0. Purchase

You buy goods in the online store with delivery by mail. Come to the post office to receive the package and ... if you receive, then you can not read further.
If, instead of delivering the parcel, the Russian Post employee happily informs you that she was detained by customs.

1. Non-delivery

At the post office you receive a notification and a copy of the customs declaration attached to the parcel. The notification will contain the address of the customs service where necessary, but it is better to find out the customs telephone number in advance through 2gis or any available service and specify the place and time of reception of citizens on your question (in our city, registration at a different address is in the main customs building).

2. Preparation of documents

The parcel fell into the tenacious paws of the Russian customs service and for its return to you will have to collect some (not too large) number of documents:

• Invoices of online stores for the purchase of goods.
• Bank statement (important: dates and amounts must match the account).
• Copies of passports for yourself and all direct relatives (parents-children, brother-sisters, husbands-wives and ... everything!), As well as copies of documents confirming your kinship (birth certificate, marriage registration).
• If customs officers are not able to identify the goods in the parcel in accordance with the customs declaration, then printouts from the store’s website with a photo of the goods may be needed.
• If among your goods there are those that come with an import restriction, you will need a certificate of registration of Rospotrebnadzor , proving that the import of this type of goods is allowed in Russia.

Documents for relatives will come in handy if you have a lot of similar products in your package.

3. First visit

Come to customs, submit your passport, a notice and a copy of the declaration through the window. Two forms will be issued in response to you:

• Application for customs control.
• Explanation (here write what in what quantity and which of your direct relatives is in the package).

Fill out the forms, also write an application for opening the parcel (they will photograph and compare with the declaration, and a dog handler with a dog will also be present).

4. N-th visit (about money)

From the first call, not everything can grow together, but after reading this note, you are more or less prepared. Yes, as I already wrote in paragraph 2, employees may have doubts about goods with import restrictions and ... an examination of the goods with a period of 1 month may be appointed. - It is better to refuse to receive the parcel with a return to the sender, if it is possible in your case and more convenient for you, otherwise you will have to hand over the goods for examination, as described in this comment .
So, if all your documents suit customs officers and the main problem was that you imported several products of the same type, then you won’t have to pay money.
If you have exceeded the amount of € 1.000 (important: if the declaration is in a different currency, then the cost is calculated at the exchange rate on the date of application), then you will need to pay a fee of 30% in excess of this amount.
If your MPO is recognized as a commercial cargo, then you will receive a duty of 30% of the amount of the shipment, but the most unpleasant thing is that commercial goods are processed through a customs broker (at a contract price).
When paying, carefully check the completion of all fields and details of the payment order, so my bank operator did not fill out field 107 (customs authority code) and the money was stuck in the FCS in Moscow, but did not come to the city customs. I had to send a fax to Moscow with a request to correct the details in the system, call the bank so that they also send a fax, and later also make a phone call to Moscow.

5. Last visit

So, your money has reached customs. You need to come to the payment department. And again you will need a certain number of documents and their copies (!):

• Passport.
• Certificate of tax registration (TIN).
• Receipt of payment or payment order.

In the payment department, you will be marked on the payment order.


Customs officers are happy - you have fulfilled all their requirements. They will issue all the necessary documents. You will be given a Customs receipt warrant and a notice. The notice is stamped on the permission to issue the parcel by mail. I so wanted to get my things as soon as possible, that I did not go to scan the resolution and for joy I forgot to take a picture on the phone, so there will be no photo.

6. Presentation

Go to the post office and ... once again open the package and compare the investment with the declaration, and only then boldly pick it up for yourself.

7. How was it with me

date	Event
01/16/2012	They called from the post office about the arrival of the parcel. Handing a notification in the mail instead of sending
01/17/2012	First visit to customs. Learned their requirements and the necessary set of documents
01/18/2012	The second visit to customs. He showed a set of documents. Agreed to open the parcel in the mail
01/19/2012	Opening the parcel in the mail with customs officers. Third visit to customs. I gave a package of documents
01/20/2012	They called from customs and said the amount of the fee. Paid at the bank
01/23/2012	On Monday I found out whether the money reached - did not reach
01/24/2012	Again I found out whether the money reached - did not reach. I ordered a copy of the payment order from the bank, as in words, bank employees claimed that they did everything right
01/25/2012	Got a copy. He convinced bank employees of their guilt. Made to send a fax. Sam sent a fax
01/26/2012	The fourth visit to customs. He brought a listing of the technical specifications of electronic devices.
01/27/2012	I found out the number of the it-department of customs. I called and asked "to correct the details with my hands in the database."
01/30/2012	I called the customs, made sure that they received the money.
02/01/2012	Fifth visit to customs. Permission issued to issue a parcel. I ran on foot to the post office, only 1km. On the street -33 0 C, and I'm hot. : D

PS: Have a good online shopping!