Backpack held in Madrid customs

[hanna vacanti]

I am in a dilemma. My bag I have sent from California to Barcelona is being held in Madrid Customs and I can't get any information from anyone why this is. I had shipped my backpack through US Postal Service to Barcelona because I've been traveling with my parents in Italy for the past two weeks with a separate suitcase. I was planning to start my first Camino (Frances) October 12 departing from Barcelona to Pamplona to St. John.

I am so frustrated and sadden this is happening. I spent so much time and money getting my backpack and essentials ready. No one at the post office informed me about customs and what Spain accepts/does not accept. All they said was "guaranteed delivery 1 October." When I called the USPS about a reason why it would be held up, they informed me Spain only accepts "certified clean clothes" (whatever that means). All I can think of is that I had sprayed everything with bed bug spray. There's also a little pepper spray for protection. I've been in contact with the U.S. Customs in Madrid and they say only the receiver of the package can call the Correros office (which is the Airbnb host I am staying at in Barcelona).

I don't know what I should do. Should I go to Madrid and see if they will give me my bag or just buy a whole new backpack and gear?

With regards,

A very sadden pilgrim

 

[ivar]

Hi there,

I have had to deal with this a few times since some pilgrims send me their things to my luggage storage in Santiago from outside of the EU. (Please do not do this!).

They are looking to charge you "Import tax" on the value of the content of your parcel. The hotel has most likely gotten a letter from them with a form that can be filled out and used. But I also think you can call them or use their website http://www.adtpostales.com/ . This letter has a reference number that you can use when you call them. (I think they only speak Spanish, so make sure you have someone there that speaks it if you do not).

Below I will attach the back of the letter that the hotel should have gotten. Here you can see the steps that they are asking for... Note their contact info at the bottom. They usually answer e-mails within 3-4 days.

So my advice for future pilgrims would be. If you are shipping things to Europe, please don't. Fly with it to Europe. Then mail it once you have arrived in a European country.

Good luck!
Ivar

 

[dougfitz]

Basically, you have made the recipient of your bag/parcel an importer, and it will be treated as a commercial shipment. Whoever it is sent to may need to pay any import duties, excise if applicable, and other relevant taxes (such as VAT). While it is sometimes a difficult notion to grasp when dealing with things we think of as our personal possessions, most countries have a similar regime. If the shipment contains restricted products, they may be confiscated or held until other clearance requirements are met.

In contrast, the items that you bring with you as personal baggage when you arrive are considered personal possessions, not imports. The text (in English) from the Spanish Agencia Tributaria states in part:

All goods contained in traveller's personal luggage entering mainland Spain and the Balearic Islands from third countries, the Canary Islands, Ceuta or Melilla will be exempt from import duties as long as they are exempt from VAT and Excise Duties, subject to the fulfilment of certain conditions. To the effects of this Law, goods carried by travellers will not be considered a commercial shipment as long as they are an occasional purchase, for the traveller’s personal use, that of their family, or to be offered as gifts, or as long as their nature and number does not lead to conclude they are aimed at a commercial activity.

Unless you can convince the Agencia Tributaria that these are personal possessions rather than a commercial import, you might be better off paying the import duties etc to have the bag released. It will certainly be far less expensive than purchasing a completely new set of gear.

 

[Bajaracer]

I met a teacher from Burgos who worked as a teacher in the US, before she returned home, she mailed some of her stuff back to Burgos and it was held hostage by Spanish Customs till she paid the "ransom" of €100 to get her stuff back which she had paid for up front. (even the Spanish hate their customs service)
I have a friend who is a shipping and receiving specialist who told me never to ship stuff ahead because of customs.

 

[KinkyOne]

I think the first thing is to talk your AirB'n'b host into talk to the customs mostly because of the language. In the meantime try to get some sort of statement/certificate from any of (possibly yours) Roman-Catholic Church authorities that you are indeed going to do the pilgrimage on Camino de Santiago. Spaniards can (sic!) be kind of soft on that matter sometimes. Hopefully.
Otherwise you'll have to pay custom taxes. Make fast calculation what you have in your parcel and what you'd spend to buy everything anew if needed. Maybe that's even faster and easier way...

Anyway - don't let this ruin your Camino!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Ultreia!


PS (Keep us posted, please.)

