[Desire General] quicksite:
Not a newbie question at all... I asked this same question before and even AFTER I purchased my phone from Handtec UK. I am in California, USA.

Because customs clearance has so many variables, no one will or can give you a definitive answer. But I got close to a definitive answer from FedEx via phone support, and via my local FedEx driver in my city.

#1. What I did not realize but FedEx told me is that with THEM, specifically, and I cannot vouch for any other carrier like DHL -- you will have to ask them -- when they have contract-rates with vendors like Handtec, their shipping cost includes their fee for "customs brokerage" ... meaning, it is THEIR job, not yours, to make sure the item clears customs.

This is totally different from what other people had told me, who said FedEx might be faxing me a form I had to sign and declare value etc, and fax back to them.

They said, further, that customs between countries is so electronic now, re presentation of paperwork and customs OUT of a country and INTO a country that most Customs Agencies (I guess I would have to speculate "other than in third world developing countries") clearance "systems" talk to FedEx systems, and other shippers' systems.

FedEx told me that in most cases, by the time the plane is in the air, items are already cleared for customs on the arriving end, in this case to the USA. And that if there were some taxes you might owe -- due to some beaurocrat who at their own discretion decided to play hardball (don't ask me to define "hardball" but it would be applying the most stringent interpretations of all customs rules per country re TYPE OF GOODS, valeu of goods, etc), that yes, FedEx would email you with that paperwork and you might (MIGHT but in the case of these phones likely NOT) have to make a payment in duties or taxes.

But the main point is: I was lead to believe, initially, and this is incorrect according to FedEx, that "you don't know until the FedEx shipment hits US customs after the plane lands and cargo is inspected" etc.... They said that in TODAY'S WORLD, this is handled through electronic documentation that gets processed by the CUSTOMS and SHIPPING COMPANY customs systems... i.e., the cargo contents paperwork from the Shipping Company (FedEx) gets electronically sent to Customs, and Customs electronically processes most stuff. Have no idea if they have keyword recognition for types of cargo, or if they have "randomizers" built into their software that just decides "THIS SHIPMENT WE WILL INSPECT WHEN PLANE LANDS", as part of random compliance.

What the FedEx DRIVER told me is: This stuff is all handled before the plane takes off, and that once the FedEx place has taken off, it's known if there is any customs duties or not. If so, they contact the end buyer (you). But if not, you have nothing in paperwork to fill out, nothing to do at all. So my advice, based on my experience only, is, if your shipper's plane is already in flight, and you have received nothing from them via email re customs, then your items are CLEARED an no fees are owed and there is no hassle that would delay your receipt of items in USA.

I hope this is helpful. It really should be part of an FAQ here -- it;s not as though buying internationally here is a new thing :) So this gets added to my wish list:

• LEVERAGED GROUP BUYING POWER of XDA-developers members

• Clear FAQ information, including, "who are the best vendors to buy from?", and "how is customs handled" etc, as well as

• If you have problems with VENDOR X, here is the name and phone # of the Supervisor you need to talk to who has decision making authority

Let me ask again:

Why are we not doing this now, in the year 2010 ?