INFORMATION SHEET  FOR IMPORTING USED PERSONAL EFFECTS INTO  GERMANY

>> CLIENT IS A GERMAN OR EUROPEAN UNION CITIZEN 

 

1)     {C}COPY OF PACKING LIST IN ENGLISH OR GERMAN LANGUAGE. DESCRIPTIONS LIKE PBO, MISC., BASEMENT- OR GARAGE ITEMS ETC. ARE TOO UNEXACT AND WE WOULD NEED A SPECIFICATION OF THESE POSITIONS.

 

2)     {C}COPY OF BILL OF LADING OR COPY OF AIRWAYBILL

 

3)     {C}COPY OF PASSPORT WITH PICTURE PAGE IN GOOD READABLE CONDITION. 

(VISA PAGES MAY BE HELPFUL, TOO)

 

4)     {C}COPY OF RESIDENT REGISTRATION (IN GERMAN “ANMELDEBESTAETIGUNG”) CONFIRMING

CLIENTS ADRESS IN GERMANY, ISSUED BY LOCAL GERMAN RESIDENT REGISTRATION OFFICE.  

 

5)     {C}ATTESTATION FROM EMPLOYER OR GERMAN DIPLOMATIC MISSIONS SHOWING THE TIME

ABROAD. THIS MUST BE MINIMUM ONE YEAR..

 

THE CUSTOMS OFFICE IN BREMERHAVEN MEANWHILE CLAIMS THAT’S MANDATORY FOR A RETURNING GERMAN CITIZEN TO PRESENT A NEW ACTUAL RESIDENCE REGISTRATION. IN THE PAST IT WAS SUFFICIENT TO PRESENT AN ACTUAL STATUS OF THE RESIDENCE REGISTRATION WHERE WAS STATED THAT THE RELOCATING PERSON HAS BEEN LIVED ALREADY SINCE DAY XXX AT THAT RESIDENCE BEFORE LEAVING GERMANY. THIS ISN’T ALLOWED ANY MORE.

SO IT SHOULD BE RECOMMENDED TO THE EMIGRATING CLIENT THAT HE MUST GO TO HIS LOCAL AUTHORITIY AND SIGN OFF THE RESIDENCE REGISTER BEFORE HE IS RELOCATING FROM GERMANY TO OVERSEAS. OTHERWISE HE CAN EXPERIENCE A BAD SURPRISE WHEN HE RETURNS AFTER A FEW YEARS AND HAS TO PAY DUTIES AND TAXES FOR HIS OWN PERSONAL EFFECTS…

THE BEST FOR THE EXPORTING RELOCATION COMPANY IN GERMANY IS TO GET A CONFIRMATION FROM THE MOVING CLIENT THAT HE HAS WELL NOTED THIS INFORMATION..

 

IF A MOVING PERSON IS SEEKING FOR A RESIDENCE IN GERMANY SEVERAL MONTHS PRIOR HIS EMPLOYMENT ABROAD IS ENDING AND HE ALREADY REGISTERS HERE BECAUSE OF SUCCESSFUL SEARCH, HE HAS TO GIVE A PERSONAL STATEMENT WHERE THESE CIRCUMSTANCES (THAT MEANS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN DATE OF EARLY REGISTRATION IN GERMANY AND THE END OF THE EMPLOYMENT NAMED IN THE ATTESTATION FROM EMPLOYER) ARE COMPREHENSIBLY EXPLAINED. DIFFERENCES UP TO ONE MONTH ARE NORMALLY ACCEPTED BY GERMAN CUSTOMS.

 

FURTHER: PEOPLE CAN ONLY RELOCATE IF THEY ARE ALREADY PERSONALLY ATTENDANT IN GERMANY.

