VAT, foreign purchase and registration

[Kenomac]

Do you also have a New Zealand passport, or only the Dutch passport? If you also have a New Zealand passport, why not just use that one?

I also have dual citizenship, but that doesn't mean I need to use two passports.

[Anders]

EU VAT needs to be paid by when an EU resident imports or buys a non VAT paid boat from a private seller in the EU. A Dutch citizen resident in NZ is treated the same as a NZ citizen resident in NZ but be prepared to prove your residency.
Buying from a company in EU is always charged with VAT but there are sail away schemes that can be used by non residents.
Keep in mind that staying more than 6 months in any one country can make you resident unless the tax treaty between that country and your country says something else.

[El Pinguino]

In this day and age they have pretty good tabs on who is who in the zoo.

I'm 'strayan in 'Straya and Unzud but a Pom elsewhere ( yes I know... I have no pride ) ... and have been pulled out of the line several times when departing Chile westbound - as a Pom - with them wanting to see either visas or P/port for the far end...

[l2ustyl3ullet]

Ok, so with some proof that I live in NZ and whilst sailing not staying in any one country too long, it should all work out. Just need to get the right documentation and have it at hand should the need arise. Nevertheless, I will probably have a chat with the customs people here in NZ and in or around the area I end up buying from, just to triple check.

But guess I can start having a better browse of what boats are out there and start getting a better idea of what its going to cost to buy what I'm looking for. Thanks a lot for all the help.

[LongRange]

Originally Posted by l2ustyl3ullet

But guess I can start having a better browse of what boats are out there and start getting a better idea of what its going to cost to buy what I'm looking for. Thanks a lot for all the help.

About 6 months before you are ready to buy, I suggest picking say three models which catch your eye, and starting a spreadsheet which lists the prices and features of all relevant examples for sale.

Within a few months you will develop the ability to gauge to within plus or minus 5K euro what a particular boat is worth in the marketplace, and which sellers appear to have unrealistic expectations.

Browsing all those ads will also give you some feel for which boats seem well cared for (lots of photos of things like keel bolts, chain plates, sail material close-ups...), and which ads confine themselves to a few lazy stock photos of that boat type. In the latter case, it is unlikely the owner is into fastidious maintenance.

[Kenomac]

DON'T make the mistake of buying a former charter boat. Take them off your list.

[ReneJK]

your Dutch passport will allow you to stay in the EU/Med (your person) indefinitely
your NZ address allows you to buy a VAT not paid yacht , you just need to take the yacht out of the EU/VAT zone every xxx months

If you want to know for sure , call the Dutch Customs or send them an email , I was always helped immediately

Douane
Landelijk Team Jachten

Duitslandweg 1| 4389 PJ | Vlissingen
Postbus 279 | 4380 AG| Vlissingen
.................................................. ......................
T +31(0) 118 48 46 24
F +31(0) 118 47 82 86

douane.landelijk.team.jachten@belastingdienst.nl
www.douane.nl

[l2ustyl3ullet]

Thanks LongRange, thats a good idea, I may just start spread sheeting, for the fun of it, now. Maybe not to seriously, but it would be a good idea to for a bit of checklist of need, want and luxury items. Some of the listings I have had a quick look at have had some really long lists, but I don't know what half the things are or whether they are really needed or not. So plenty of research to still be had.

Kenomac, I was wondering about that, they do seem to be the more common type of boat, at least floor plan wise. I'm assuming the vast majority of the double aft cabin yachts are used as charter boats, and the ones with very high hours on the engine. I was planning on asking the forum at some point about converting the interior of one of those, as they are so much more common. I would be nice to extend the bed space and head slightly. But I think thats another question for another thread. And hopefully it doesn't come to that :P

[El Pinguino]

Originally Posted by Kenomac

Do you also have a New Zealand passport, or only the Dutch passport? If you also have a New Zealand passport, why not just use that one?

I also have dual citizenship, but that doesn't mean I need to use two passports.

Horses for courses.... Its a no brainer as a 'strayan not to use my 'strayan passport in Oz and NZ. Won't get back in without one.....

In SA using the UK passport saves me maybe $500 a year as I avoid reciprocity issues.

In Tahiti an EU passport is very much worth having and using.... ditto if I should ever choose to go to the EU itself for an extended time... v unlikely as that is...

