Import tax from Canada?

[Songyun]

Are you sure it was Customs Duty and not a Customs Brokerage handling fee? The latter is quite common when items are shipped across borders using express or freight carriers. If it is the latter then you have been charged for the shipping company's work in shepherding your item through customs and you won't get it back.

Good Morning Ted,
Here is what showed up in my Fedex

Customs Duty 23.16 USD

Total Duties, Tax, Customs, Other Fees 23.16 USD

[Andrew O'Neill]

23 dollars...whoopty doo...we would pay more up here. How badly do you want the lens??

[Randy H]

Ya know, ya gotta love them Bostonians and the parties they throw!!

Odd thing about traveling overseas and returning to US. If you buy jewelry (watches, rings, neclaces, etc) and bring it back to US in crry-on or suitcase, or whatever, you are required (supposed) to declare it. BUT, if you "wear" it in, you don't. Coming in to JFK. it it used to be fun watching some of them coming in from Saudi wearing 10+ pounds of 18K gold necklaces, and a ring on every finger. Never had to declare electronics of any kind though. (stereos, cameras, etc)

[Dave Parker]

Hmm,

That is odd, I have purchased quite a few things from Canada and have never had to pay a custom or brokerage fee coming into the US, even the items I had shipped by FedEx or UPS..

Dave

[Songyun]

23 dollars...whoopty doo...we would pay more up here. How badly do you want the lens??

I am returning this lens now.
I will follow up the story.

[tim atherton]

I am returning this lens now.
.

on what grounds? are you expecting a refund?

[Songyun]

The importing tax rate is 2.3% (no brokerage fee), I called Fedex today, they basically told me that I can not get the importing tax back, even if I return it. Does that make sense?
Anyone here understand the regulation of importing tax? The seller put jp as the origin of the lens, it should be Germany. Does that make a difference?

[Dave Parker]

The government, gets their money, no matter what you do..

Dave

[SAShruby]

Trades outside USA and Mexico are always subject to duties. If you return the lens you need to submit claim to Canada Tax and Services for refund. You need to submit all documentation including confirmation you sent lens back... and wait 9-12 months for refund.

And, oh, BTW, if you use services such as FEDEX or UPS or DHL, they ALWAYS charge you duties no matter what you're getting, unless it's declared as sample or gift. Sometimes you can get away with it if it is send by state regulated postal service. In my international dealings, German stuff was always subject to a duty, British would depend if it's used or new and what is declared price.

Good luck.

[Joseph O'Neil]

I've noticed on our side of the pond here in North America, as NAFTA and "free trade" expanded, something interesting happened. Almost a direct, inverse relationship in that as duties fell and faded away, brokerage fees, shipping fees, gas surtax fees, unloading & inspection fees, your dog had fleas and you mother wears army boots fees (well, not quite, but soon I am sure ) all came more and more into play.

Even inside Canada, I mail order something and the cost of shipping can double an item. I am not talking about how some people will deliberately jack up the shipping and handling "fees" as a way to make a real profit - such as "free" CDs that cost "only $25 in shipping and handling fees", but honest to goodness situation where you buy a used book for $10 and the postage marked on the box by the post office is $15.

The situation really is hit and miss, all over the place. The very worst time I ever had was - get this now - I had a grave stone for a US war veteran buried here in my hometown shipped up here to a funeral home. The Veteran's Affairs office in the USA have been, in my experience, excellent to deal with to get a stone for an unmarked grave of a US veteran.

You have to provide all the proper documentation and the stone has be shipped directly to either a cemetery or funeral home, but once that is all arranged, the US Government pays every penny of all the shipping, and provides all documentation.

The stone arrives at the Cdn-US boarder, and the shipping company phones me up and gives me a hard time about paperwork not all being there, extra inspection fees, customs value of the stone, who is the owner, etc, etc, etc. All this is clearly marked by the US Government - for example- the US Government owns the stone for all eternity, they never surrender ownership.

to make a very long story short, after 20 minutes on the phone I hung up on them and my last words were : "The US Government owns the stone and all rights to it, if you have a problem , call them, and I'll be letting them know that YOU were the ones who had the problem with honouring thier war veterans. Also remember, they have bigger guns than the Canadian Customs agents."

I really said that, and hung up. The stone showed up a couple days later, no questions asked.


joe