ONE EXAMPLE: A RELOCATING CLIENT REGISTERS IN GERMANY ON

AUGUST 1, 2009, HIS ATTESTATION FROM EMPLOYER SHOWS AN ENGAGEMENT ABROAD TILL AUGUST 31, 2009 AND THE CONTAINER ARRIVES IN BREMERHAVEN ON AUGUST 15, 2009. THIS CONTAINER CANNOT BE CUSTOMS CLEARED, BECAUSE CLIENT IS ACCORDING TO ATTESTATION OF EMPLOYER STILL ABROAD. THE REGISTRATION OF CLIENT AT THE LOCAL AUTHORITY ISN’T SUFFICIENT DUE TO THE ABOVE NAMED REASON (BECAUSE MANY CLIENTS SEARCH FOR A RESIDENCE PRIOR THEIR RETURN TO GERMANY, REGISTER HERE AND THEN FLY BACK TO FINISH THEIR JOB ABROAD).  IF A FAMILY IS RELOCATING TOGETHER WITH THIS PERSON AND THE FAMILY IS ALREADY IN GERMANY, THE EMPLOYER HAS TO MENTION IN HIS ATTESTATION FOR HIS EMPLOYEE THAT THE WIFE / FAMILY HAS ACCOMPANIED HIM AND THE WIFE HAS TO PRESENT A RESIDENCE REGISTRATION AS WELL. SO THE REMOVAL GOODS CAN BE CUSTOMS CLEARED IN THE NAME OF THE WIFE BEFORE THE HUSBAND ARRIVES AND SHE CAN RECEIVE THE GOODS. IN THIS CASE THE GERMAN CUSTOMS FORM AT FIELD 5 HAS TO SHOW THE ADDITION “TOGETHER WITH FAMILY” ACCORDINGLY AND THE DATES OF THE WIFE / FAMILY HAVE TO BE NAMED IN THIS FIELD. IF THE MOVING PERSON IS RELOCATING ALONE AND HE CANNOT PROOF THAT HE’S ALREADY PERSONALLY IN GERMANY (E.G. BY HIS FLIGHT TICKET AND A PERSONAL STATEMENT) THE GOODS WON’T BE CLEARED BEFORE SEPTEMBER 1, 2009.

 

RELOCATING PERSONS WHO DON’T HAVE A CLEAR ATTESTATION OF MINIMUM ONE YEAR EMPLOYMENT ABROAD HAVE THE POSSIBILITY TO PROOF A STAY ABROAD FOR THIS YEAR ALTERNATIVELY BY THE FOLLOWING DOCUMENTS:

TAX RETURNS OF THE LAST TWO YEARS

PURCHASE/ VENDING OF A RESIDENCE OR LEASE CONTRACT

CREDIT CARD SETTLEMENTS SHOWING PERMANENT TRANSACTIONS WITHIN THE LAST YEAR 

EVERY OTHER DOCUMENTS PROVING CLEARLY A STAY ABROAD PLUS AN AFFIRMATION IN LIEU OF OATH ABOUT THE LENGTH OF HIS STAY ABROAD

 

PERSONAL EFFECTS FOR STUDENTS / PUPILS:

REGARDING CUSTOMS CLEARANCE OF GOODS BELONGING TO STUDENTS OR PUPILS WE CAN GIVE THE FOLLOWING INFORMATIONS : IN THIS CASE THE CUSTOMS OFFICE IMPLIES THAT THESE PERSONS DIDN’T UNSUBSCRIBE THEMSELVES AT THEIR LOCAL AUTHORITY BEFORE LEAVING GERMANY (THIS EXPERIENCE HAS BEEN MADE VERY OFTEN IN THE PAST). IT HAS TO BE PRESENTED A DE-REGISTRATION FROM THE LOCAL AUTHORITY FROM THAT MOMENT THE PERSON AND THEIR GOODS LEFT GERMANY TOGETHER WITH AN ACTUAL NEW REGISTRATION FROM THE MOMENT OF RETURN TO GERMANY, A CERTIFICATE OF IMMATRICULATION OF THE UNIVERSITY / CERTIFICATE OF SCHOOL AUTHORITY OVERSEAS. WITHOUT A DE-REGISTRATION THE CUSTOMS OFFICE WON’T ALLOW CLEARANCE AS USED PERSONAL EFFECTS. THE STAY ABROAD HAS TO BE CONFIRMED FOR MINIMUM ONE YEAR.

 

 

>> CLIENT IS A FOREIGN CITIZEN / NON EUROPEAN UNION CITIZEN 

 

WE NEED SAME DOCUMENTS AS MENTIONED ABOVE, BUT NO ATTESTATION SHOWING ONE YEAR ABROAD; THEREFORE WE NEED ATTESTATION OF EMPLOYER SHOWING THAT CLIENT WILL WORK NOW IN GERMANY. 

 

ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES CAN BE IMPORTED, BUT ARE SUBJECT TO DUTIES AND TAXES (VALID FOR PARTLY CONSUMED BOTTLES AS WELL !!!) 

 

FOR CUSTOMS ENTRY WE NEED FOLLOWING INFORMATIONS :

 

-KIND OF ALCOHOL  

-QUANTITY OF BOTTLES AND INFORMATION ABOUT LITER OF EACH BOTTLE

-ALCOHOLIC PERCENTAGE OF EACH BOTTLE

-VALUE OF EACH BOTTLE 

 

BLANK FORM IS OBTAINABLE AT OUR OFFICE AND CAN BE FAXED / MAILED UPON REQUEST.

 

>> FOOD

 

CLIENTS ARE ALLOWED TO IMPORT FOOD DUTY AND TAX FREE, BUT ONLY IN APPROPRIATE QUANTITY AND ONLY  "NON PERISHABLE GOODS" LIKE DURUM NOODLES (NOT EGG-NOODLES !!!!), RICE AND CANNED GOODS (ONLY FRUIT AND VEGETABLES - NO MEAT !!)