[fxykty]

Residency does not depend on citizenship and citizenship does not mean you are resident. You can prove your residency through your tax returns as well as all the usual stuff like mortgage loans, home ownership, drivers licence, employment contract, bank accounts, etc. I don’t know about Europe, but others seem to have given you good information. Be careful and consistent about which passport you use - immigration officials get tetchy when they see someone exiting on one passport and entering on a different one.

I do know about NZ though. You will be importing the boat and liable for duty and GST immediately on entry into NZ, if you are the owner of the boat and resident in NZ. Waiting to pay duty and tax until you sell is only for non-residents, and then only if selling to a NZ resident who wants to import the boat. If a non resident buys it, no duty and tax is due as long as they export the boat.

NZ registry is relatively cheap, but the radio licence is quite expensive, and annual. But if you bring the boat into NZ with NZ registry you will have to follow the Cat 1 regime, which as pointed out earlier is a real pain in the ass. Not a problem if you keep the boat in the islands, though they also have rules about importing. You could shift the boat between Fiji and Tonga, but it’s not that much fun to have to fly to your boat.

If you’re not yet ready to cruise but you want a boat, be prepared to import it into the country where you live. If that’s NZ, you will pay on current value and not the amount you paid (they use standard depreciation tables). I would recommend that you register elsewhere to avoid the Cat 1 hassles.

Good luck.

[El Pinguino]

Originally Posted by fxykty

.................

NZ registry is relatively cheap, but the radio licence is quite expensive, and annual. But if you bring the boat into NZ with NZ registry you will have to follow the Cat 1 regime, which as pointed out earlier is a real pain in the ass. Not a problem if you keep the boat in the islands, though they also have rules about importing. You could shift the boat between Fiji and Tonga, but it’s not that much fun to have to fly to your boat.

If you’re not yet ready to cruise but you want a boat, be prepared to import it into the country where you live. If that’s NZ, you will pay on current value and not the amount you paid (they use standard depreciation tables). I would recommend that you register elsewhere to avoid the Cat 1 hassles.

Good luck.

As stated by me earlier in the thread.... I believe that it is possible to import a boat into NZ but to leave her under a foreign flag..... I think SnowPetrel has done it....

You then get the best of both worlds ....

[martinworswick]

Can't you just forget the fact you're a dutch citizen and travel exclusively on your nz passport?

[El Pinguino]

Originally Posted by l2ustyl3ullet

........ I'm assuming the vast majority of the double aft cabin yachts are used as charter boats, and the ones with very high hours on the engine. I was planning on asking the forum at some point about converting the interior of one of those, as they are so much more common. I would be nice to extend the bed space and head slightly. But I think thats another question for another thread. And hopefully it doesn't come to that :P

Not sure where I read it but saw a thread recently about doing just that. That centre bulkhead down the back is not structural... ie... it doesn't hold the deck up.... it doesn't give much privacy either ... it's just a sheet of ply...

[fxykty]

Originally Posted by El Pinguino

As stated by me earlier in the thread.... I believe that it is possible to import a boat into NZ but to leave her under a foreign flag..... I think SnowPetrel has done it....



You then get the best of both worlds ....

Yes, you absolutely can do this. The only thing you need to register locally is your EPIRB.

[Kenomac]

Originally Posted by l2ustyl3ullet

Thanks LongRange, thats a good idea, I may just start spread sheeting, for the fun of it, now. Maybe not to seriously, but it would be a good idea to for a bit of checklist of need, want and luxury items. Some of the listings I have had a quick look at have had some really long lists, but I don't know what half the things are or whether they are really needed or not. So plenty of research to still be had.

Kenomac, I was wondering about that, they do seem to be the more common type of boat, at least floor plan wise. I'm assuming the vast majority of the double aft cabin yachts are used as charter boats, and the ones with very high hours on the engine. I was planning on asking the forum at some point about converting the interior of one of those, as they are so much more common. I would be nice to extend the bed space and head slightly. But I think thats another question for another thread. And hopefully it doesn't come to that :P

They're more common, and used, abused and full of unpleasant surprises much more so than owner models of the same boat. And of course many more hours on the engine and wear and tear on everything on the boat including the sails and rigging. Don't forget about keel and rudder issues resulting from unreported groundings and hitting rocks. Buyer beware.