Question about sending mail internationally.

[Mystic Muse]

I'm sending a package to an MTG artist in another country, and was curious about something since I've never sent mail overseas.



Important: You will have to attach a customs declaration to your sending. You have to fill in a content description and value. If you fill in a too high value, German customs will hold the sending and charge me duties and fees. And I have to pick it up at the customs office which is a half hour drive from here. To avoid this, I don't accept sendings where you have to fill in a value more than $20.

Do I have to put in the actual value of what I'm sending, what I value the things at, or what? I'd ask my local post office, but I don't have time to go there today.

[Lentrax]

I believe it would be the actual cost of the items, for package insurance purposes.

[sana]

You have to fill in the actual cost and what it is. So for example a T-shirt needs to have the words T-shirt and let's say 20$ on it also if it is a bought item or gift and so on and so on.

It's crucial that the declaration of the contents is clearly readable and filled out correctly.
I spent more then once running to a customs office just because package wasn't declared properly.

Should customs find that your price and item don't fit the contents they will charge extra, taxes, fines, whatnot.
The 20 bucks limit is since the taxes are calculated on the price of the item + shipping cost, if those go above a certain price he would have to pay 7% or 19% VAT. But they won't tax under 25€ or something like that.

[Aedilred]

Often, if you note the contents as a gift, clearly on the package label (usually under the same heading as the contents description) this helps mitigate the customs, since it's not trade goods and doesn't qualify for import duty in the same way. There is still an upper limit for the value of gift items and then duty gets charged anyway; what that limit is - and how much the duty is - will vary from place to place.

I don't know from your post whether this is a gift or a trade, but if it is a gift then definitely mark it as such. Customs duties can be exorbitant; it's one of the reasons I no longer buy from, say, ThinkGeek - it ends up almost doubling the price of the product.

As for the value, put in what you consider the value to be (if a purchased item then purchase cost, if not then replacement cost). Don't include cost of postage and packaging. You'll be doing the recipient a favour if you undervalue, but since that's basically tax evasion and has insurance implications, I can't recommend it.

[Mystic Muse]

It's actually some cards I'd like them to sign. Unfortunately, the main ones I really want signed are worth quite a bit.

[Aedilred]

It's actually some cards I'd like them to sign. Unfortunately, the main ones I really want signed are worth quite a bit.
Well, if they're sending them back, property in the goods isn't passing so you shouldn't really have to pay customs duties on them. You certainly don't want to have to pay it twice, which if they send the package back under the same principle you would. I'm not sure what to recommend though.

[Jimorian]

Fortunately, in this case, you have the option of listing the purchase price as if you purchased them in unopened packs, but of course, that means you couldn't insure against their true market value.

[KuReshtin]

Depending on how many cards you're sending, you might just get away with sending them a a letter instead of a package, and if that's the case, you'd not have to fill in a customs declaration.
Obviously, that means that you might not have the proper insurance for the eventuality of the letter getting lost, though.