Solicitud DUA – Import to Spain from outside the EU by mail

You may have received a

Aviso De Llegada de Envio Postal Internacional Solicitud DUA

or you intend to buy something outside the EU and have it shipped via mail (postal systems).

The example is myself as I buy art materials from the US which are not obtainable here or are even including the IVA customs and clearance charges are significantly cheaper than within the EU.

There are three levels when importing to Spain:

1. up to 22 Euros not duties etc need to be paid, make sure its labelled accordingly e.g. sample value 18€ Euro, otherwise if it gets held at the mail import office you still liable to pay clearance charges.

2. Up to 150 Euros no customs charges – Aranca –  is payable, just IVA (VAT/MWST), presentation and clearance charges.

3. Above 150 Euros you will have to pay Aranca (2.7 – 3%), IVA (at present 18% ), presentation (3.40 Euros + IVA) and clearance charges (17.80 Euros & IVA) if you do it remotely. You can visit the mail office at Madrid Bajas airport and avoid the clearance charge. You can use any agency that is legal and accepted prior customs, I found Speedtrans, the one on the aviso, cheap and efficient, why pay more?

4. Make sure you have or get a Pro Forma Invoice that states the details and pricing and  a total. It is advisable not to use the final invoice as these tend to have the shipping and other charges added to the total. The clearance agency will always use the total. The currency should be clearly visible as the agent will convert to Euro, in case of Speedtrans, at mid market rates of the day.

5. You can use any agency that is legal and does import declarations

To do it remotely you need:

Pro Forma Invoice or Invoice
SAD which is you aviso solicitud
A fax or scanner and an e mail address
Electronic banking to pay – or visit any local bank and pay there.

UPDATED pls check this link for latest info – http://www.correos.es/contenido/02E-EnviarPaq/03-PaqInternacional/02E03-adtpostales.asp?pestania=’E’

Visit this web site. All is explained (in Castillan not Gallego), use Google translate if you don’t yet trust your Spanish.

I wrote a clean cover sheet with my NIE/NIF – e-mail, phone number and a short declaration like materiales para artesania and faxed this, with the SAD (letter) and invoice details, to the number given on the Internet site.
That was Friday at about 4pm. On Monday at about 11am I received an e-mail with the invoice and details, a reference number as well as payment instructions. I paid by “tranferencia bancaria”. So I did not have to leave my office in the nowhere of deepest rural Galicia. Great!

USD	USD/EUR	Euro	IVA	Tramite
368.76	1.225	301.03
	Aranca	3.00%		9.03
	IVA	16.00%		48.16
	Gasto Correos	3.80	16.00%	4.41
	Gasto Speedtrans	17.40	16.00%	20.18
	Total Tramite			81.79

So if you’re after a deal expect to pay about 24.60 Euros clearance and at present 21% (IVA & 3%) duty.

Once payment is cleared it will be thrown back into the mail and delivered.

Thought you may want to know.

Expat

PS. Be aware that Jersey, Guernsey, IOM and Switzerland are outside the EU as well!

PPS. Update: Today, after two days, all arrived by mail. No problem!

 

PPPS: Latest information is here – pls be aware 1st of September 2012  21%IVA !!  – http://www.correos.es/contenido/02E-EnviarPaq/03-PaqInternacional/02E03-adtpostales.asp?pestania=’E’