“Customs should never be a mystery. We provide absolute clarity on fees, duties, and declarations, turning compliance into predictable costs.”
General Inquiries
Phone: (+678)Â 33010
Fax: (+678) 22597
https://customsinlandrevenue.gov.vu
For your information, the Vanuatu customs tariff sheet is available below:
When freight forwarding to Vanuatu, the documents commonly required by Customs for clearance of your goods are;
- Bill of Lading
- Airway Bill
- Freight invoice
- Commercial invoice of the goods
- Value declaration if shipping personal effects or goods that are without an available invoice. Exemption letter if one is seeking duty / VAT exemption (Letterhead stating nature of the shipment ) for example donated goods etc
- Inventory list / Packing List
- Personal effects – passport and residency
Vanuatu Customs & IRD: Your Guide to Clearance and Compliance
I work closely with Vanuatu Customs and Inland Revenue Department (IRD) every single day. My priority is turning complex regulations into a seamless, predictable process for you. The key to successful clearance is preparation, especially ensuring perfect documentation and accurate financial declarations.
Required Documents for Stress-Free Clearance
The Importance of Accurate Valuation: We emphasize that the Commercial Invoice and, if necessary, the Value Declaration must be entirely accurate. Accurate valuation prevents costly delays and helps manage customs risk, as misrepresentation can lead to fines. For clients shipping personal effects when relocating, we confirm the necessity of providing passport and residency details to satisfy the requirements for duty calculation.
Understanding Customs Duties And Taxes Calculation (The CIF Base)
- The Vanuatu Customs tax base is CIF ( Cost, Insurance and Freight )
- The total CIF value in foreign currency is converted into the Vanuatu Vatu, VUV. It is then multiplied by the duty rate applicable for the goods to get the total amount of duty payable.
- The total duty amount is then added to the value of goods in Vatu to get the VAT tax base. The total amount of the duty and value of the goods is then multiplied by 15% to get the amount of VAT payable.
- The duty and VAT amounts are added together to determine the total payable taxes on the goods.
Calculating Your Final Cost: We break down the tax base, which is CIF (Cost, Insurance, and Freight). This means the final value used for tax calculation includes all three elements. By accurately declaring these costs and leveraging the applicable duty rate from the Vanuatu trade tariff sheet, we provide a clear estimate of the total payable taxes. We also provide advisory support for securing the necessary Exemption Letter if you are seeking duty/VAT exemption for categories like donated goods.
Last Updated 2 months ago ago by: Ollie Wikely
