[diforsyth]

The rule change that came into force in February appeared to indicate, that if you hold a 12 month Work Permit or Permanent Residency when your goods arrived, you would be exempt from paying GST on the New Zealand dollar declared market value of your goods. That is how most Customs Officers interpreted the change anyway.

It appears to be a little more complicated than that and it is your status when you first arrived in New Zealand that is important and not your status when your container arrives.

Therefore, the rule as it should be interpreted and implemented is, that if your container arrives in New Zealand and you do not have a Residence Permit, the GST is payable. The only exception to this are people who arrived in New Zealand on a Work Visa, i.e. you had a job offer here and travelled to New Zealand on a Work Visa (or you have an Open Work Visa issued on the basis of a relationship to a New Zealander or Resident Permit Holder). If the Work Permit (issued to the holder of the Work Visa on arrival in New Zealand) is for 12 months or more, no GST is payable.

Therefore, if you arrived Visa free or on a Visitor Visa, were issued a Visitor Permit on arrival at the airport and have subsequently found work and been issued a Work Permit and your container then arrives you are strictly speaking liable to pay the GST.

[dilanium]

It's important to note that they also now make holders of student visas pay GST on their goods. It used to be that a holder of a student visa of a year or more wouldn't have to pay tax but now they do.

[Belmont Babes]

I was also informed that if at a later date you obtain PR, a refund of GST can be obtained.

[Ojai]

I came in under a visitors visa, then got a work permit. When my container got here, I copied my work permit and visa at the same time I got the copy of my passport, and that seemed to work. No GST charges!

[JandM]

I came in under a visitors visa, then got a work permit. When my container got here, I copied my work permit and visa at the same time I got the copy of my passport, and that seemed to work. No GST charges!How long ago was that?

[Ojai]

How long ago was that?

Last week!

[vixxann]

When my container got here, I copied my work permit and visa at the same time I got the copy of my passport, and that seemed to work. No GST charges!

please can you explain this in a bit more detail for me? It's a possibility that this is the way will have to come over and we are worried about the GST on all our stuff :o

[IanW99]

I came in under a visitors visa, then got a work permit. When my container got here, I copied my work permit and visa at the same time I got the copy of my passport, and that seemed to work. No GST charges!

So when you filled out the "Unaccompanied Personal Baggage Declaration" form what did you select for the "Arrival Status"?

Ian

[Ojai]

please can you explain this in a bit more detail for me? It's a possibility that this is the way will have to come over and we are worried about the GST on all our stuff :o

My removals company told me I needed to send them certified copies of our passports for customs. I sent them two pages for each. One was the page they wanted, our photos and information, and the other one was our work permit/visas. Both were certified. A couple days later I heard that the container cleared customs and was ready for MAF.

So when you filled out the "Unaccompanied Personal Baggage Declaration" form what did you select for the "Arrival Status"?

Ian

I selected the truth, Visitor's Visa. I didn't want to lie. I was just banking on the human kindness of the Customs Agent, or at least his common sense. I am glad it worked, but I can't guarantee it will again. But it's certainly wortha shot, especially since it's such a small thing to do.

[Jo Jo]

Someone said in another thread (http://www.emigratenz.org/forum/showthread.php?t=18567) that the rules about when duty and GST on household effects is payable changed today. It looks as though this is true according to the customs site (http://www.customs.govt.nz/travellers/Household+Effects/When+No+Customs+Charges+Apply.htm) which says if you have a document authorising residence in NZ at the time the goods are imported, no duty or GST is payable.