Paying Duty
The importer is ultimately responsible for paying any duty owed on an import. Determining duty can be very complicated, and only Customs Officers of the importing country can make a final determination about what is owed. Your purchase price does not and can not include duty because the seller (in this case, MrFlag.com) cannot say with absolute certainty what the duty will be. A purchase price that includes shipping and handling does not include duty or any costs associated with clearing the goods through customs. First time importers are often surprised by bills they receive for duty, merchandise processing fee, and something referred to as "customs fees," which are actually charges for the services of the broker who cleared your goods through customs.
How you pay duty depends on how your goods were shipped. If your goods were shipped through the International Postal Service, you will need to pay the mail carrier and/or go to your local post office to pay any duty and processing fees owed when your package arrives at that post office. If your goods were sent by a courier service, that service will either bill you for the duty they paid on your behalf or require payment on delivery.
Remember
- Your purchase price does not include any customs charges which may be applied by authorities in your country.
- Customs authorities around the world hold the importer - YOU - liable for the payment of duty not the seller.
- MrFlag.com will never falsely declare that your order is a gift of no commercial value.
- MrFlag.com cannot tell you what customs charges (if any) may be applied to your order.
Useful Links
HM Customs & Excise: Shopping on the Internet
US Customs & Border Protection: Internet Purchases
