Household Goods Logistics

Russia Customs Information – Hercules Worldwide

YOUR PRESENCE IS REQUIRE IN RUSSIA PRIOR TO ARRIVAL OF SHIPMENT

NOTE: It is HIGHLY important that the all of the documents listed below are prepared and received by the destination agent prior to the shipments arrival in Russia. If you fail to do so, and more documentation is needed after the shipment has arrived, extra charges and delays will be unavoidable.

SURFACE SHIPMENTS

• Diplomats – those in possession of a diplomatic card
  • Required documents:
    • Copy of diplomatic card
    • Application for import from embassy
• Import duty:
  • Can import household items duty-free
• Remarks:
  • Must arrive in Russia to obtain diplomatic card. Process can take up to 4 weeks to complete.
  • Embassy workers without diplomatic card are treated by Russian customs as non-diplomat
• Foreign journalists accredited with the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs
  • Required documents:
    • Copy of journalist card
    • Copy of first page of passport
    • Copy of Russian multi-entry visa
    • Russian notarized power of attorney
    • Application for import from employer
    • Application for import from customer
    • Russian customs application form #2
• Import duty:
  • Under temporary regime, household goods may be imported duty-free
• Remarks:
  • Must arrive in Russia to obtain journalist card. Process can take up to 4 weeks.
  • Must complete separate TD-10 customs form for shipment; specify number of pieces in boxes. Completed form must be signed and stamped by a Russian customs officer at border.
  • Temporary import permit will be issued for duration of visa. Will need to extend permit every time you are issued a new visa.
  • If temporary permit is overdue, customs can levy a large fine.
• Foreign national possessing a personal accreditation card
  • Required documents:
    • Copy of accreditation card
    • Copy of first page of passport
    • Copy of Russian multi-entry visa
    • Russian notarized power of attorney
    • Application for import from employer
    • Application for import
    • Russian customs application form #2
• Import duty:
  • Under temporary regime, durable goods (furniture, household electronics, books, clothes, kitchenware and so on) may be imported duty-free
  • Other items such as detergents, foodstuffs and so on are subject to import duties
• Remarks:
  • Must be in Russia to obtain accreditation card; process can take up to 3 months.
  • Must complete a separate TD-10 customs form for shipment; specify number of pieces in boxes. Completed form must be signed and stamped by a Russian customs officer at border.
  • Temporary import permit will be issued for duration of visa. Will need to extend permit every time you are issued a new visa.
  • May receive large fine from customs if your temporary permit is overdue.
  • Russian customs has right to inspect entire contents of shipment; this can result in extra terminal handling and storage charges due to the fact shipment will be unloaded into bonded storage.
• Foreign nationals not possessing a personal accreditation card
  • Required documents:
    • Copy of first page of passport
    • Copy of Russian multi-entry visa
    • Russian notarized power of attorney
    • Application for import from employer
    • Application for import
    • Russian customs application form #2
• Import duty:
  • All items subject to import duty
• Remarks:
  • Complete a separate TD-10 customs form; specify number of pieces in boxes. Completed form to be signed and stamped by a Russian customs officer at border.
  • Russian customs have right to inspect entire contents of shipment; may result in extra terminal handling and storage charges because shipment will have to be unloaded into bonded storage.
• Russian citizens qualifying for duty-free import
  • Required documents:
    • Copy of passport; pages containing photograph and entry/exit customs stamps.
    • Copy of internal Russian passport
    • Copy of foreign visa
    • Russian notarized power of attorney
    • Application for import from employer
    • Application for import
    • Russian customs application form #2
• Import duty:
  • May import used household goods worth US $5,000 duty-free
  • Remaining items subject to import duty
• Remarks: In order to qualify for duty-free import must meet the following criteria
  • Must prove that your continuous period of living abroad exceeded 6 months. Russian customs will check border stamps.
  • You must complete a separate TD-10 customs form for shipment; specify number of pieces in boxes. Completed form must be signed and stamped by a Russian customs officer at border.
  • **Failure to comply with the above requirements will disqualify individual for duty-free import**
  • Destination agent must show Russian customs your original passport
  • Russian customs has right to inspect entire contents of shipment; can result in extra terminal handling and storage charges.
• Russian citizens not qualifying for duty-free import
  • Required documents:
    • Copy of passport; include pages containing photograph and entry/exit customs stamps
    • Copy of internal Russian passport
    • Copy of foreign visa
    • Russian notarized power of attorney
    • Application for import from employer
    • Application for import
    • Russian customs application form #2
• Import duty:
  • All imported items subject to duty
• Remarks:
  • Must complete separate TD-10 customs form for shipment; specify number of pieces in boxes. Completed form is to be signed and stamped by a Russian customs officer at border.

