Shipping Household Goods and Personal Effects from US to Israel
When in doubt, the first thing you should do when planning to ship household goods and other personal effects from the United States to Israel is to contact the Ministry of Finance-Customs or Meches for specific imports and customs duties. This basic information would be able to see you through the shipment of your goods to Israel unless they are covered by some special provisions which would be best ruled upon by the Meches as it decides on all issues that concern duties and taxes.
As a general rule, Israel’s Meches consider all household goods and personal effects taxable even if they are used, unless of course they fall within the exemptions. The taxes you have to pay will depend on the specific tax rate of the item and its CIF value or Cost, Insurance and Freight.
Israel’s Customs Department requires a receipt of new merchandise that would be shipped to Israel. The shipped items can be exempted from import duties if the household goods or personal effects that will be shipped are made in and exported from countries enjoying a free trade agreement with Israel. However, you still need to pay the VAT. To avail of the exemption, you need to provide a “Eur1” or Certificate of Origin which states that the country which manufactured the household goods or items has a free trade agreement with Israel.
People enjoy different rights in Israel depending on their status so it is ideal to know your status first before you ship to Israel. The basic status options include the Oleh Hadash, Ezrach Oleh, Katin Hozer, Toshav Hozer who has resided outside Israel for more than 6 years, Toshav Hozer who has resided outside Israel for more than 2 years but less than six years, a Citizen with no rights, Tourist, Student, or a holder of an A-1 Visa or B-1 Visa.
Oleh Hadash
If you have the status of Oleh Hadash or a new immigrant on an Aliyah flight to Israel, then you are allowed to import up to three shipments of household goods within three years of your Aliyah, from the US or any country from where you are making the Aliyah. Aliyah simply means immigration or travel to Israel. The shipment of household goods or any items you bring with you during your Aliyah is not included in the three-shipment limit.
Among the items you can import tax-free to Israel are personal effects like clothing, kitchen utensils and books; household electronic equipment or appliance, one of each type; two computers and two televisions per family; household furniture and carpeting enough for up to 25 percent of your home size. An Olim enjoys a 1.02 percent port tax exemption and is required to pay only 75 percent in taxes. A car can be imported by an Oleh Hadash within three years of his Aliyah but he must show a clean title, without any liens, in his name.
Katin Hozer
If you are a Katin Hozer or a returning minor to Israel, you have the same rights as a new immigrant. Go to the Meches Office to clear your shipment and bring with you your Israeli passport, foreign passport, housing agreement or rental contract so that you can be entered as having rights. Meches will probably require you to present proof of Army Service or an exemption from it.
Toshav Hozer
An Israeli Citizen or Toshav Hozer who has spent over six years outside Israel, or a If you are a Toshav Hozer who has lived outside Israel for over two years but less than six years, is allowed to bring in two shipments of household items within nine months from his return to Israel. To clear your shipment, present your passport whether Israeli or foreign, Teudat Zehut or compulsory Israeli identity card, housing agreement or rental contract to the Meches so they can classify you in their computer as having rights and your passport stamped. You are required to pay the Port tax worth 1.02 percent.
Israeli Citizens
You are required to pay the Customs’ duties for importing your household items to Israel, unless you are shipping in something which you have previously exported provided you present an export packing list that bears the Customs stamp. You will also be made to pay the 1.02 percent Port Tax and charged a 16 percent VAT for a few items including computers, bicycles, books and musical instruments.
Tourists, holders of A1 and B1 Visa, Student Visa
While students and tourists are not exempted from tax on imports, they still find it more advantageous to import and pay taxes for household items like kitchenware, appliances and high-end furniture than buy the items in Israel. A bank guarantee or a deposit equal to the amount of the duties assessed for your household imports is needed if you are a BI Visa holder but the amount will be returned once they have been exported when your visa has expired and you have left Israel.
To make the task of shipping your household goods and personal effects more efficient, it is best to determine what status you hold in Israel and then checking out the benefits accorded to persons with your status. You can also get the assistance of your shipping company since it is more knowledgeable about the importation rules when shipping household goods from the US to Israel.