What You Should Know About Customs When Moving To/From Spain
So, you’ve been planning a trip to Spain, but you’re not entirely sure how to go about it? After the UK left the European Union and implemented the Brexit Transition Period on 1st January 2021, things have become a little trickier for those looking to move to and from Spain. Nevertheless, that’s not to say it’s impossible to move from England to Spain these days, and with this in mind, this guide is designed to help ensure you know how to export and import goods through customs when arranging removals to Spain after Brexit. So, please don’t leave things to chance; learn more about the import/export process with help from our friendly expert team today.
How the Customs Process Works When Moving to Spain
First of all, we need to understand how the Brexit arrangements have impacted how the customs process works when moving to Spain. Indeed, since the UK is now categorised as a third country, you will need to face more rigorous rules and restrictions when importing your belongings into Spain from another country.
In order to move goods into a country, you need to import them from another country. At this point, you will need to pass customs clearance, where your belongings are assessed by the relevant country’s customs authorities before they can be imported. It’s worth noting that the customs clearance will require you to pay import duties and VAT for your products; however, in some cases, tax and duty relief may be available on some imports.
There’s a great deal of paperwork with the new administration for importing goods into Spain, unfortunately. Hopefully, though, your professional importing team will be able to help with this. Contact us now if you are returning to the UK and need professional support on customs process after Brexit.The Impact of Brexit on Private Removals To Spain
If you’re looking to move to Spain to live, then you may be wondering about the specific impact of Brexit on private removals. Since the EU border no longer falls on British Shores, we are now an official third country in the United Kingdom, and so specific requirements are necessary to ensure smooth access to Spain.
In the past, moving your belongings across the channel was easy, but now, customs clearance is required. You will need to create a thorough inventory list, as well as providing Proof of ID and evidence of your residency and destination. Failing to provide any of the necessary documentation, or giving wrongly-declared inventory lists, may result in fines and the like. As such, it’s definitely not worth the risk!
Professional removal firms moving goods between the UK and the EU countries now how to hold an EORI number to provide removal services, and will also need to be fully registered with the authorities in the country in question. This also remains true for bringing your private vehicle into the country.
What if I Bring My Own Furniture Into Spain?
A common question that many people ask is: what if they bring their own furniture into the country by hiring a removals van? While this is an option, unfortunately, the same rules for customs clearance will still apply – except you will need to fill out all of the paperwork on your own. What’s more, UK-registered commercial moving vehicles can often be prime targets for fines, potentially making the most more risky. You’ll need to be careful to ensure you have complied with any relevant weight requirements for the vehicle, too.
Bringing New Items Into Spain
Most often, people import their existing possessions into Spain. However, many people have been tempted by the thought of buying new in the UK and then moving these belongings into Spain. Unfortunately, this can come with many potential complications, and so may not be such a lucrative opportunity overall.
Every item that you import into Spain, however, will be liable for customs clearance. As such, any product you import into Spain will now have to pay VAT of 21% at customs – making the thought of buying new abroad much less appealing for many travellers. This is further compounded by the costs of transporting the item and any additional customs duties; as such, if you have been considering buying new in the UK and importing to Spain, you should check the costs carefully as you might end up paying substantially more than you need to.
However, in a small handful of cases, once you are a Spanish resident, you may be able to purchase an item in the UK without being liable to pay British VAT – but even in these scenarios, you will still likely need to pay customs clearance fees.
