Customs/ import taxes in SG and MY

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moolah

moolah

moooooo
O.G.
Jun 9, 2009
33
0
#1
Hi everyone

Was supposed to make a trip to Paris in 2 weeks time and was lurking around this forum in anticipation of it. Unfortunately, that trip's a no-go due to work commitments :shucks:

Anyhow, after reading all the various threads here, I feel more open now to purchasing from a reputable online reseller and am thinking of getting a Kelly/Birkin shipped to either Singapore or Malaysia.

Hoping someone who have had bags shipped to these countries could share info on the customs/import tax rates applicable. Also, has anyone not had to pay any tax? Thx
 
#2
For SG, anything above SGD400 will be taxed 7% GST.

If you're shipping it in, be sure to ask your merchant to put the invoice OUTSIDE the box (where all the other customs declaration forms are) so that Singpost/Fedex will pay the GST on your behalf first and then just collect it from you when they send it to you.

I had a merchant who forgot to put the invoice outside, and my package ended up sitting in the customs office for over 5 weeks. Lesson learnt.

If the package is declared to be under SGD400, you won't have to pay tax - but remember that the declared value also determines the amount of insurance coverage you have. I wouldn't take this risk for Birkins/Kellys if I were you. Plus, some resellers might not want to under-insure the package, due to the high value of its contents.
 
#3
Thanks Pyrexia! :D Phew, so its basically the GST that they collect then.. phew, that's good news... was thinking the customs/ import tax would run up to 30%!

Am not Singaporean, so if I were to subsequently bring the item out of the country, would i be able to claim back the 7% GST? Anyone with experience on this? TIA
 
#4
moolah said:
Am not Singaporean, so if I were to subsequently bring the item out of the country, would i be able to claim back the 7% GST? Anyone with experience on this? TIA
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i'm not sure but i think there is a stipulated period of time for the eligibility of tax rebate and you have to be leaving the country to claim it. i think it is best you call the goverment agency (customs @ singpost centre) to check. i have had nothing but the best service from them, very friendly and helpful with all my queries. HTH
 
#5
loves said:
i'm not sure but i think there is a stipulated period of time for the eligibility of tax rebate and you have to be leaving the country to claim it. i think it is best you call the goverment agency (customs @ singpost centre) to check. i have had nothing but the best service from them, very friendly and helpful with all my queries. HTH
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Customs @ Singpost only deal with customs issues on packages sent through SingPost. Singpost acts as a broker to collect GST on behalf of Singapore Customs. Whether you leave the country in person with the item, or you send it through the postal system, you would have to file your own refund paperwork and you would need to contact Singapore Customs directly, not Singpost.

Once I ordered an item through a retailer in Florence, which came by FedEx and I had to pay GST to FedEx, which was basically the broker (same as Singpost) for Singapore Customs. I subsequently returned the item through FedEx (as instructed by the retailer) within a week, and when I asked FedEx regarding GST refund, they said they do not broker refunds and I would need to follow up with Singapore Customs on my own and file my own paperwork. It was just too much of a hassle so I let it go. There is a reason why tax refund companies such as Global, Premier, etc. exists.

If you are concerned about paying tax, have the item shipped to a friend in HK. Otherwise, just render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's.
 
#6
moolah said:
Thanks Pyrexia! :D Phew, so its basically the GST that they collect then.. phew, that's good news... was thinking the customs/ import tax would run up to 30%!

Am not Singaporean, so if I were to subsequently bring the item out of the country, would i be able to claim back the 7% GST? Anyone with experience on this? TIA
Click to expand...

I'm not sure about this, since I'm ineligible for any type of GST refund. But I would expect that to claim back the GST it has to be an item that was bought in SG. I know for import/export companies, their goods can be tax free if they ship it out within a certain time frame, but that rule is for businesses so I'm not sure if it applies to individuals and personal items.

Your best bet would be to try the SG customs website (http://customs.gov.sg) or call them directly to find out.
 
