Importing Parts For Personal Use

[Ayad Zubair]

Guys. i need to get down few spares for my VW Golf from Uk or US, planing to get the items by air-cargo, is there any system to get this required spares duty free or on a lesser duty since it is for personal use not for business purpose.Txs

[VWvortex]

You can import. Duties are applicable

[Ayad Zubair]

You can import. Duties are applicable

any idea of the percentage of the duties

[fonfe]

get them direct from germany mate, will be the cheapest if buying OEM parts

[VWvortex]

Any good German sources you know of ?

[nexus]

Guys. i need to get down few spares for my VW Golf from Uk or US, planing to get the items by air-cargo, is there any system to get this required spares duty free or on a lesser duty since it is for personal use not for business purpose.Txs

dude Ayad Zubair don't get this the wrong way fella but please unlink your facebook account from your autolanka profile i say this because when you have a status updates on facebook they are shown in recent status updates on autolanka.

[Ayad Zubair]

dude Ayad Zubair don't get this the wrong way fella but please unlink your facebook account from your autolanka profile i say this because when you have a status updates on facebook they are shown in recent status updates on autolanka.

no worries and thanks for the info

[nexus]

no worries and thanks for the info

you're welcome fella.

[Ayad Zubair]

Does anyone have contact of VW spares agent in Singapore or Malaysia. Highly appreciated

Edited December 7, 2011 by Ayad Zubair

[fonfe]

Google it using google.de instead of .com then search for vw parts suppliers and you will get ones that are based in Germany.

Then you can use a translator so you can read their site in English.

it will be pretty easy as most websites have a picture then the price in Euros, but if you get really really stuck send me an email as I can speak fluent German

[Sylvi]

Does anyone have contact of VW spares agent in Singapore or Malaysia. Highly appreciated

'Ayad Zubair',

Some time back there was a person who travels regularly to Singapore and hand carry VW spares, he was from Rarmalana airport junction. I am no more in automobile repairs so I have lost contact with him will try to find out as early as possible.

Sylvi Wijesinghe.

[JadeyBlitzen]

Guys are there any issues when importing parts like engines for personal use individually? I heard you need present reasons as to why you are importing the engine and it can only be a replacement or something.

[CJ5]

Guys. i need to get down few spares for my VW Golf from Uk or US, planing to get the items by air-cargo, is there any system to get this required spares duty free or on a lesser duty since it is for personal use not for business purpose.Txs

Declare the actual values and when the items arrive speak to the customs people ( preferably the deputy director there) and explain your circumstances and very likely you will just have to pay a nominal amount which you will not grudge. I have done it.

[Crosswind]

Dude its a topic from 2011!

[CJ5]

Dude its a topic from 2011!

bloody hell!!!!

[Rumesh88]

Guys are there any issues when importing parts like engines for personal use individually? I heard you need present reasons as to why you are importing the engine and it can only be a replacement or something.

This is an ad hoc measure to stop part imports intended for reassembly here. But even in a case when you import a replacement, how are you going to prove it? It is not really practical. Customs would try to impose one rule or the other even on genuine importers just to strike a deal if possible but container loads of ethanol goes scot-free!!!!

Edited March 29, 2013 by Rumesh88

[Sylvi]

Members,

I do plenty of personal imports. Now the money transfer TT have to give all details of your Income tax files.

Later if the goods are brought in to the country by some person who is coming to the country. Bank wants to file duty paid documents.

Under invoicing is very difficult now days. But hand carried any thing can be wangled by passing few thousands to be low duty.

All racketing avenues are closed up. But still Cellphones are coming to the country in large scale hand carried, I got a new cellphone yesterday.

The person who gave to me informed he travels to Dubai and carry 1000 phones at a time and sells them in 10 days go back again.

Sylvi Wijesinghe.

[AVANTE]

I ordered a pair of pistons from ebay for my bike. Small parcel. Tracking says they were received by customs on November 27 (13 days ago). I still haven't received it.

I ordered a breather hose and idle control valve for the car and those came in this week. Now I'm worried if I'll have to go and speak with the customs and pay VAT or something for the pistons. Any idea guys? 

[HaeylM]

Check at central postmaster mail exchange in colombo with your tracking number. If customs flagged it down you might need to pay some tax depending on their valuation of it. Sometimes the local post office doesnt notify if CME is holding the parcel. 

[Crosswind]

36 minutes ago, AVANTE said:

I ordered a pair of pistons from ebay for my bike. Small parcel. Tracking says they were received by customs on November 27 (13 days ago). I still haven't received it.

I ordered a breather hose and idle control valve for the car and those came in this week. Now I'm worried if I'll have to go and speak with the customs and pay VAT or something for the pistons. Any idea guys? 

You will get a stack of documents from the post office. Don't fill anything in it right now. Take your ID, the papers and go to the Central Mail Exchange in McCallum Road, close to the rear entrance of the Fort Railway Station. Take some cash with you.

You should usually get the letter within 2-3 days of your package arriving at customs but may be things are delayed due to COVID. You can try calling them but they might not be very helpful until you get the papers on your hands.

The process there is very smooth. You will be given a token number and your name will be called when the package arrives. Depending on staff availability, you may be called to a different location on the same floor.

The customs official will value the package and calculate the taxes. If its for personal use, they don't bother too much. Its usually less than 1,000. The pistons may have got held due to weight. If you bike is high capacity, you might have an explanation to do, so best thing I can suggest is to say its for your grandad's old bike you are restoring. You don't need to answer any questions without them asking you.

