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Is there import tax in Dubai?

I talk small items in boxes, not like cars to import.
Thanks

You talk to small items in boxes.......

I believe everything is subject to import tax of 5%

Hmm five percent
I must look up UK again.
If it is nearly same ther eis no point to move to Dubai

5 percent duty on ALL goods with the exception of:

alcohol, pork products, arms and amunition which are subject to 40% duties.

items imported into freezones are not subject to duties until they actually exit the gates of the FZ into the uae

sage & onion wrote:I believe everything is subject to import tax of 5%

I thought it was 4% ?

No it was raised to 5% some time ago, see also DBX's post for some exceptions, I believe medicines and assorted items related to medical are free of tax as well as Warships.

yep 5% .. but i dont think that apply's to personal belongings.

Jamal wrote:yep 5% .. but i dont think that apply's to personal belongings.

That is correct.

But what if you import smallish items in like big boxes say?
is that taxed?

manlivingincrappyengland wrote:But what if you import smallish items in like big boxes say?
is that taxed?

Import is import, regardless of the size of the box, how are you importing?

import tax is based on the customs invoice of the goods (FOB value), not the size or shape of the container. they also normally require a Certificate Of Origin, issued by the chamber of commerce of the exporting country as well as a Customs Invoice, these both have to be attested at the UAE consulate in the country of export.

if they are personal belongings such as house hold items and clothes (in the case of incomming expats), they require a full packing list, insured value of the consignment as well as the other documents normally supplied by a packaging company - to certify the goods are not for re-sale.

i aslo seem to remember that there is tax (although not import taxes) on the banking industry and the oil industry....

Can you claim that back with tax returns if you make a proper import business?

dudes, anything you import into the UAE has to go through Customs anyway, they have a charge depending on the value of the material

manlivingincrappyengland wrote:Can you claim that back with tax returns if you make a proper import business?

I believe that this facility is only available if you are directly re-exporting and normally from Free-Zone Companies.

I hope someone will correct me here if I am mistaken.

manlivingincrappyengland wrote:Can you claim that back with tax returns if you make a proper import business?

you can't claim the tax back! as there is no company tax in the uae/ dubai or the freezones. the import tax is a flat 5% and is applicalble to all businesses

believe that this facility is only available if you are directly re-exporting and normally from Free-Zone Companies.

I hope someone will correct me here if I am mistaken.

tax is only payable on exiting the freezone into the uae, there is no tax paid on good delivered and re-exported from the freezone (this si the whole concept of a freezone) as long as it is not entering the uae

Should customs tax be charged for personal gifts that are sent through the post.
eg birthday/christmas/easter gifts.

The arabs at the post office seem to get great pleasure out of asking if it is a christmas gift and then charging import tax.

benwj wrote:Should customs tax be charged for personal gifts that are sent through the post.
eg birthday/christmas/easter gifts.

The arabs at the post office seem to get great pleasure out of asking if it is a christmas gift and then charging import tax.

I have received gifts (single) and never been charged, even after they have been examined by customs, however I am not sure of the actual regulation on gift items.

benwj wrote:Should customs tax be charged for personal gifts that are sent through the post.
eg birthday/christmas/easter gifts.

The arabs at the post office seem to get great pleasure out of asking if it is a christmas gift and then charging import tax.

the arabs huh?

Bleakus,

Yes, I beleive that UAE Nationals work behind the customs desk at the post office and collect the money.
It is their decision on whether to charge import tax or not.

If there were indians working for customs, then I would not be as surprised if they charged the import tax on everything... because they cannot make a decision themselves, for fear of losing their job.

That is why I am surprised that it is being charged by the UAE nationals. Maybe there is one asshole who works there and every now and then he stops one of my parcels.

That's why it might help if I knew the law.

S&O,

I do not get charged all of the time. Most parcels make it through customs, maybe one in 5 parcels gets stopped. I don't know how they differentiate.

But when they do decide to charge import tax, there is no reasoning with them.

