A trip for a couple of days to Finland or a shopping tour in Milan today is impossible to surprise anyone. Many tourists are delighted not only with the opportunity to relax abroad, but also walk through the brand new boutiques and shops. However, one should not forget that upon returning to their homeland absolutely all travelers are expected by Russian customs. And there it is quite possible that for a thing of the world-famous brand purchased at a sale, you will have to pay twice as much as its actual price.
To avoid this, it is necessary to understand the Russian customs rules, which are relevant in 2017. How weighty are the restrictions today? Is it possible duty-free import of goods to Russia through a courier? What methods of importing marketable products are considered the most relevant today? You can find answers to these and other equally exciting questions in the process of familiarization with the materials of this article.
Customs: General
Before considering duty-free import of goods to Russia and all its aspects, it would be advisable to deal with the issue of customs. Today, this term should be understood as a specialized state structure that provides control in terms of the transportation of various cargoes across the Russian border (this also includes mail and baggage) and charges duties and fees for certain categories of commodity products. So, it is strictly forbidden to bring certain types of objects into the country, while others are allowed, but only in accordance with certain limits or for a fee in favor of the Russian state. In addition, there are goods that can be imported without paying fees. Norms of duty-free import of goods to Russia fully described in subsequent chapters of this article.
The location of customs today is relevant in specially equipped checkpoints across the state border. These are air and sea ports, railway stations and automobile checkpoints. Thus, organizations that are engaged in transportation at the international level, or ordinary individuals, for example, tourists who travel abroad, in any case, encounter customs officers.
Export of goods from Russia
Duty Free Import to Russia commercial products - the secondary stage. After all, before a person enters a country, he somehow leaves it. What is this talking about? Before considering duty-free import of goods to Russia, you must learn the rules of export. So, traveling outside the Russian Federation, today, Russians do not need to fill out a declaration when they carry the following categories of commodity products:
- Cash, the amount of which does not exceed three thousand dollars (currency, which is equivalent to the indicated amount, and rubles). It must be added that the funds on the bank card are not subject to declaration, because their amount is not limited in any way. Amounts up to ten thousand dollars must be declared, and if more cash is exported, then permission from the central bank of the Russian Federation should be obtained.
- Traveller's checks, the amount of which does not exceed ten thousand dollars.
- Personal valuables and jewelry exported for a certain period of time.By the way, today expensive items (fur products, gold jewelry, watches) are strongly recommended to be included in the declaration. If this is not done, upon returning to their homeland will have to prove that their acquisition was not made abroad.
- Up to five kilograms of seafood or fish, as well as up to two hundred and fifty grams of sturgeon caviar.
Useful information
It must be borne in mind that luggage can always be checked at the customs border, for example, to clarify the specific amount of cash carried. When ascertaining the fact that at least a couple of dollars more is exported than is allowed, as a rule, the currency is seized, a protocol is drawn up and a case is opened regarding violation of Russian customs rules. That is why amounts in excess of three thousand dollars must be entered into the customs declaration. This restriction can be correctly circumvented by transporting not cash, but a credit card, because in the latter case, the amount of non-cash funds are not checked.
Before you analyze duty free import of alcohol to Russia, it should be noted that the export of alcoholic beverages from the Russian Federation is not limited. However, it should be borne in mind that its import into other countries, as a rule, is strictly regulated, which should not be forgotten. It is allowed to take out as much alcohol as you like from Russia. Nevertheless, in addition to strict rules regarding its import into other countries, one may encounter increased interest of customs officers, because in accordance with customs rules, only commercial products are allowed to be exported for personal use, and not for commercial purposes.
Rules for duty-free import of goods to Russia
Today it is important to know that without paying duties, it is possible to carry only a certain number of items, the total of which does not exceed 1,500 euros. This provision applies to land transport. The limit of duty-free import to Russia marketable products when it comes to air transport, should not exceed one or another number of items, the total amount of which is 10,000 euros. In addition, their total weight should in no case exceed fifty kilograms.
Then, when items brought from abroad are worth slightly more than certain norms, new rules become relevant. So, duty free import limit to Russia ceases to operate within the specified standards and 650,000 rubles. If judged by weight, it should vary from fifty to two hundred kilograms. The difference is huge! Characterizing duty-free import into Russia customs regulations suggest that in this case, for exceeding the specified limit, you must pay thirty percent of the value of the items. However, it should be noted that the cost of a kilogram here should not be less than four euros.
You need to know that things of the same nature, for example, several pairs of shoes, employees, as a rule, are considered as a batch of marketable products for commercial purposes. Duty Free Import to Russia it does not apply to them. Other customs rates apply here. It is important to note that in case of import of more than two hundred kilograms duties are levied which are determined for participants in foreign economic activity.