#7
loves said:
i'm not sure but i think there is a stipulated period of time for the eligibility of tax rebate and you have to be leaving the country to claim it. i think it is best you call the goverment agency (customs @ singpost centre) to check. i have had nothing but the best service from them, very friendly and helpful with all my queries. HTH
Click to expand...

I agree - very wonderful staff there :D Definitely much more than Singpost, who bounced me around all their different departments and all couldn't help me with anything.
 
#8
hi, pyrexia is correct. GST refund to individuals comes under the Spore Tourist Refund Scheme. One condition is that the goods must be purchased from a local "participating retailer" in Singapore (that means, not even every retail shop in Spore will enable you to claim back GST e.g. because the retail shop may not need to be registered for GST purposes if their sales value is below a certain threshold etc). In your case, Moola, if you have paid Spore GST upon importation of the bag into Spore, you will not be able to claim back the GST paid when you bring it out of the country.

I would NOT even encourage you to get the bag shipped to Malaysia. I know someone whose friend sent a Blackberry phone as a birthday gift to him and based on approximated value of RM2000 declared, that person had to pay the Msian custome RM500 to release the phone to him, albeit a "gift" declaration! Also customs duty aside, you will be lucky enough to receive the bag "in one piece" if the bag is shipped to Malaysia. If you know what mean.... Between Spore and Msia, I would choose Spore to be the receiving country for something as valuable as a Birk!!
 
#10
chloeinstyle said:
I would NOT even encourage you to get the bag shipped to Malaysia. I know someone whose friend sent a Blackberry phone as a birthday gift to him and based on approximated value of RM2000 declared, that person had to pay the Msian custome RM500 to release the phone to him, albeit a "gift" declaration! Also customs duty aside, you will be lucky enough to receive the bag "in one piece" if the bag is shipped to Malaysia. If you know what mean.... Between Spore and Msia, I would choose Spore to be the receiving country for something as valuable as a Birk!!
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Given the many horror stories i have heard re Msian customs, I would definitely agree!
 
#11
chloeinstyle said:
hi, pyrexia is correct. GST refund to individuals comes under the Spore Tourist Refund Scheme. One condition is that the goods must be purchased from a local "participating retailer" in Singapore (that means, not even every retail shop in Spore will enable you to claim back GST e.g. because the retail shop may not need to be registered for GST purposes if their sales value is below a certain threshold etc). In your case, Moola, if you have paid Spore GST upon importation of the bag into Spore, you will not be able to claim back the GST paid when you bring it out of the country.

I would NOT even encourage you to get the bag shipped to Malaysia. I know someone whose friend sent a Blackberry phone as a birthday gift to him and based on approximated value of RM2000 declared, that person had to pay the Msian custome RM500 to release the phone to him, albeit a "gift" declaration! Also customs duty aside, you will be lucky enough to receive the bag "in one piece" if the bag is shipped to Malaysia. If you know what mean.... Between Spore and Msia, I would choose Spore to be the receiving country for something as valuable as a Birk!!
Click to expand...

Chloe raised very good points - I forgot about the participating retailers thing.

To be honest, 7% is not a very big amount of tax to be paying (as compared to a lot of other places). If it really bothers you, have it shipped to HK, as Roxane suggested. The GST usually works out to about $500+, and since you've already paid a few thousands for the bag, take the extra hundred as a small price for the peace of mind that you won't be incurring any customs trouble. :smile1:
 
#15
Moolah, tax into Malaysia on goods like luxury items are usually 30%. To be honest, if you do decide to ship w/o insurance, FEDEX will provide you with peace of mind. And bear in mind that they(customs) rarely open the packages. They usually just run by the paperwork that comes with the package. All my items have arrived safely and I have never had any trouble with customs. But of course if you have a friend in HK, that would be the best option. Its just such a hassle and time consuming when it has to go through that many people and countries :hrmm: And we all know what it feels like waiting for a package to arrive .. LOL

Good Luck and let us know how it goes!
 
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