Having read several threads re declaring overseas watch purchases at the border on entry to the UK, does this rule apply to those travellers entering the UK on holiday, having purchased the watch tax free on departing their own country of residence?
One topic seemed to show a pilot who worked for a UK airline but ordinarily resident within the EU having a new Rolex seized at the border....
I plan on picking up a tax free watch when I leave home and will be heading to the UK to see my folks for a holiday before flying back. Do not want to fall foul of any rules. Obviously the assumption is that no VAT should be payable as not a UK resident but...I may be wrong?
Last edited by DrDunc; 12th March 2018 at 14:53.
Am not sure, being a UK resident. Would have thought made more sense to buy the Watch in the UK excluding Vat or buy it at the airport when leaving
and then you only have to worry about taking back into you're country of residence. Unless of course it's much cheaper to buy it tax free when leaving home.
OP, you have nothing to worry about, being resident outside the EU. The problem the pilot had is that he was resident in the EU, and the border over which Vat becomes due is the border of the EU, and the UK, being his point of entry, was due to impose and collect the tax required.
Dave
If you are bringing a expensive watch into the UK from a duty free shop in a Non EU location then chances are that UK customs will be notified of the purchase. Yes it happens regularly...
If your plan is to take the watch back to your non EU destination then you have to convince the customs officer or Border Force that you do not intend to sell it here.
Tobe sure why dont you arrange a carnet from your home country. Is that feasible?
However like in the EU any duty free purchases made on way out will attract duties on the way back for high value items. Or else everyone will buy a ticket to Tunisia or Turkey, purchase a Rolex in Heathrow duty free and come back with the purchase a week later. The same may apply to ur own country.
Last edited by Nansbread1; 12th March 2018 at 16:57.
There is provision under UK law for people on holiday to bring valuables with them as long as they return with you.
You are supposed to declare on entry back into your own country. It's your choice.
Anything else is just noise.
here
we
go
again....!
Careful, despite knowing better I got shot down in flames for making a similar suggestion recently...Originally Posted by Nansbread1
AFAIK if you buy a watch in terminal 5 it may be discounted by the VAT amount, they are not duty free. Hence you don't have to be travelling outside the EU to buy one. I am sure this has been discussed here before.
Yes, and nothing good will come of it if it's discussed again.
Read all about it, Visitors to the UK:
If you’re a non-EU resident visiting the UK you can claim relief from payment of duty and tax under TA. This is for your personal belongings or private motor vehicle, but only if you intend to use them while you’re here, or take them with you when you leave to return to your normal residence outside the EU.
...and the following paragraphs.
If you like in NZ then UK VAT does not apply to you. If you buy a watch in the UK (and pay the VAT) you can recover the VAT when you leave (as you can with all your shopping) when you return to NZ you should declare the watch there and pay NZ VAT on the purchase.
If you buy at NZ duty free on the way out upon arrival in the UK you could be asked to pay the VAT upon entry (unlikely I expect as you would have to be stopped) but you would be able to recover this when you left.
"Duty Free" is an odd concept as you generally buy something for temporary export but are treated similarly to a permanent export - as others have said, the UK duty free shops seem to offer a discount equivalent to the VAT, whereas when I permanently exported goods from SA I received a full VAT refund from the SA govt and because it was below my personal import limit I didn't have to pay the UK VAT on import.
Hmmm........
Do they want buyers to get caught out?
To set the record straight. If you are coming to the EU from a non EU destination in Europe.....ie Switzerland, channel Islands, Norway, Iceland then the chances are very very high that your purchase of a high end watch ( at duty free or elsewhere in the country, yes read it again elsewhere in those countries) will be noted and forwarded to releveant authorities.
You have been warned.
So just pay up when you land. Everyone is happy. And it’s not what the OP is asking about.
OP: If / since you are not a UK resident, then if you are coming into this wonderful land on holiday - if you are really worried your watch is going to be seazed - maybe bring a purhxase receipt along.
But the reciprical is when I travel to say the US or Canada which I do yearly I do not worry a toss. I’ve worn a Rolex and carried a Patek in my time with no issues at all at border control either direction.
Martyn
Please share your references for this apparent b/s...
Cough.
Seeing as the duty threshold is £135 ( I think ) that’s a awful lot of purchase information flowing to HMRC, or is it only ‘high end watches’ they are targeting and not electronics, clothes, Seikos etc?
Cheers..
Jase
It displays a wonderful lack of understanding of the Norwegian tax free shopping system, rules and reporting methodology. BS in other words...
Aye....
Cheers..
Jase
Anecdotal, but when buying a bag in Switzerland I was specifically advised not to claim the VAT back when leaving Switzerland as they had heard German tax authorities being informed and then having to pay the German VAT. Advice was to pay the Swiss VAT and be happy with that as is much lower than EU.
Likewise when I claimed back SA VAT they asked for my exit stamps and scan of my passport before the refund was issued and the shop said they would check with them before issuing the refund.
The refund took a few emails and about 2 months to approve.
Sent from my iPhone using TZ-UK mobile app
But even having paid the Swiss VAT, you'd still have to pay the VAT of the European country you're importing it in to?
Thankyou for all replies.
Wonderful country indeed and I miss it but home is now NZ (10+ yrs). I plan to wear the watch on entry and carry a couple of others. As I said, no GST payable on return to NZ as watches/jewellery exempt if carried on person when pass through customs on arrival.
I will certainly not be selling the watch there (had a hard enough time getting one). I will be carrying receipt anyway. Yes, prob slightly cheaper to buy there and claim VAT back but not guaranteed to get one there. As for informing UK Customs....surely this is unrealistic....here, buy the watch at AD....pick up airside minus box papers etc already sized. The dealer doesn’t inform anybody and I’m sure with the volume of airport traffic going through Customs, it would be impossible to enforce.
I appreciate the advice and look forward to some fine English weather whilst I’m there....and hope, sincerely, that Newcastle United remain in the Premiership!!!!!!
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Last edited by DrDunc; 13th March 2018 at 08:11.
🤣 so they have to pay two sets of VAT when they don't actually have to...
Probably only concern is you are buying a valuable watch tax free in NZ so you should pay tax when returning to NZ. Rules could be different in NZ but someone somewhere will wamt you to pay the tax on goods. It’s obviously your choice what route you choose. .
Does seem you should declare duty/tax free bought items on return to NZ :
https://www.customs.govt.nz/personal...free-shopping/
but looking back againat your original question - can’t see any issues bring a watch temporarily in the UK and returning with it.
weather is brightening up. Nearly 10C today!
Martyn
Last edited by MartynJC (UK); 13th March 2018 at 09:41.
Posting Permissions
Reply With Quote