WE WOULD NEED SEPARATE LIST OF THESE ITEMS

 

>> LIVING PLANTS

 

WE NEED AN ORIGINAL "PHYTOSANITARY - CERTIFICATE" FOR EACH LIVING PLANT WHICH SHALL BE IMPORTED TO GERMANY. THIS PLANTS HAVE TO BE FREE OF SOIL AND SPROUTS.

SHIPMENTS WITH PLANTS WILL BE INSPECTED BY GERMAN CUSTOMS AUTHORITIES /

PHYTOSANITARY DEPARTMENT.

THIS WILL CAUSE A HIGH BUREAUCRACY EXTRAWORK AND EXTRA CHARGES.

 

>> WEAPONS 

 

CAN BE IMPORTED, BUT ARE SUBJECT TO CUSTOMS EXAMINATION AND HIGH BUREAUCRACY TRANSACTIONS AND EXTRAORDINARY CHARGES. 

PLEASE CONTACT US UNDER ALL CIRCUMSTANCES PRIOR TO SHIPPING.

WE NEED TO KNOW THE EXACT "NAME" OF THE WEAPON AND THE CERTIFICATE OF OWNERSHIP

FOR EACH WEAPON IN ORIGINAL. FURTHERMORE A SPECIAL PERMIT OF GERMAN PUBLIC ORDER OFFICE (IN GERMAN “ORDNUNGSAMT”) IS NECESSARY.

CLIENT WON'T HAVE TO PAY DUTIES AND TAXES FOR A WEAPON IF IT'S NOT NEWLY BOUGHT ABROAD.

IT’S STRICTLY FORBIDDEN TO IMPORT AMMUNITION.

 

>> DRUGS

 

STRICTLY FORBIDDEN

 

>> TOBACCOS

 

TOBACCOS BELONG TO "HIGH-TAXABLE" ITEMS AND CUSTOMER WOULD HAVE TO PAY DUTIES

AND TAXES ON THIS

 

>> PERFUMES AND FRAGRANCES 

 

BELONG TO "HIGH-TAXABLE" ITEMS AND CUSTOMER WOULD HAVE TO PAY DUTIES AND TAXES

 

>> MEDICINE

 

IT’S STRICTLY FORBIDDEN TO CO-LOAD INTO SHIPMENT.

Medicine MUST BE CARRIED BY CUSTOMER PERSONALLY

 

>> RETURNING GOODS INTO GERMANY 

 

CLIENTS HAVE THE POSSIBILITY TO IMPORT RETURNING GOODS INTO GERMANY IN CASE THEY HAVE BEEN SHIPPED OUT OF GERMANY LESS THAN ONE YEAR AGO. IN THIS CASE CLIENT NEEDS TO HANDOVER A COPY OF EXPORT BILL OF LADING AND PACKING LIST FROM THAT TIME IN GERMANY, A PERSONAL EXPLANATION OF CLIENT / LETTER OF EMPLOYER ABOUT THE CIRCUMSTANCES WHICH MAKES RETURN OF GOODS NECESSARY AND A CURRENT BILL OF LADING AND PACKING LIST FROM IMPORT TO GERMANY.

VERY IMPORTANT: THE QUANTITY OF GOODS THAT SHOULD BE RETURNED MUST BE THE SAME

THAN ORIGINALLY HAVE BEEN EXPORTED FROM GERMANY.

NEW BOUGHT ITEMS ARE SUBJECT TO DUTIES AND TAXES

 

 

>> INHERITANCE GOODS 

 

ARE USUALLY DUTY AND TAX FREE.

FOLLOWING DOCUMENTS ARE NEEDED:

CERTIFICATE OF DEATH, LAST WILL AND CERTIFICATE OF INHERITANCE,

IN WHICH THE CLIENT IS CLEARLY MENTIONED AS THE BENIFICIARY. THIS DOCUMENTS HAVE TO BE IN GERMAN LANGUAGE.

PACKING LIST, COPY OF BILL OF LADING OR COPY OF AIRWAYBILL.

PLEASE CONTACT US IN ANY CASE PRIOR SHIPPING IN OVERSEAS FOR CHECKING ALL DOCUMENTS BY GERMAN CUSTOMS OFFICE.

 

>> DIPLOMATIC CARGO 

 

IS NOT SUBJECT TO SPECIAL RESTRICTIONS. DUTY AND TAX FREE ENTRY IS POSSIBLE

AGAINST DIPLOMATIC ENTRY FORM 0349 WHICH WILL BE PROVIDED BY DIPLOMATIC MISSIONS IN GERMANY. CUSTOMS FORM IS NEEDED IN ORIGINAL.  – NO FAXCOPY -