Customs issues with my orders

Customs issues are quite common, since when orders pass through customs, they are subject to various types of checks. These checks can, for various reasons, cause delays in the clearance of orders.

Find out what can cause delays in clearing your order, when your order may be held or not held in customs, and how to complete the customs clearance process for an order.

Orders from outside the European Economic Area

When you place an online order from outside the European Economic Area (which includes the European Union, Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein, but not some territories or enclaves such as Andorra, the Canary Islands and the Vatican, among others), your order is likely to be held in customs.

That is, if the country of origin of your shipment is, for example, China or the United States, it is very likely that your order will be held in customs. On the other hand, for tax purposes, what matters is the country of origin of the shipment and not the country where the online store is based.

Simply put, this means that, for example, if you place an order from a Chinese store and choose a shipping warehouse located in China or any other country outside the EEA, it is almost certain that your order will be held in customs.

One way to avoid this problem is to choose, when available, the option of a European shipping warehouse. This may even slightly increase the value of your order, but in this way you avoid your order being held in customs and paying VAT and customs duties.

When do orders stop / not stop at customs?

Since July 2021, customs rules have changed. With the new legislation, there are two types of situations that can happen with your order: either it is held in customs, or it is not, and it continues through the shipping process normally.

Orders do not stop at customs when you pay VAT on your order when you make the purchase. That is, if the website where you make your purchase has joined Import One Stop Shop (IOSS) and the value of your purchase is less than 150 euros, you can pay the VAT at the time you make the purchase. In this case, your order does not have to stop at customs and you will receive it normally.

On the other hand, orders stop at customs when, as mentioned earlier, they come from other countries outside the EEA or have not joined IOSS, that is, they do not have VAT included. Thus, orders with a value above 150 euros also pay customs duties.

How do you clear customs?

The maximum period you have to clear your order through customs is 60 days. You should bear in mind that from the 31st day onwards your order is subject to a daily storage surcharge.

The process of clearing an order through customs is done by submitting the documentation for your order, its origin, and also the recipient. If you want to proceed with the process of clearing your order through customs, you have two options. The first is to handle the customs clearance process directly at customs. On the other hand, you can opt for clearance services with a carrier. In this way, the carrier will act as your representative at customs, handle the bureaucracy, and send the order to your home.