What is Threshold in Customs?
It means you will not need to pay any customs duty if your shipment value is below that amount. However there may be different threshold for Custom duty and Tax (like GST / VAT) in some countries. For example in European Union countries VAT threshold is 22 EUR and Custom Duty threshold is 150 EUR.
Example: If you bought a dress for 50 USD from Amazon.com and wants its delivery in Italy, then you need to pay VAT in your country (Italy in our example) but no customs duty.
Customs Duty (Import Duty) and Taxes Threshold:
| Country | Minimum Threshold | Custom Duty % | Country Tax (VAT / GST / Sales Tax) |
| Argentina | 25 USD | 25% | – |
| Algeria | 50,000 DA | 0% to 30% | 17% |
| Antigua and Barbuda | no minimum | 0 to 70% | 15% |
| Austria | 22 EUR for VAT, 150 EUR for Custom Duty | 27 | 2.5% |
| Angola | 187 USD | – | – |
| Australia | 1000 AUD | 20% | – |
| Andorra | 220 EUR | 15% | VAT always charge |
| Aruba | No minimum | 0% to 57% | 0% |
| Belarus | 22 EUR for VAT, 150 EUR for Custom Duty | – | – |
| Brazil | 50 USD | 50% | – |
| Barbados | No minimum | 0% and 70% | 17% |
| Belgium | 22 EUR for VAT, 150 EUR for Custom Duty | – | – |
| Bangladesh | 1000 BDT | – | VAT always charged |
| Botswana | No Minimum | 0% to 45% | 12% |
| Belize | No minimum | 0% and 70% | 12.5% |
| Bulgaria | 30 BGN | – | – |
| Burundi | No Minimum | 0 to 100% | 18% |
| Canada | 20 CAD | 15% | – |
| Czech Republic | 22 EUR for VAT, 150 EUR for Custom Duty | – | – |
| Canary Islands | 22 EUR for VAT, 150 EUR for Custom Duty | – | – |
| China | 22 USD | – | 15% |
| Colombia | Duty will be applicable on all imports | – | Tax applicable if shipment value is above 200 USD |
| Croatia | 22 EUR for VAT, 150 EUR for Custom Duty | – | – |
| Chile | 30 USD | 6% | 19% |
| Cambodia | no minimum | 50 | |
| Cyprus | 17 Euro | – | – |
| Denmark | 80 DKK | – | – |
| Dominican Republic | 176 USD | – | – |
| El Salvador | no minimum | – | 13% |
| Estonia | 21.98 Euro | – | – |
| Egypt | No Minimum | Depends whether shipment is personal or commercial | 13% |
| France | 22 EUR for VAT, 150 EUR for Custom Duty | ||
| Finland | 22 Euro | – | – |
| French Guiana | 22 EUR for VAT, 150 EUR for Custom Duty | 0 to 17% | – |
| Grenada | no minimum | Depends whether shipment is personal or commercial | 15% |
| Guadeloupe | 22 EUR for VAT, 150 EUR for Custom Duty | – | 8.5 |
| Guatemala | No minimum | Depends whether shipment is personal or commercial | 12% |
| Greece | 22 EUR for VAT, 150 EUR for Custom Duty | – | – |
| Germany | 22 EUR for VAT, 150 EUR for Custom Duty | 20% | – |
| Guyana | No minimum | Depends whether shipment is personal or commercial | 16% |
| Hungary | 22 Euro | – | – |
| Indonesia | 50 USD | – | VAT always charge |
| India | No minimum | – | – |
| Isle of Man | 15 GBP | ||
| Ireland | 22 Euro | – | – |
| Iceland | 1,500 ISK | – | – |
| Italy | 22 EUR for VAT, 150 EUR for Custom Duty | – | – |
| Israel | 75 USD | – | – |
| Iran | 50 USD | – | – |
| Jersey | 12 GBP | – | – |
| Jamaica | No minimum | Depends whether shipment is personal or commercial | 16.5% |
| Jordan | JOD100 | – | – |
| Japan | 10,000 JPY | – | – |
| Kenya | No Minimum | Depends whether shipment is personal or commercial | 16% |
| Kazakhstan | 1000 EUR (31Kg / Month) | – | – |
| Latvia | 22 EUR for VAT, 150 EUR for Custom Duty | – | – |
| Liechtenstein | 22 EUR for VAT, 150 EUR for Custom Duty | – | – |
| Lithuania | 22 EUR for VAT, 150 EUR for Custom Duty | – | – |
| Luxembourg | 22 EUR for VAT, 150 EUR for Custom Duty | – | – |
| Lesotho | No Minimum | 0% to 45% | 14% |
| Mayotte | 150 EUR | Depends whether shipment is personal or commercial | 0 to 17% |
| Madeira | 22 EUR for VAT, 150 EUR for Custom Duty | – | – |
| Malta | 22 EUR for VAT, 150 EUR for Custom Duty | – | – |
