[Proglover]

Not 100% sure this is the right section, but it's about headphones, modding or recabling headphones
 
I'm in EU, when people want f.e. a Beyerdarth mod, or a recable done by someone in US/Asia, things like that, how do they handle possible importtaxes. I mean, you're sending outside EU/US or wherever you live, and get it sent back. You don't purchase so why would you have to pay importtaxes.
 
I ask, because I just phoned with someone at the border customs service department, telling me there is no way to do this without paying taxes.
 
There have to be people experienced with this.

 

[sugarkang]

Don't know who "they" is, but I'll answer this as best I can.
The U.S. is a relatively free trading country, so whenever something is sent from Europe or Asia,
Americans do not pay import taxes. 
So, if you send your headphones to get "worked" on, the U.S. person will not pay tax. 
When the U.S. servicer is done with the headphone and sends it back to you,
you will likely pay whatever import tax that your government has set. 
 
Governments do not get into the business of figuring out whether or not a product was sold or merely serviced.

 

[Proglover]

'they' is the customs, the ones who decide on the taxes.
 
Ok, then my question would be for Europeans I think.
I'm not the only European who wants a recabling or Darthbeyer or other mod, to be done in US/Asia, I would think.
 
and those Europeans just pay 22% over their headphone, when it comes back.
 
So f.e. i let my 1000 usd Denon D7000 be recabled in US. When it comes back, I pay 22% over 1000, is 220 usd extra, just for getting it back.
And if my highend Grado has to go to Joe for reparation, if he sends it back, I pay 22%.
 
I mean, I find that so freaking crazy, I just almost can´t believe there isn´t another way.

 

[sugarkang]

There is.
Just have them send the cable or wood cup to you.
Have customs declaration be $5. 
Install yourself.

 

[imademymark]

 
I've actually got a response from HM Revenue and Customs on this issue (I'm not sure what the equivalent stand is in other European countries), and here you go:
 
 
"Dear Mark
 
Thank you for your email sent on 21 October 2010 about goods sent out of the country for
repair.
 
If the goods are your own property or that of your family, you may be eligible to use a “non-
commercial authorisation for Outward Processing Relief” whereby relief from import duty is
allowed, and VAT is only payable on the price charged to you for the repair (including any
materials) and any freight and other charges incurred in getting the goods to and from the
repairer.
 
For re-importation purposes you should ask the repairer to complete the Customs
declaration stating “Goods returned after process/repair” and to include the repair costs.
 
You should note that this authorisation is only applicable if the goods are ”Community
goods” in that all customs formalities were completed and customs charges were correctly
accounted for when the amplifier was originally imported.
 
Further information on Outward Processing Relief can be found in Notice 235, which can be
downloaded from our website at www.hmrc.gov.uk via the following links:-
Import & export on the homepage
Library section
Publications
Notices, Information sheets and other reference materials
Imports, exports and international trade
Public Notices
Notices are listed numerically
 
I trust this is of assistance to you.
 
I must emphasize that the advice given is based on the information you have supplied. If the
nature of the transaction changes in technical detail, or the relevant details provided were
incomplete or incorrect, we will not be bound by this ruling."
 

 

[Proglover]

Quote:

There is.
Just have them send the cable or wood cup to you.
Have customs declaration be $5. 
Install yourself.

lol, yes of course. But if I wanted to do that, I guess I wouldn't start this topic

 
Some wooden Grado cups from Bilavideo are possible for me, but I wouldn't dare to re-install a cable myself (yet)

 

[nikongod]

 
Quote:

There is.
Just have them send the cable or wood cup to you.
Have customs declaration be $5. 
Install yourself.

Trying to evade customs by mis-declaring the value of an item is highly illegal. 
 
As the email from the customs guy said, you should not have to pay duty on the original goods twice HOWEVER you may have to prove that they were yours to begin with - IE that you have already payed the import taxes & fees. There are plenty of dishonest individuals who would take advantage of this loophole, to the extent that its dificult to use it in legitimate cases.
 
Before you send the gear away set it on a current news-paper and photograph it. Be sure to include the date, cover photos AS WELL as clear photos of the item you are shipping all over the place. If the equipment has serial numbers take photographs that prove that you own it for its return. Have the person you are sending it to declare it as instructed by your local customs agency. Photo-coppies of the original customs declaration from you to them are always helpful.
 
There is still a risk of being charged import tax multiple times with this, but if you are careful things should go well. 
 
Good luck. 

 

[labrat]

Delete

 

[Proglover]

Quote:

The post from "imademymark" pretty much also sums up the situation here in Norway .
So I am quite sure this is valid for the Netherlands too!
I have myself had expensive items shipped to the US for repairs, and have been to customs here in Norway to obtain a declaration of value and outward shipping from here in Norway, and at the time of return this have been shown to customs as proof that the item has been here in Norway previously, and that all import taxes have been paid already.
So no new import taxes have been claimed!
Make contact with the customs office closest to you, and ask them to help you.
Having the receipts at hand makes things easier, but I did not, so took some discussions before the right papers was signed and stamped!
Bringing the items with you, to read off serial numbers etc. does help in such a case.
The costs of shipping you must of course still pay!

 
I've called them and the woman said there is no possibility to avoid paying tax.
I'm going to call them again tomorrow!
 
Thanks everybody for replying. I'm doing nothing illegal, do not want to, but I refuse to pay taxes for something I bought in my home country to begin with. I don't want to export or import it, I just want my Beyerdynamic T50p's and possibly my Grado's recabled, because I can't find anybody to do it in Europe.
 
I dare put on those wooden shells Bill is going to send me, but I really haven't got the guts to do a recable.
 

 

[Proglover]

Nikongod, I can prove I bought the Beyers new, with a forwarded or printed order notification; I bought them online.
 
The Grado's are via our Dutch ebay, without paypal, but with bank payment.
 
In both cases, foto's are easily made offcourse. 

 

[sugarkang]

lolwut
 
I don't know what "highly" illegal means. 
As opposed to super illegal and semi-illegal?
I don't know a single person that has ever gone to jail, imprisoned, incarcerated over a customs declaration valuation of $200.
You're not trafficking goods in scale.
Your government may be smaller than ours, but they still don't care.  
 
As long as you don't make it obvious that you're avoiding customs, they seriously don't even want to bother with you.
It's ONE measly wire, which is actually worth $5.
or it's TWO wooden cups, which is okay maybe $10. 
 
Mark customs at $10.  $15 if you want both.
 

 
Quote:

 
Trying to evade customs by mis-declaring the value of an item is highly illegal.