All import customs documents required to be filled out in Russian; these documents will be provided by destination agent upon arrival. You do not need to have customs documents at origin.

AIRFREIGHT SIPMENTS

• Diplomats – possessing a diplomatic card
  • Required documents:
    • Copy of diplomatic card
    • Application for import from embassy
• Import duty:
  • Household items may import duty-free
• Remarks:
  • Must be in Russia to obtain diplomatic card; process can take up to 4 weeks.
  • Embassy workers that don’t have diplomatic card will be treated by Russian customs as non-diplomats
• Foreign journalists accredited with the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs
  • Required documents:
    • Copy of journalist card
    • Copy of first page of passport
    • Copy of Russian multi-entry visa
    • Russian notarized power of attorney; will also need to make a notarized copy
    • Application for import from employer
• Import duty:
  • Under temporary regime, may import household goods duty-free
• Remarks:
  • Must be in Russia to obtain journalist card; process can take up to 4 weeks.
  • Destination agent is required at airport, to show Russian customs your original Russian visa and journalist card.
  • Russian visa must state you are a foreign correspondent.
  • Must complete a separate TD-10 customs form. To be completed, form has to be signed and stamped by a Russian customs officer at border.
  • Temporary import permit will be issued for duration of your visa. You will need to extend the permit every time you are issued a new visa.
  • A large fine will be implemented if your temporary permits are overdue.
• Foreign nationals possessing a personal accreditation card
  • Required documents:
    • Copy of accreditation card
    • Copy of first page of passport
    • Copy of Russian multi-entry visa
    • Russian notarized power of attorney
    • Application for import from employer
• Import duty:
  • Under the temporary regime, “long-life” items (such as furniture, household electronics, clothes, books, kitchen ware and so on) may be imported duty-free.
  • Other items, such as foodstuffs, detergents and so on, are subject to import duty
• Remarks:
  • Must be in Russia to obtain an accreditation card; process can take up to 3 months.
  • At airport, it is required that destination agent show Russian customs your original Russian visa and accreditation card.
  • The inviting party on your Russian visa must be from your employer’s accredited office in Russia.
  • Tourist visas and visas issued by third parties cannot qualify you for duty-free import of shipment.
  • You must complete a separate TD-10 customs form for shipment. The completed form must be signed and stamped by a Russian customs officer at border.
  • Temporary import permit will be issued for the duration of your visa. You will need to extend the permit every time you are issued a new visa.
  • Customs may implement a large fine if temporary permit is overdue
  • Russian customs have the right to inspect entire contents of shipment. May result in extra terminal handling and storage charges.
• Foreign nationals not possessing a personal accreditation card
  • Required documents:
    • Copy of first page of passport
    • Copy of Russian multi-entry visa
    • Russian notarized power of attorney
    • Application for import from employer
• Import duty:
  • All items subject to import duty
• Remarks:
  • Must complete a separate TD-10 customs form for shipment. Completed form must be signed and stamped by a Russian customs officer at border.
  • Russian customs have right to inspect entire content of shipment.
• Russian citizens qualifying for duty-free import
  • Required documents:
    • Copy of passport – pages containing photograph and entry/exit customs stamps.
    • Copy of internal Russian passport
    • Copy of foreign visa
    • Russian notarized power of attorney
    • Application for import from employer
• Import duty:
  • May import the first shipment of household goods duty-free if is worth US $5,000
  • Remaining items are subject to import duty
• Remarks: In order to qualify for duty-free import must meet the following criteria
  • Must prove that you lived continuously outside of Russia for at least 6 months. Russian customs will check border stamps in passport to see if you came to Russia in the past 6 months prior to arrival; if so, you will be disqualified for duty-free import.
  • Must complete a separate TD-10 customs form for shipment. Form must be signed and stamped by a Russian customs officer at border.
  • **Failure to comply with the above requirements will disqualify you for duty-free import**
  • It is required that your destination agent shows Russian customs your original passport at the airport.
  • Russian customs has right to inspect entire contents of shipment; can result in extra terminal handling and storage charges.
• Russian citizens not qualifying for duty-free import
  • Required items:
    • Copy of passport – include pages containing photograph and entry/exit customs stamps
    • Copy of internal Russian passport
    • Copy of foreign visa
    • Russian notarized power of attorney; will also need to make a notarized copy of power of attorney
    • Application for import from employer
• Import duty:
  • All items subject to import duty
• Remarks:
  • Must complete a separate TD-10 customs form for shipment. Completed form must be signed and stamped by a Russian customs officer at border.

