Red tape when shipping our belongings from Aus to Spain

[AJ-SeaChange]

I have a question and wonder if anyone can assist:

We are looking at purchasing a yacht in Spain/Mediterranean and may be staying at (UK) brother's apartment in Spain so we are in the 'local' area rather than Australia.

After looking into transporting our personal belongings including scuba diving gear etc over there (way more than we could fit into suitcases!!), we have come across some 'red tape'.

One of the documents required for foreign citizens shipping 'household goods' into Spain is:

* NIE number - obtained when work/residence permit is applied for

Now we're not going to be permanent residents nor will we work there. We are simply going to stay there until we find the right vessel, put it all onto the boat and sail away.

Has anyone had any experience with moving from Australia to Europe to buy a boat and transporting personal belongings there? How do we get around that paperwork? Is it easier than the transport company is telling us?

I'd very much appreciate any advice on this matter that anyone has to offer, thank you.

[Paul L]

Maybe you could box the items ready for shipment and leave them at home. After you've purchased the boat, dealt with all the paperwork, then look at shipping as ' Yacht in Transit'. By that time you'll have local info as to what port would best for this based on where the boat is, transportation costs and paperwork requirements.

[atoll]

you will have to use a customs agent and put your goods "in bond" untill you have perchased and registered the vessel,then you can arrange a TIP (temporary import permit)and have the goods released to the vessel.

[toddster8]

Dunno exactly... I temporarily imported quite a bit of equipment into Spain under an ATA Carnet. Though this is primarily intended for commercial goods and professional equipment, I listed my personal belongings in there too, since they were in the same crates. It was pretty much a non-issue except that the carnet had to be stamped at every point of entry and exit. The hard part was finding a customs agent who cared enough to look at the documents.

[stewie]

For advice try Evolution Yacht Agents in Palma de Mallorca. They speak English and have a web site. You will probably be looking for a yacht there as Palma is the main yachting center in Spain.

[hellosailor]

You might also check into having your goods prominently marked as "GOODS FOR YACHT IN TRANSIT". Normally that designation is used when you are having something shipped to your boat, which you already own, and is just "passing through".
But that designation is pretty much globally used to allow goods which are not being "imported" to be delivered, duty free, to a yacht that will be passing through. Obviously the yacht cannot be Spanish flagged for this to apply.

[TheThunderbird]

Get in touch with a maritime agency

Be sure you get second hand or used goods only across

Define which flag you'll have

Buy local

[yachtgemini]

Residents and persons taking up residency are eligible for a waiver on many (not all, excise on wine is still payable) household goods and even a car or boat when returning to the EU or taking up residence for the first time. If you don't have the appropriate national 'label' to prove returning resident status or copies of the relevant visa documentation you're probably liable for duties and taxes.

Various national Customs agencies seem to display great flexibility on how all this is interpreted. Yacht in transit is routinely ignored with in the EU and I suspect yacht not yet bought has even less traction.

Over the years we have bought in 3 shipments from Australia ( now permanent in the UK) and each time the results were an utter mystery but in each case far less than the worst possible outcome.

Personally I would pay the money and take some advice from a local customs agent and work with them. Do make sure that all the goods look well used and no original packaging is present and include your own inventory with low valuations. Another small factor is to value the items in $US... I had some stuff delivered from Australia to Spain many years ago and the $ sign was automatically assumed to be $US which was nearly catastrophic with a $A1 = US50c exchange rate. However pity was shown and at the last moment all the duties were waived but we had to pay VAT.

Ross

[Fore and Aft]

I once moved a large amount of boatbuilding tools using unaccompanied luggage with the airline when I flew Australia to the UK. It cost a few bucks but was well worth it and I do not remember it being a hassle.
Cheers

[AJ-SeaChange]

Thanks everyone, we're going to look into all of your suggestions. We do appreciate your replies.

[jaramanpotter]

We bought a new boat in Spain. Had our items shipped from Sydney. Expected no duty as they were used personal items but had to get a customs agent and paid an enormous amount of duty. I hope you are not buying a new boat that is to be commissioned in Pt Ginesta. The work done on our boat was dreadful ! Every single thig has had to be redone. Our Australian agents let us down. Very bad experience.

[AJ-SeaChange]

Originally Posted by jaramanpotter

We bought a new boat in Spain. Had our items shipped from Sydney. Expected no duty as they were used personal items but had to get a customs agent and paid an enormous amount of duty. I hope you are not buying a new boat that is to be commissioned in Pt Ginesta. The work done on our boat was dreadful ! Every single thig has had to be redone. Our Australian agents let us down. Very bad experience.

Sorry to hear you had such a bad experience. I hope that when all's settled, you will be able to sail and at some point put this all behind you.

After a lot of thought we're looking at buying in the UK - we're both originally from the UK and so once in the country, a lot of the paperwork wouldn't be applicable for us to ship personal belongings into England. (Although I still want to research that to be sure). Obviously, this means there will be a smaller choice of boats in our 'wish list zone', but the prices are still better for newer yachts than here in Australia.

We do have a short list of about three - but the yachts may change by the time we sell the house, finalise a few things and get over there.

Mind you, I still find myself wondering, if we get our personal belongings shipped to us in the UK (where we can stay with relatives), supposing we then find a yacht in Europe ... but probably things would be similar to moving straight out from Australia - now the UK has left the EU.

Anyway, back to house renovations...