Receiving Packages from US

[HammesLJ18]

Just moved here and was wondering if there is a big tax/import fee for packages being received from family and friends in the U.S. I lived in Belgium before and there was a 21%VAT tax on items not declared a gift, with a value under 50 Euro. Can anyone tell me what the deal is here in HK on receiving packages. Thanks tons!!!

[jayinhongkong]

No tax/VAT whatsoever unless you're having people send you alcohol/tobacco, neither of which I've tried. I buy tons of stuff from the US all the time and have never been hit with any kind of tax.

[Alby]

Hong Kong is a free port

[jayinhongkong]

Hong Kong is a free port

Yup, which is one of the best things about it!

[briandon]

One thing that I have noticed is that, occasionally, my packages (usually boxes of books from Amazon) will have been opened. Either a small hole has been pretty neatly punched/torn into the side of the box (possibly so that a fiberoptic camera could be pushed inside) or the entire box has been flexed so that the adhesive holding the sides together has given way.

In the former case, the box tends to arrive tied together with twine or in a translucent plastic mail bag.

Calls to the the international mail center folks who deliver all/most of the packages that I get from the USA didn't get me any answers and there have never been any "opened by customs for inspection" stickers/slips to be found.

It's not as though I'm ordering History Channel "Declassified - Tiananmen Square" DVD's or pro-Tibet materials either - mostly just technical books and monographs.

[jgl]

That's pretty odd- I've *never* noticed that kind of tampering with any of my packages (from the US/Australia/UK).

[Claire ex-ax]

To the original OP, no you don't pay any tax or duty on packages received in HK, as others have mentioned. Something that you may well miss when you return home.

I've had a couple of packages opened for checking but there has been a opened for inspection sticker on each. The last one was a largish box of vitamins and supplements which had been completely opened and checked. I just wish someone at Customs would teach their staff how to seal/pack things, right messy they are.

[jayinhongkong]

I've had supplements checked out. I recently received a package that had been flattened, but there was no damage to the contents. You know if your package has been inspected if it takes significantly longer than 7-8 days from the US/UK. You're going to see a lot more scrutiny on supplements after some guys tried to smuggle in several kilos of coke in protein powder containers.

HK have become increasingly better at detecting contraband over the years. We used to be one hell of a transit point in the 80s and 90s.

[Sleuth]

I just wish someone at Customs would teach their staff how to seal/pack things, right messy they are.

They have obviously been trained by the same people who trained US TSA on that subject. and, having said that, I will probably be detained for questioning next time I return home.