or buy it here. Unused (unopened boxes) you can claim the VAT back at the exit port (or airport) you leave from. However exposed film no longer has a re-sale value so it's dishonest to claim the VAT back, if you claim it has a value then you are admitting to working in Europe so would be liable to tax.

Ian

Thats not true. You may be misunderstanding how VAT works, generally personal use items are not subject to VAT. Just because I bring a lot does not suddenly make me liable. The fact that im shipping it in from a company in a significant quantity is why I will likely have to pay. Further more consumable goods are subject to vat refunds regardless. It does not matter that I have shot the film. The questions is if I have to pay it at the start and likely thats going to be the case from everyone I have talked too.