I've got down plenty of things from overseas - car parts, home security systems and even a massive chandelier. Never had any problem. There's absolutely no need to look for kaakkas or anyone of that sort. Maximum I paid for a car part was 500 as I recalled. They can get nasty if you bring in commercial quantities or things that you shouldn't import. For example, when I was in the CME one time, a man had imported 24, 10kg cans of whey protein - apparently for a child dying of cancer! Customs can smell a bluff a mile away. So that guy had a time. We enjoyed watching the drama.

Here's a tip: dress well when you go there - shirt, trousers and black shoes. White shirt, black trousers, black shoes and a black tie can achieve unbelievable things in any government office!

 

 

[iRage]

Pretty much what @Crosswind said...also...don't lose your cool...don't come off as condescending or anything....sometimes you might have to wait for a while...go upstairs...come downstairs...wait...just stay cool.

[AVANTE]

1 hour ago, Crosswind said:

You will get a stack of documents from the post office. Don't fill anything in it right now. Take your ID, the papers and go to the Central Mail Exchange in McCallum Road, close to the rear entrance of the Fort Railway Station. Take some cash with you.

You should usually get the letter within 2-3 days of your package arriving at customs but may be things are delayed due to COVID. You can try calling them but they might not be very helpful until you get the papers on your hands.

The process there is very smooth. You will be given a token number and your name will be called when the package arrives. Depending on staff availability, you may be called to a different location on the same floor.

The customs official will value the package and calculate the taxes. If its for personal use, they don't bother too much. Its usually less than 1,000. The pistons may have got held due to weight. If you bike is high capacity, you might have an explanation to do, so best thing I can suggest is to say its for your grandad's old bike you are restoring. You don't need to answer any questions without them asking you.

I've got down plenty of things from overseas - car parts, home security systems and even a massive chandelier. Never had any problem. There's absolutely no need to look for kaakkas or anyone of that sort. Maximum I paid for a car part was 500 as I recalled. They can get nasty if you bring in commercial quantities or things that you shouldn't import. For example, when I was in the CME one time, a man had imported 24, 10kg cans of whey protein - apparently for a child dying of cancer! Customs can smell a bluff a mile away. So that guy had a time. We enjoyed watching the drama.

Here's a tip: dress well when you go there - shirt, trousers and black shoes. White shirt, black trousers, black shoes and a black tie can achieve unbelievable things in any government office!

Thanks alot Cross for taking the time to write the elaborative and reassuring explanation. 

The pistons are actually for a 250cc bike. I was mainly worried about the kaakkas part until you pointed out the contrary.

They are aluminum pieces about 6cm wide so they don't weigh much to be honest, but you're right, it could have still been held. A bigger issue is going to Colombo amidst the pandemic and all but it's inevitable If it has truly been held by the customs. 

Also, 24 10kg cans for a dying kid? Hmm hmm. Bringing them for a baby unicorn would have been a more plausible story. 

[fiat fan]

8 hours ago, Crosswind said:

You will get a stack of documents from the post office. Don't fill anything in it right now. Take your ID, the papers and go to the Central Mail Exchange in McCallum Road, close to the rear entrance of the Fort Railway Station. Take some cash with you.

You should usually get the letter within 2-3 days of your package arriving at customs but may be things are delayed due to COVID. You can try calling them but they might not be very helpful until you get the papers on your hands.

The process there is very smooth. You will be given a token number and your name will be called when the package arrives. Depending on staff availability, you may be called to a different location on the same floor.

The customs official will value the package and calculate the taxes. If its for personal use, they don't bother too much. Its usually less than 1,000. The pistons may have got held due to weight. If you bike is high capacity, you might have an explanation to do, so best thing I can suggest is to say its for your grandad's old bike you are restoring. You don't need to answer any questions without them asking you.

I've got down plenty of things from overseas - car parts, home security systems and even a massive chandelier. Never had any problem. There's absolutely no need to look for kaakkas or anyone of that sort. Maximum I paid for a car part was 500 as I recalled. They can get nasty if you bring in commercial quantities or things that you shouldn't import. For example, when I was in the CME one time, a man had imported 24, 10kg cans of whey protein - apparently for a child dying of cancer! Customs can smell a bluff a mile away. So that guy had a time. We enjoyed watching the drama.

Here's a tip: dress well when you go there - shirt, trousers and black shoes. White shirt, black trousers, black shoes and a black tie can achieve unbelievable things in any government office!

 

 

My God the creativity! 

[fiat fan]

8 hours ago, AVANTE said:

I ordered a pair of pistons from ebay for my bike. Small parcel. Tracking says they were received by customs on November 27 (13 days ago). I still haven't received it.

I ordered a breather hose and idle control valve for the car and those came in this week. Now I'm worried if I'll have to go and speak with the customs and pay VAT or something for the pistons. Any idea guys? 

Broo.... Don’t loose them pistons. Pretty rare noh?

[Sylvi]

Members,

I use Courier services for my personal requirements. Some times they delay, Customs put the parcel on hold, if the declared value is above Rs. 25000/=. Have to give a letter  to the Courier the parcel is for my personal use then they will examine the parcel and tax according to declared value. Delay can be avoided if you get the tracking number early and inform the Courier to arrange duty payment early, then they clear immediately paying the duty as the parcels come to the air port. I get my relative or a friend to export my requirements.

Cost will be high, but it is hassle free.

My business requirements are imported always through Courier services, All goods are coming from reputed exporters therefore no under invoice can be done. Have to pay correct duty. Later Money transferred bank will want duty paid documents for inland revenue requirements.

All Courier services do delivery within 5 days of export.

Sylvester Wijesinghe

Sylvi.