All import customs documents need to be written in Russian; documents will be supplied by destination agent when you arrive in Russia. You do not need to be in possession of customs documents at origin.
NB: application for import from employer or Embassy and the notarized power of attorney (non-diplomatic customers only) must specify the following information:

• Shipment weight
• Airway bill number
• Number of pieces

Along with the above information in hand, you must be in Moscow when your shipment is flown into Russia. When airway bill is issued, it will be sent to the destination agent by way of fax. The necessary information will then be forwarded to you so you are able to prepare the application for import and sign the notarized power of attorney.
Non-diplomatic shipments qualifying for duty-free import require the sending agent to adhere to the above consignment instructions without fail. Duty-free shipments will not be allowed by Russian customs if you are not declared as the sender and the consignee in the AWB.

IMPORT DUTY

• First 200 kg of chargeable weight
  • 4.00 Euro per kg
  • Subtotal is exempt from Russian VAT
• Remaining weight
  • Import duty rate varies between 1 and 2 Euro per kg depending on the contents of shipment
  • Subtotal is subject to Russian VAT at 20%
• Import duty estimate: the Moscow office requires a copy of the shipment inventory and exact shipment weight in order to estimate the import duty amount
• Payment method: in most cases, the destination agent can prepay the import duty on your behalf. Prior to final delivery, the booking agent needs to confirm the party responsible for the import duty.

ARTWORK REGISTRATION

Those items classified as “items of cultural value” by Russian customs must be registered for import. These items include:
• Hand-made carpets
• Paintings
• Samovars (except electrical ones)
• Musical instruments (except electrical ones)
• Icons
• Collectibles, such as postcards, stamps, coins and so on
• Any items over 50 years old

In order to register artwork, your destination agent will require 2 color photographs of each item, as well as a list specifying the following information:

• Description and item name
• Date and place of manufacture
• Date and place of purchase
• Dimensions – for carpets and paintings only

The above information must be sent to your destination agent prior to the shipments arrival in Russia. If you are shipping any such items, consult with your destination agent in order to ensure all documentation is completed correctly.

MOTOR VEHICLES

• Diplomats may import a vehicle duty free
• Non-diplomats required to pay import duties for vehicle
• Specific requirements regarding importing vehicles can be found at the destination agent office

TD-10 CUSTOMS FORM

IMPORTANT:
• TD-10 form must be completed by all non-diplomatic customers
• A separate TD-10 form must be completed prior to your arrival in Russia
• At airport, when passing Russian customs, proceed to the RED CHANNEL. There you may ask a Russian customs officer to sign and stamp the TD-10 form.
• Must have a copy of shipment inventory on hand when passing the Russian customs checkpoint at airport entry.
• Russian customs may ask to see shipment inventory before approving TD-10 form

**NOTE- all customs regulations and procedures are subject to change at any time. The above customs information is provided as a brief summary of Russia customs regulations and applies only to household goods shipments, and is for your general guidance. Hercules Worldwide is not liable for any damage, delays, duties, costs, taxes or other detrimental events resulting from non-compliance, omissions or errors. Always check full requirements and restrictions with the local embassy or consulate. **