Pay taxes on jewellery purchased overseas?

Question

I am planning on buying a piece of jewellery in Glasgow, Scotland. The price will be between 150-300 pounds ($300-600). I am an American. Will I have to pay any taxes or fees to cross th border?

Thanks for the VAT info. Can anyone tell me how much to expect to pay?

Answer 1

You will probably pay VAT when you purchase the item anyway. The amount is 17.5% and is included in the price you see advertised (very rare to not see it like that in the UK).

This is some detailed infor from a US site..

"While you are in the United Kingdom, you will pay a sales tax called Value Added Tax (V.A.T.) on most goods that you buy. The Retail Export Scheme allows you to reclaim a V.A.T. refund on most goods provided you:
(i) are an overseas visitor whose domicile or habitual residence is not situated within the European Community;
(ii) intend to leave the United Kingdom for a final destination outside the European Community, with the goods, by the last day of the third month following that in which the goods were purchased; and
(iii) produce the goods and the VAT refund document to a Customs export officer at the last point of departure from the EC.

Not all shops participate in the scheme. Check before you buy. The scheme is voluntary, retailers do not have to operate the scheme but they will usually advertise if they do so. Also, you cannot use the scheme to get a refund of VAT on meals or services such as hotel accommodation, car hire, taxi fares, etc., even though you may have been charged VAT on them.

How to use the Scheme:

Tell the retailer that you want to use the scheme and ask him/her to explain how the scheme works.
Tell the retailer your country of final destination (the retailer will need to see your passport).
The retailer will give you a VAT refund document at the time of the sale and you must complete the customer details and sign the customer's declaration.
Make sure the retailer fully completes his/her part of the form and signs the retailer's declaration.
Discuss with the retailer how the refund will be made, for example, cheque or credit card, how long it will take to receive the refund and any administrative charges they will make.
The goods must be available for inspection and the VAT refund form must be presented to the Customs export officer at the final point of exit from the E.C. The form must be certified with a customs stamp.


How to make your Claim:
Retailers will usually make a refund only when they receive the certified VAT refund documents with a customs stamp. Many retailers appoint a VAT refund company to make refunds on their behalf. In these cases you must send the VAT refund documents certified by Customs to the refund company. Some refund companies operate from airport refund booths and make cash repayments if you are leaving directly from the UK with the goods. An additional administrative charge may be made for this service.


The following countries and territories are within the EC fiscal (VAT) area:
Austria, Belgium, Denmark (except the Faroe Islands and Greeland), Finland, France (including Monaco), Germany (except Busingen and the Isle of Heligoland), Greece, the Republic of Ireland, Italy (except the communes of Livigno and Campione d'Italia and the Italian waters of Lake Lugano), Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Portugal (including the Azores and Madeira), Spain (including the Balaeric Islands but excluding Ceuta and Melilla), Sweden, United Kingdom and the Isle of Man. "

Answer 2

You will pay VAT -- value added tax. Be sure to ask for a VAT receipt to hand in when you pass customs leaving England. You can get this tax returned to you.

Answer 3

Or you could simply wear it through customs....cough,cough