Question about custom form

[tulagirl]

I just thought of something. Lets say I have something I am shipping out to a friend in another country with a different currency.  I could do my customs form in their currency so the rate would be what it would actually cost them in that country to buy it?

Like say I pay 45.00 USA dollars but its going to be a gift and going to someone in say the UK.  The UK equivalent of 45.00 is like 32.60 I think.  That is a 12.40 difference in price.  If I put on the customs form the 45.00 value its more expensive for them to pull out of customs.  Could I put 32.60 Euro on there instead so the value is actually what they are getting in their own currency?

Do the custom's agents convert the USA values on the forms to the Euro before they determine a fee?

Would this be illegal?  Or legal? 

[Shiromisa]

Each kind of money is worth a different amount, so £32.60 (they still use pounds in the UK, not euros) is the same as $45. The customs value should be the same either way.

[tulagirl]

Yea you are right..I did not think about it that way.  From their end it will be the same to compare with fee application.  I was hoping this would lower the fees some, but in reality I guess it wouldn't.

[Rhubarbpie]

I tend to put my customs value in the currency of the country they are going in.  I like to think it makes things easier on the other end

[lunar_scythe]

I thought the customs form says what currency to use on it? The US one has a $ in the box, you just put in the amount...

[Sebby6]

I thought the customs form says what currency to use on it? The US one has a $ in the box, you just put in the amount...

Over here you fill in the currency yourself. I always use the one for the receiving country

[Buffy]

I always write in the form the value in my homecountry currency and I have never problems with it.

When I get ponies from outside Germany and they are hold by the custom office they will charge the value from dollar to Euro...so also have never problems with it :-)

[CupidStrikes]

If you know the conversion then I'd say to put it in GBP. I've heard a few cases recently where people are being overcharged customs because twits at the border aren't reading the customs forms properly and assume the currency is in £ when it's not. Of course you can appeal and make them re-assess the box but it slows down getting the parcel delivered.

If the value is under £36 and you're not using EMS/Priority then it shouldn't get customs charged if it's a gift

[svleonard]

Since I ship from the US, I always put US amounts on the customs form.  I believe there is a dollar sign there ... so you should put the amount in dollars.  Besides, the exchange rate changes from time to time, so if you just use your own currency things are easier. 

[ponylady]

Since I ship from the US, I always put US amounts on the customs form.  I believe there is a dollar sign there ... so you should put the amount in dollars.  Besides, the exchange rate changes from time to time, so if you just use your own currency things are easier. 

I am the same way. Plus I print my labels through Ebay 95% of the time and it is already filled in for you.