 

[natefaith]

Oh, Hanna, I'm so sorry this happened. Yes, customs is known to keep anything that's worth over 20€. The good thing is that they do send things back if the recipient doesn't end up paying the taxes and going through the ppwk to release the package (they don't keep it forever). I agree with KinkyOne above, that you can start with your Airbnb host and see if they can email/ text you a photograph of any letter they've received regarding the package, and then see if they might be willing to talk to customs on your behalf. Going to Madrid in person to get your pack may or may not work because you're not the listed recipient of the package, but since you're the sender they may release it to you anyway. Sometimes it just depends on whom you get at the window.

By the way, regarding your last question - you might know about Decathlon sports stores? They usually have great Camino gear, and I see there are a few Decathlons in Barcelona. If worse comes to worst, or if you simply don't want to deal with customs, let your backpack be sent back to the US and once you reach Barcelona you can buy reasonably-priced gear at Decathlon. It will be a bummer not to have your own things that you chose and invested in but at least they won't be gone forever - they'll still be waiting for you when you get home.

Hope everything works out - sorry for all the stress and frustration to start out your Camino. Hopefully you can still go walking in just a few days. Thinking of you and yes, keep us posted!
Faith

 

[Telelama]

We had problems when we tried to ship our trekking poles to our hotel. We didn't want to check our backpacks (USA Transportation Security Administration does not allow trekking poles in the airplane cabin), we arrived at our start point on a Sunday and didn't want to wait until Monday morning for a store to open to buy some in Spain, besides, the US Postal "guaranteed" delivery. They never made it. It was impossible to get any information on why, where or when/if they would ever arrive. It took weeks after our return to get them back.

Turns out we were able to buy some cheap, but good trekking poles at a souvenir shop that was open on a Sunday.

Lesson learned

 

[Former member 2537]

Wow! This is all incredibly useful! (But I can't imagine the cost of mailing a loaded backpack internationally!) One point I'd like clarified— Ivar and dougfitz talk about both Spain in particular and Europe (the EU?) in general. As American Pilgrims webmaster, I have people ask about mailing from SJPP to Santiago. That's an international shipment but it's within the EU. What Spanish customs rules apply to this?

 

[dougfitz]

I have people ask about mailing from SJPP to Santiago. That's an international shipment but it's within the EU. What Spanish customs rules apply to this?

Ivar may be in the best position to answer this.

 

[ivar]

Wow! This is all incredibly useful! (But I can't imagine the cost of mailing a loaded backpack internationally!) One point I'd like clarified— Ivar and dougfitz talk about both Spain in particular and Europe (the EU?) in general. As American Pilgrims webmaster, I have people ask about mailing from SJPP to Santiago. That's an international shipment but it's within the EU. What Spanish customs rules apply to this?

No, this is not a problem. Within the EU it is fine.

...this means that my christmas presents sent from Norway (outside the EU) is a problem. I pay import tax on my presentes each year

 

[dougfitz]

...this means that my christmas presents sent from Norway (outside the EU) is a problem. I pay import tax on my presentes each year

There are times when a like is just so inappropriate!!

 

[hanna vacanti]

I'm terribly sorry for such a late response/update! I was VERY disappointed by the situation at hand in fall 2015, I was too exhausted and sadden to reply. I didn't want to give up on getting my bag, but I was getting nowhere and didn't want to further ruin the trip I was on with my parents. I had to face the fact, it would be impossible to get out my bag in customs (thank you SO much to everyone who replied with the custom information!).

So I came home with my parents wondering, why did this happen? I didn't think I was going to even get my backpack sent back to me, but 3 months later, sure enough, there it was at my doorstep and a huge weight was lifted. Looking back on it now, everything happens for a reason. It's the damn truth!

Even though I have been wanting to do the Camino for years now, I realized I was NOT ready to go on the camino last fall. I had rushed into the idea of going, I thought I was prepared with my packing (I really won't know till I start). The fact was I was just forcing myself to go because I was at a point of what am I doing with my life (1/4 century crisis, I call it. And sorry for all the confessions!!! )? I'm still not sure at the moment, but what I do know is that I'm in a much better headspace and I'm booked 31 August 2016 to start the Camino Frances in SJPP!

Thank you Ivar for such a wonderful, supportive, informative forum. These butterflies in my belly and I are ready for the journey!