I was even charged last year for a couple of chocolate easter eggs for my children.

well, i was just remarking the fact you mentioned "the arabs" as if there labeled as something. Its just like saying "the white people"..

but yeah...there are products that the customs charge on if was at high value , i only know this because i work in a courier company but i dont know exactly what are the products (items) that they do clearance charges on and the ones that dont need clearance charge.

manlivingincrappyengland wrote:Hmm five percent
I must look up UK again.
If it is nearly same ther eis no point to move to Dubai

Why is this a big decision if you decide to move to Dubai or not? Seems odd to me.

5% of the value or a minimum of 15 dirhams is charged.
15 dirhams tax equates to an item value of 300 dirhams. But anything of less value than this is charged 15 dirhams and is effectively being charged more than 5%.

eg: I was charged 15 dirhams tax for some chocolate easter eggs that I can purchase at Carefore for 50 dirhams.
These were a gift, so it would be bad manners for me to refuse the gift.
Now it is christmas gifts that I am being stung for.

But it should be irrelevant what the gift is. The fact that it is a gift, implies that the person receiving the item has not requested it, and should not be charged tax.

Do mulsims send gifts for Eid?

benwj wrote:5% of the value or a minimum of 15 dirhams is charged.
15 dirhams tax equates to an item value of 300 dirhams. But anything of less value than this is charged 15 dirhams and is effectively being charged more than 5%.

eg: I was charged 15 dirhams tax for some chocolate easter eggs that I can purchase at Carefore for 50 dirhams.
These were a gift, so it would be bad manners for me to refuse the gift.
Now it is christmas gifts that I am being stung for.

But it should be irrelevant what the gift is. The fact that it is a gift, implies that the person receiving the item has not requested it, and should not be charged tax.

Do mulsims send gifts for Eid?

of course we do, send gifts, chocolates, dates, dates with chocolates (they are awesome), anything really...

yorky500 wrote:

manlivingincrappyengland wrote:Hmm five percent
I must look up UK again.
If it is nearly same ther eis no point to move to Dubai

Why is this a big decision if you decide to move to Dubai or not? Seems odd to me.

He's obviously looking at importing something to sell.

I don't know what the sales tax is in england, but subtract that when you export the item, add 5% when it arrives here, and you will still be able to sell it for less than they do here.

Be aware that you need to go into partnership with a UAE national and they like to have a monoply on each brand to prevent the above situation from happening.
So if you are looking at undercutting someone who is already in buisness here, forget it.

Bleakus wrote:

benwj wrote:5% of the value or a minimum of 15 dirhams is charged.
15 dirhams tax equates to an item value of 300 dirhams. But anything of less value than this is charged 15 dirhams and is effectively being charged more than 5%.

eg: I was charged 15 dirhams tax for some chocolate easter eggs that I can purchase at Carefore for 50 dirhams.
These were a gift, so it would be bad manners for me to refuse the gift.
Now it is christmas gifts that I am being stung for.

But it should be irrelevant what the gift is. The fact that it is a gift, implies that the person receiving the item has not requested it, and should not be charged tax.

Do mulsims send gifts for Eid?

of course we do, send gifts, chocolates, dates, dates with chocolates (they are awesome), anything really...

Just checking, Eid isn't as in-your-face as christmas. Even in Dubai this year christmas was hard to miss.

benwj wrote:Just checking, Eid isn't as in-your-face as christmas. Even in Dubai this year christmas was hard to miss.

was it? i dont celebrate christmas but this year it felt less advertised than last year

maybe its just me..

benwj wrote:He's obviously looking at importing something to sell.

I don't know what the sales tax is in england, but subtract that when you export the item, add 5% when it arrives here, and you will still be able to sell it for less than they do here.

Be aware that you need to go into partnership with a UAE national and they like to have a monoply on each brand to prevent the above situation from happening.
So if you are looking at undercutting someone who is already in buisness here, forget it.

yes we love it when we have control of stuff like these

Isn't that strange?

There I go again.
Bloody S&O

benwj wrote:Isn't that strange?

There I go again.
Bloody S&O

Hey Benwj, it's strange that your having a go at me now Mmmmmmm