| Monaco | 22 EUR for VAT, 150 EUR for Custom Duty | – | – |
| Morocco | no minimum | Depends whether shipment is personal or commercial | 20% |
| Martinique | 22 EUR for VAT, 150 EUR for Custom Duty | – | – |
| Malaysia | MY$ 500 | – | – |
| Mexico | 50 USD | – | – |
| Norway | 350 NOK | – | – |
| Netherlands | 22 EUR for VAT, 150 EUR for Custom Duty | – | – |
| Namibia | no minimum | 0 to 45% (Depends whether shipment is personal or commercial) | – |
| New Zealand | 60 NZD | – | – |
| Nigeria | no minimum | 0 to 35% | 5% |
| Panama | 100 USD | 100 | – |
| Pakistan | No Minimum | – | – |
| Poland | 22 EUR for VAT, 150 EUR for Custom Duty | – | – |
| Portugal | 22 EUR for VAT, 150 EUR for Custom Duty | – | – |
| Paraguay | 100 USD | – | VAT always charge |
| Philippines | 10000 PHP | – | – |
| Peru | 200 USD | 200 | – |
| Puerto Rico | 800 USD | – | – |
| Romania | 10 Euro | 27 | – |
| Russia | 1000 Euro / month | – | – |
| Reunion | 22 EUR for VAT, 150 EUR for Custom Duty | 0 to 17% | 8.5% |
| Rwanda | no minimum | 0 to 100% | 18% |
| South Africa | no minimum | 0 to 45% | 14% |
| South Korea | 150,000 KRW | – | – |
| Slovakia | 22 EUR for VAT, 150 EUR for Custom Duty | – | – |
| Slovenia | 22 EUR for VAT, 150 EUR for Custom Duty | – | – |
| Singapore | 400 SGD | – | – |
| Switzerland | 5 CHF | – | – |
| Spain | 22 EUR for VAT, 150 EUR for Custom Duty | – | – |
| Sweden | 1300 SEK | – | – |
| Swaziland | No minimum | 0% to 45% | 14% vat |
| Thailand | 1000 THB | 28 | – |
| Turkey | 75 Euro | – | – |
| Tanzania | No minimum | 0 to 100% | 18% |
| Taiwan (ROC) | 300 TWD | – | – |
| Uganda | No minimum | 0 to 100% | 18% |
| United States | 800 USD | – | – |
| United Arab Emirates | 1000 AED | – | – |
| United Kingdom | 15 GBP | 15 to 20% | – |
| Ukraine | 22 Euro for Custom Duty and 150 EUR for VAT | – | – |
| Vietnam | 1000000 Dong | – | – |
| Venezuela | 100 USD | – | – |
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Below are some frequent questions people have in mind when they are buying something online from a overseas website / seller like Aliexpress / Amazon / Ebay / Walmart / Alibaba etc.
Who is responsible to Pay Custom duty?
Buyer (who is also importer) is liable to pay Customs duty and Tax levied by importer’s country customs. However, shipping companies and many international sellers provide option to buyer to pay custom duty (and / or tax) in advance.
Related: Quiz on Economics
Do I need to pay custom duty on Shipping?
Technically yes, If you bought something from Aliexpress for 100 USD and paid additional 20 USD for shipping, then you will need to pay Customs Duty and/or Tax on whole amount i.e. 120 USD. Sometimes seller include shipping in product price, still seller should declare product price and shipping separately on shipping invoice. If you don’t then Customs have right to charge duty / tax on standard shipping amount they calculate.
What is Customs Processing and Handling Charges?
These are most unexpected charges buyer see when their shipment gets for Customs Clearance. Almost all shipping companies charge Processing and handling charges (different companies use different name for these charges) for dealing with customs, doing paper work and paying Customs Duty on your behalf.
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Let’s say you bought a handmade product from India for 1000 USD and asked to deliver it to your home in USA, then when your shipment will reach USA and US Customs hold it for custom duty then your shipping company (Aramex / DHL / FedEx / UPS etx) will contact you and offer you to pay those charges to them and they (shipping company) will do all paper work, get shipment clear from Customs and deliver it your door step. So you don’t need to fill forms, go to Customs office and pay the amount by your-self. Shipping companies do all of this for a fee.
