Printable Version Use FedEx for your Christmas Gifts


Stress-free shipping for your Christmas Season with the FedEx Gift Shipping Guide!

The annual holiday shipping season is here once again, and it is important to remember that each country has its own different Customs provisions for gifts. Gifts are generally defined as goods in small consignments of a non-commercial nature, sent either from an individual to an individual or from a company to an individual, and intended solely for personal or family use. Specific provisions apply in many cases and, in addition, regulations covering duty and tax-free exemptions and prohibited commodities vary greatly from country to country.

For stress-free holiday shipping with FedEx, please remember these five handy tips, further details of which you can find here.

  1. Clearly label your package for customs purposes with the complete name, address and phone number of both the Shipper and the Consignee.
  2. Make sure you write “personal unsolicited gift shipment” on your Air Waybill and commercial invoice.
  3. If purchasing via the Internet, check to see if local taxes and duties are included in the price.
  4. Ensure your package is well wrapped, with plenty of padding.
  5. Accurately estimate the cost of your package and take out adequate insurance.

Customs requirements can also vary very significantly according to the countries concerned. Here are some important regulations concerning the shipment of gifts to seven key destinations.

To the USA:

All gift shipments must be from an individual to an individual or from a company to an individual. Shipments from business to business are considered as commercial imports and not gifts.

The maximum gift allowance is set at a retail value of US$100 or less for each individual recipient.

Each gift shipment must be properly marked, as a “gift“ and a statement indicating that the shipment is an “unsolicited gift, not for resale“ must appear on both the Air Waybill and the accompanying invoice.

The following essential information must also be provided on the invoice:

  1. A complete description of the product(s), specifying also if the item is homemade or store-bought as in these sample declarations:
    • “Homemade (or store-bought) confectionery, for personal consumption; not for resale”
    • “Man’s sweater, 100% wool”

  2. For consolidated gift shipments, the name of each person receiving a gift, the gift item(s) for each person and the value of each item must be listed individually. The total gift value for each person must also not exceed the maximum gift allowance of US$100. Examples of appropriate declarations are as follows:
    • “Mary Smith – 2 dozen homemade biscuits, US$15”
    • “Joe Smith – 1 woolen sweater, US$100”

 

If any item exceeds the gift allowance, the entire shipment will be dutiable.

Non-perishable food items

Homemade or store-bought non-perishable food items sent from an individual to an individual and valued at under US$200 do not require the submission of FDA Prior Notice.

General prohibition

Perishable food, alcoholic beverages, cigars and cigarettes from an individual to an individual, and all Cuban cigars are all banned imports.

Textiles

Quota limitations on textiles and apparel items do not apply to gift shipments.

Perfumes containing alcohol

These are excluded from the gift provision and may be subject to duty and/or tax and formal entry filing.

Personal and household effects

Articles purchased solely for the personal use of an individual and shipped unaccompanied will be entered under separate Customs provisions, and not as a gift.

Fish and wildlife products

Clearance may be required if products originate from wildlife or contain wildlife parts.

For further information on shipping Holiday Gifts to the USA please click here.

 

To Canada
All gift shipments must be from an individual to an individual.

The maximum gift allowance is set at a retail value of CAD$ 60 (approximately US$52) or less for each individual recipient.

If the value exceeds this limit, duties and service taxes of 7% (similar to VAT) will apply to the value over CAD$60.

When company names are mentioned on the documentation the shipment is considered to be a commercial transaction, and is therefore subject to full duty and taxes if the value exceeds
CAD$20.

To the United Kingdom
All gift shipments must be from an individual to an individual.

The maximum gift allowance is set at a retail value of GB£36 (approx. US$55) or less for each individual recipient.

Gifts are exempt from duty and taxes so long as no single item exceeds a value of GB£36 per person. Each person must be identified.

Examples of declarations for goods free of duty are as follows:

“1 bottle of wine at GB£25 for father – duty, excise and VAT relieved“

“4 place mats at GB£20 for mother – duty and VAT relief applied“

“1 jumper at GB£100 – duty free, VAT applied at 17.5%“

To Australia
Gift shipments must be from an individual to an individual and must not contain any commercial items.

The maximum gift allowance is set at a retail value of AU$1,000 (approx. US$205) or less per shipment.

Alcohol and tobacco are not exempt from duty and taxes.

Evidence of money paid (i.e. a receipt for the goods purchased) must accompany the shipment.

The Airway Bill and commercial invoice values must be identical.

Items prohibited in gift hampers

All of the following are banned: pine cones, wooden ornaments manufactured from plant material, items of plant origin (e.g. decorations made from vine material, wreaths, flowers, pot-pourri etc.), un-popped popcorn and nuts, and are liable to be destroyed by Customs if included in hampers.

No concession is made for gifts if the total shipment value exceeds AU$1,000,. In this case duty at 5% and Government Sales Tax at 10% are generally applied on most items.

To India
Gift shipments must be from an individual to an individual.

The maximum gift allowance is set at a retail value of INR10, 000 (approx. US$205) or less per shipment.

Under normal circumstances, no duty or taxes are charged on genuine gifts with a declared value less than INR10, 000.

Commodity restrictions apply as for standard shipments.

If undervalued and/or bulk commodities are sent, these will not be considered as gifts but will be cleared as normal entries with enhanced values based on market rates.

To the Philippines
All gift items are dutiable whatever the value.

Both FedEx AirWay Bill and commercial invoices are required.

If gift items are consigned to a company and their value exceeds US$500, the company must be registered as an importer prior to the importation of the gifts to avoid any clearance delays.


To South Africa
The maximum gift allowance is set at a retail value of ZAR500 (approx. US$50).

Both FedEx AirWay Bill and commercial invoices are required.

Duty and taxes are charged if the declared value exceeds the above limit.