Duty-free import of goods for personal use to Russia
Today, duty-free way to import things only in some cases. So, the following conditions are mandatory:
- All things directly to the passenger or members of his family should be intended for personal consumption and should not have any relation to commercial activity. Duty Free Import to Russia in this case, it applies to household appliances, and to objects that were previously in use.
- The total weight of baggage should not exceed fifty kilograms.
- The total value of things should not be more than 1,500 euros in the case of land transport and ten thousand euros - in air.
Exceptions
There are some exceptions to the rules in the previous chapter. They relate to certain categories of society, including:
- Voluntary migrants who participate in the State program, as well as their families, are entitled to import items for personal use that were previously used, without duties and restrictions. However, such a benefit is relevant only at the first entry. It is necessary to add that under such circumstances, customs officers must provide an appropriate certificate of participation in the State program.
- Internally displaced persons and refugees are entitled to transport an unlimited number of things without taking into account their total cost. Nevertheless, in this case, official confirmation of status is required.
- Russians who have lived abroad for a long period of time (more than six months), upon returning to their homeland, have the right to import personal items without restrictions on their cost and weight.
Car import
Known to date duty free car import to Russia - the procedure does not exist. Cars that are imported from abroad in accordance with the regulations of the Customs Code must undergo the current customs clearance procedures. The issue of customs duties is fully regulated through the relevant legislative acts, as well as the Import Value Regulation, where the calculation of the final amount is often individual and very complicated.
For a general example, it would be advisable to give a few points in accordance with which the calculation of customs duties for cars:
- Import price.
- Features of the power plant (as a rule, this is the size of the engine).
- Year of manufacture.
- Class of automobile transport.
- The presence of a trailer.
- Value added tax.
- Type of ownership.
- Customs rates.
- Customs exemptions.
Duty-free import of parcels (Russia)
Today, when, during one calendar month, a certain quantity of marketable products was sent to the address of an individual from abroad in accordance with international mail for the amount that equivalent to thousand euros or less, such a shipment can be implemented without paying customs duties. It is important to add that the total weight of the items should not exceed thirty-one kilograms.
Cited size of duty-free import of parcels to Russia becomes irrelevant when these standards are somewhat exceeded. Then it is necessary to pay a customs fee, which equals thirty percent of the customs value of marketable products. It is important to add that in this case, the cost of one kilogram of marketable products should equal or exceed four euros in relation to exceeding the allowable limit.
Import of tobacco and alcohol to Russia
To date, the standards for importing alcohol into the Russian Federation are strictly regulated. So, it is strictly forbidden to bring over five liters of alcohol from abroad. At the same time, alcoholic beverages over three liters must be included in the declaration. For each liter in excess of the permissible standard, ten euros must be paid. These provisions apply to beer and weak alcohol. Then, when more than three liters of vodka are transported, payment is carried out in accordance with a rate of twenty-two euros for each liter of product.
It is important to note that it does not matter at all whether alcohol was purchased in another country or in Duty Free. Of course, the import of alcohol is allowed exclusively to citizens who have reached the age of majority.
It should be noted that up to two hundred cigarettes (fifty cigars) or two hundred and fifty grams of tobacco per person are allowed to be transported through Russian customs today.
Import of other products
It is important to note that today the import of products into the Russian Federation in accordance with personal use is strictly limited to five kilograms. Then, when customs officers find excess weight, as a rule, the goods are subject to confiscation. In addition, in this case, penalties are drawn towards the violator. It should be noted that the transportation of products of animal origin (cheese, meat, milk) is allowed only in factory packaging with the relevant details. Otherwise, customs officers are usually asked to provide a certificate of product quality.
Today, a ban has been established on an ongoing basis related to the importation by individuals of the following categories of marketable products:
- Products without factory packaging, for example, purchased on the market.
- Seeds (including bulbs, for example, gladioli from the Netherlands).
- Potatoes.
Today, a tourist from Russia, on completely legal grounds, has the right to bring to his homeland absolutely any product that is forbidden for import through sanctions, when the total weight of the product does not exceed five kilograms and it is in the factory packaging. In other words, cheese lovers can bring several parmesan triangles legally from Italy. But in this case, we should not forget that a couple of kilograms of products of the same nature, the customs service can count for commercial products endowed with a commercial nature, and not products for personal consumption.
It should be noted that the importation of drugs of medicinal origin containing poisonous or potent substances is allowed only with documentation or certified copies of individual papers that certify their medical purpose to a specific person. These include drugs such as Clozapine, Chloroform, or Tramadol.
Now you know the features of the import of various goods into the territory of Russia. You will no longer have problems with purchases that you deliver from abroad, and the customs officer will not deliver you a surprise in the form of a mandatory duty or confiscation of the purchased goods.