Importing a RIF from the U.S.

Djmoves said:
What is a good defense?
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You've just been told that your actual intended purpose doesn't constitute a defence.

Your question now is "What lie should I tell to get my hands on an airsoft RIF?"

My question to you is: why do you think anyone here would help you with that?

This is a site for airsofters, not cosplayers.

 
Djmoves said:
What is a good defense?
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Due to some related posts on Facebook today about aTerminator 2 costume, if you are based in Bridgend and are the professional with all the related Public Liability insurance in place, that I am now thinking that you may be then there is another defence that may apply - the theatrical defence..

 
Ok great thanks for the info man. I do have PLI and run a Mascot and Cosplay business. 

 
Djmoves said:
Ok great thanks for the info man. I do have PLI and run a Mascot and Cosplay business. 
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I’ve met & photographed a pair of your characters at Frome then!

It may be worth checking with theatrical suppliers/other businesses etc to confirm or see if they have experienced this, but I would hazard a guess that it will work something like this:

1a) You order from the US at cheap dollar prices, and expensive or slow international postage

1b) For airsofters it’s common to put the UKARA membership reference on the address label

2) The package makes its way to the country and flags up at the handling couriers import depot / customs

3) They may or may not take any notice of the package itself, but based on the export declaration, the source country (Hong Kong & China etc would be quite obviously flagged as RIFs, but the USA may or may not be as obvious) and whether it gets highlighted in an x ray or random checks etc

 4a) They may open & inspect the package or may just set it aside

4b) If a UKARA or other scheme registration is shown then that may be accepted and/or checked 

5) As you aren’t an airsofter (or no details are shown) you get sent a RIF import declaration form and/or an import VAT/duty invoice 

A RIF import declaration would be worded along the lines of “A package addressed to you may contain a RIF, does it? What is your defence for the importation of a RIF? It may be partly tick boxes

Your response would be that it is for performances etc, include your business details (Idealy matching the delivery name & address) etc 

The chances are that the value will exceed the import threshold for import VAT so expect a bill as well for 20% of the item value (including 20% of the postage) or they may reject any declared value / enclosed invoice and make a UK valuation to apply 20%

Then the carrier sticks on a handling fee on top in the region of £8 to £20

6) Once your declaration is accepted and any taxes & fees paid then it is released and sent on to you

Im not an airsofter and have had the declaration form at least a couple of times.

Once my response was “no, it is not a RIF” and it then turned up (they had not opened the package to check but may have x-rayed it

To another my response was “yes, it is a RIF”, and gave details of planned use at paintball events, my status of both a paintball player and as an event organiser, plus my UKPSF membership details

(UKPSF are the recognised official body for paintball in the UK, and did not relate to a VCRA defence at that time - they still don’t, but have been acknowledged by the Home Office as the potential to be recognised for player membership  should a paintball RIF case come to light 

I have also received imported packages that have been opened and resealed showing they were checked at customs

Happy importing & I’ll be helping out with a couple of traders at more comicons so may get to see your T2

 
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