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Online shopping, mail and courier consignments

If you wish to order goods from abroad or send goods from Switzerland, certain customs and tax rules apply – whether you are importing into Switzerland or exporting from Switzerland.

Information on online shopping, mail and courier consignments

The page explains how consignments to and from Switzerland are processed for customs, including the calculation of customs duties and VAT. It also provides information on foreign VAT refunds and the retrieval of electronic assessment decisions.

Internet purchases, postal items and courier shipments: import into Switzerland

Customs and tax regulations apply to the receipt of letters and parcels from abroad. Among other things, these regulations govern customs clearance and the levying of duties, parcel tracking and the refund of foreign value added tax.

Mail and courier consignements: exportation from Switzerland

When exporting postal and courier items from Switzerland, various regulations and procedures must be taken into account. Depending on the type and purpose of the shipment, different requirements apply.

Onlineshopping: Taxable Goods Value

You have ordered a handheld vacuum cleaner from a German online shop. The purchase price is EUR 150 (net amount, excluding foreign VAT). For dispatch to Switzerland, an additional EUR 12.50 must be paid to the online shop. The overall payment to the online shop is thus EUR 162.50.

Information office for customs regulations