Importing goods on student visa

[Asteger]

Hi all

It's my first post here.

We're looking to arrive in NZ towards the end of this year. 'We' is myself, my wife and daughter. I would arrive on a student visa for a post-grad qualification that would last through 2017.

One thing I'm concerned about and haven't been able to find clear info on is: How are unaccompanied shipments of personal/household goods treated by NZ Customs for student visa holders?

I know, it sounds a bit extravagant that a student would ship goods over. But in our case we've been living internationally for a few years, and my/our possessions are basically with us wherever we've lived and worked - furniture, books, appliances, etc, etc - basically a whole small container's worth. We've never had trouble importing our things where I've got jobs, but I worry the situation might be different entering NZ as a student. I can't imagine what sort of duties/taxes would be charged for our things; could be a huge $ blow.

(Incidentally, there'd be more to our 'plan' than just arriving and studying for a year. The long-term idea is to find work after my studies and, if all goes well, to stay - in which case we'd of course want all our stuff with us. Another advantage is that I'm sure renting an unfurnished place when we arrive will cost less than furnished, and nice to have your own furnishings too. Plus, if we can't ship to NZ this year without crazy duties, then I have no idea what we can do with our stuff.)

If anyone has heard about this or has experience they could relate, that'd be great. I was actually going to telephone NZ today to try and dig up some info, before discovering it's ANZAC day and so everything must be closed. If I am successful getting any info that way, I'll post here too.

[newarrival]

We brought all of our belongings (biggest possible container) with us on a 1- year student visa in 2005..., I can't remember exactly, but seem to recall that we had to pay something around $400 on taxes. Apart from that, it wasn't any problem.
That is just my experience, though, and things might have changed...

[Asteger]

Great news/info again from you. Thanks, Renate.

Do you recall if the paperwork/shipment was attributed to your partner/husband or to you? I know that, with your partner entering NZ on a student visa and doing a post-grad qualification, you were able to get a work visa during the visa period. I believe that work visa holders can import household effects freely, while it's a murkier when it comes to student visa holders importing. My worry has been that there would be huge costs and hassle importing a shipment of our stuff, and so your $400 already sounds good. However, I'm wondering now, with the news my wife could get a 'special' work visa when accompanying me, because I'll be post-grad, if the probably import duties/etc might not apply - for example, if we ship in the stuff under her name, not mine.

[newarrival]

At the time we applied for my husband's visa the regulation about work visas for partners wasn't in place yet, so it was just him holding a student visa, the rest of us had visitor visas and the kids actually visited school as international students for the first term.

So- sorry, can't help with any further information. I am not even sure, after all this time, if the money we paid might have been some additional fee for inspection by MAF, and not import duty as such.

[JandM]

This page http://www.customs.govt.nz/features/...s/default.aspx and the links off it may help you check what may happen. There is a 'Contact us' option if you want to ask them specific questions.

[Asteger]

Hi all, again.

Just an update as I telephoned NZ Customs to check on this this morning. The fellow on the phone was quite nice and said I had a 'good question' which inspired a 'roundtable discussion' in the office. However, there was no clear answer and I was given a couple of email addresses for further, clearer info.

Apparently, if you enter for a shorter length of time (less than 6 mos maybe) you need to pay GST and duty on items which are thought to not help you as a student. So, for example, a computer or a desk or study-related books help out, but a stereo system wouldn't be a study-helper. (Well, unless maybe you're studying music or something, I imagine.)

If you're a longer-term student - I would be studying for a year - than you are exempt from duties, but still liable for GST on non-study-related things.

So now I'm going to sent an email and check on this. I was told I should give a general description of the goods and ask for guidance. However, I've been thinking that Renate (newarrival) was quite lucky:

We brought all of our belongings (biggest possible container) with us on a 1- year student visa in 2005..., I can't remember exactly, but seem to recall that we had to pay something around $400 on taxes. Apart from that, it wasn't any problem.

Sounds like many things I would send could be subject to GST.

[JandM]

Bear in mind, if you bring older, used items, they allow for depreciation in the value on which any tax and duty would be paid.

[Asteger]

Bear in mind, if you bring older, used items, they allow for depreciation in the value on which any tax and duty would be paid.

I would hope so, yes. I was told the values would depend on my declaration, unless they thought the values were incorrect in which case, for eg, I might have to have used furniture valued by a used furniture dealer, etc.

However, could you imagine the hassle of going over an entire household's worth of goods? They can't go that far with it, and a friend in NZ has also told me that while NZ has lots of rules about imports enforcement isn't that strict. Renate's easy experience does give me encouragement.

I also telephoned INZ this morning and was put on the phone queue. After 5 mins I was told I was #18 and so hung up.

One thing I was hoping to shed light on was, with me as the main applicant entering NZ as a post-grad student, and my accompanying wife eligible for a 'special' work visa, are we able to bring in our shipment under her name instead? I know that holders of work visas granted for a minimum of 12 months get a full gst/duty concession, but wonder if that would still apply to my wife not being the main applicant; also I wonder if the main applicant has to be the one importing the goods.