Customs departments around the world are usually an extension of the country’s government. DHL Express has no influence over international customs, but we do have the expertise and specialists to help facilitate a smooth clearance for your shipment.

Learn more about DHL Express’ customs services here.

Typically, the receiver shoulders the payment of duties and import taxes. DHL Express allows shippers to offer their receivers greater convenience by using their DHL account to cover duties and taxes for their shipments over at the destination country. This is known as “Duties & Taxes Paid (DTP)”, commonly referred to in abbreviation as DTP, or DDP.

First of all, your shipping invoice is not to be confused with your DHL Express bill or DHL MyBill, although both may be referred to as invoices.

As long as you are shipping a parcel, regardless of the purpose, you must produce a shipping invoice. The invoice is a supporting document that justifies the description of your air waybill, and verifies the value of your shipment. It is used by both DHL Express and customs departments to have a better understanding of your shipment.

Shipping documents with DHL Express do not require a shipping invoice.

Regulations require a detailed description of all contents of your shipment to ensure an accurate assessment of appropriate duties and taxes. Inaccurate or vague descriptions will result in physical inspections and subsequent delays.

Shipments are all checked for proper valuation using appropriate procedures to identify the correct value of items. In some cases, a proof of payment may be requested to verify the values declared.

In such cases, regulations dictate that shipments arriving on the same day need to be consolidated into one declaration.

OFWs have the privilege to be exempted from duties and import taxes depending on the shipment. To avail of this, the shipper must notify DHL Express at the time of shipment acceptance. Failure to do so will lead to the non-processing of OFW privileges.

Customs duties are what DHL Express refers to as tariffs or taxes that are levied on goods when they are shipped across international borders. These fees are imposed to protect a country’s import and export revenues by controlling the flow of goods into and out of the country.

Although revenue is the main reason for doing so, customs duties may also be levied to protect a domestic industry from foreign competition.

Yes that is the case as dutiable shipments will be subject to a customs duty.

Yes, with DHL Express’s new Advanced Duty Collection tool, a dedicated online payment portal, customers can pay all customs clearance-related charges before their shipments arrive. Through the portal, they are also able to download all required paperwork related to their shipment, such as customs declaration forms, the Duty and VAT tax invoice, allowing for easy reading and understanding of the relevant charges.

VAT is known as the Value-Added Tax or a broad-based consumption tax that is levied on the import of goods as well as nearly all supplies of goods and services in the Philippines. In other countries, VAT might be known as the Goods and Services tax or GST. However, not everyone is subject to VAT. There is a VAT threshold, also known as the VAT registration threshold, which is the amount of money you can expect to earn before you need to register for VAT.

Cost Insurance and Freight (CIF) is the primary valuation method used in the Philippines customs to assess a shipment's value and to calculate tax.

To determine their VAT, customers can simply key in this formula on a calculator: VAT = 12% x (CIF + Duty + excise taxes if any)