Buying from EU and VAT

[Bill]

Folks,

Grateful as always for advice.

I ordered some glasses from Luxreaders (Denmark). The first set were held at customs and then returned to Denmark. The second set have been sitting in customs for 14 days now! Any advice on why this might be? No one has contacted us for IGIC or anything...

Also I wanted to order a particular SUP board from Italy. They are willing to send it VAT exclusive. But how do we then get contacted to make payment for IGIC?

Many thanks in advance!
Bill

[Johnrgby]

Are you referring to eyeglass's/spectacles? if so, I believe they cannot be imported in Spain without a medical professional's prescription, which is possibly why the first one's were returned, and in all honesty 14 days in customs is no time at all, the other item  you will get a request for payment by whoever they use to ship it here.

[Cotillo_Tom]

Do check that:

1. Your NIE number forms part of your name,  eg Fred Bloggs Y1234567F.
2. That the supplier has attached a customs declaration to the package. 
3. Your phone number (has to be a Spanish mobile) is on the outside of the package. 
4. If medical, it has approval by a qualified medical practitioner, attached to the outside of the package. (My hearing aid accessories failed twice for this reason).
5. Try asking for DHL or Corres as the carrier, they charge around 30e for clearing customs plus whatever duty/IGIC is due.  Costly but worth it. 

Good luck.  Please report back once you get your delivery for the benefit of others.  

Tom.

[Bill]

Thanks Tom & John! 

@John - Ah, they are reading ones with a 2.5 magnification (I bought a temporary pair in Corralejo) - but maybe that is why they have been held up, even though I don't have a prescription as such.

@Tom - that makes sense - I had only thought of adding my NIE number. I will give that info to the SUP people and see if they can do all that, and also check who will deliver for them.

I will indeed report back and also owe a few posts to update people on our moving process and how things have worked.

Oh, a postscript - we ordered some bedding from White Stuff in the UK and had it in our hands in 8 days!

Thanks all,

Bill & Kris