Postal Question= US to Cartagena

Gator says on Dec 5, 2008, 20:11:

customs duty? Rule one-never ship with the USPS

"Bene, cum Latine nescias, nolo manus meas in te maculare" .

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babylon5 says on Dec 6, 2008, 09:30:

Gator, I am not so sure. I have many packages to Colombia and Venezuela via the USPS and have never heard of Colombia charging my friends anything extra. Did you send anything that you were not supposed to send? Anything liquid? This could be cause for charging a penalty. Just a guess...

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Rikito says on Dec 7, 2008, 06:46:

I agree with babylon5. I just had $400 of Pearls sent via "USPS Global" and they got here in about 10 days. I have learned that if you ship or have something shipped and it has tracking numbers you will be fairly safe. But, like many postings like this there may have been some additional information that the writer left out.

But, I have never shipped anything to and from Colombia without making previous contact with the shipper first to ensure timely delivery. If they say 10 days I am calling them on the 10th day and the 11th and 12th until I get the package. The only shipper I do not trust is DHL-Colombia because they charge duty on the total gross of the package and not the contents. So if you paid $30 for something and add in another $15 for taxes and shipping, DHL will charge you duty on $45 of product. It's a rip off and I know for a fact that they are being investigated for fraud.

...and so it goes

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sloopskipper says on Dec 7, 2008, 12:14:

It seems that levying duty on the CIF (cost, insurance, and freight) is true internationally.

I discovered that when I recently bought a new Dell computer to be delivered by AirBox, here in Panamá (although this statement appears to be somewhat ambigious):

"Courier or express shipments: Courier or express shipments not exceeding US$1,000 in value and 20 kilograms in weight are freely imported into Colombia. These shipments are classified under HS 98.08.00.00.00, and are subject to a 10 percent CIF tariff and 16 percent value-added tax assessed on the CIF-duty-paid value of most merchandise shipments, plus 1.2 percent FOB surcharge for Customs services. Rules apply to either air or surface courier shipments contemplated under the new Customs Code that entered into effect on July 1, 2000."

(more); http://www.buyusa.gov/colombia/en/doing_business_in_colombia.html

But, it seems that here, if the declared value is less than $50, you receive it duty-free. That might be peculiar to Panamá.

A friend recently sent a small package via USPS Priority Mail. It arrived promptly, and i paid no duty. But, you loose tracking visibility once it leaves the U.S. (but not with FedEx or UPS). I think it shows this package is still in Newark, 2 months later.

Seems that some people think "everybody's outa step but me".

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Rikito says on Dec 8, 2008, 18:14:

sloopskipper do you know what you are saying? You are saying that I have to pay a tax on a tax. An entire nation was formed on this premise. Also, this is not the meaning or content of paying a duty tax. None of this happens when I have things shipped via FedEx or UPS so why DHL? It's because the guy who has the franchise is ripping people off and goof balls who fall for the tax on a tax scheme. My friend...it's illegal anywhere in the world. And if you pay this extortion amount you are being both naive and foolish.

...and so it goes

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