Destination file · new-zealand

Buy from Switzerland,
delivered to New Zealand.

A genuine threshold, and a FOB basis that helps

New Zealand is one of the few destinations where the de-minimis threshold is high enough to matter: below NZD 1 000 no duty is collected at the border. Duty is assessed on the FOB value, so the freight you pay is not itself taxed — a small mercy on a long route.

Provisional · awaiting verification

This file was reconstructed from a rendered build after the original source was lost. Rates come from the quote engine and were cross-checked against the recovered page, but the editorial detail has not been verified against primary customs sources. Treat the quote as indicative until that review is recorded here.

NZD 1 000Threshold below which duty is not collected at the border
15%GST, on goods and freight
FOBDuty basis — freight is outside the duty calculation
5–7Working days from Geneva

What duty actually costs

Below a thousand, no duty.

Since December 2019 overseas suppliers collect GST on low-value goods at the point of sale, and duty is not collected at the border below NZD 1 000. Above that threshold both apply, assessed at the border with any duty.

Duty on Swiss goodsReconstructed 17 August 2026 · rates from the quote engine · awaiting verification
0%3%6%15%20155%2019202220265%
Duty you actually payGST rate over the same periodWhat the declaration is worth
  • OngoingNo CH–NZ trade agreementSwitzerland trades on general tariff terms. No origin relief is available, though the general rate is modest.5%
  • 1 Dec 2019GST on low-value imported goodsOverseas suppliers register and collect GST on goods below NZD 1 000. Above that, GST is collected at the border with any duty.15%
  • OngoingNZD 1 000 thresholdBelow it, duty is not collected at the border. This is one of the more generous thresholds among the destinations we serve.—
  • Two features work in your favour here. The threshold is high enough to be useful rather than symbolic. And duty is assessed on the FOB value, so the freight on a route this long is outside the duty base — unlike the CIF destinations, where you pay duty on your own shipping.

Sources: New Zealand Customs Service tariff schedule and de-minimis rules; Inland Revenue guidance on GST for low-value imported goods, effective 1 December 2019. Reconstructed 17 August 2026 and not yet verified line by line. Rates are re-checked on the morning of every purchase and confirmed before anything is charged.

Landed cost

What it actually costs to land in New Zealand.

Every figure updates live. The duty basis, tax base and de-minimis rule change with the destination — that is the whole reason this page exists.

Goods, Swiss retail1 × CHF 1'649.00 incl. VAT1'649.00
Swiss VAT refunded8.1% reclaimed on export− 123.56
Net declared valuethe customs value1'525.44
Service fee8% of net · min. CHF 20122.04
Handlinginspection and extras25.00
Air freight14.8 kg chargeable · 5–7 days208.54
Import dutyGeneral tariff · no CH–NZ agreement in force · 5.0% on FOB · HS 8516.7176.27
GST15%, charged on goods and freight271.54
Total landed, DDP
Nothing owed on arrivalCHF 2'228.83≈ 4,502.23 NZD

Most requested

What people buy from Switzerland.

A long route, so value density matters. What works is the high-value end and the specialist goods a small domestic market does not carry.

  • ✓Mechanical watchesA thin local dealer network and a substantial retail premium. Swiss retail with the VAT reclaimed compares very well.
  • ✓Outdoor and alpine equipmentSwiss technical ranges in specifications the local market does not stock, for a country that uses them.
  • ✓Jura and Swiss appliances230 V at 50 Hz matches New Zealand mains exactly. No transformer needed.
  • ✓Swiss pharmacy and dermatological linesNot distributed locally, in personal quantities.
  • ✓Precision instruments and componentsWhere local lead times run long.

Restricted or refused

What we will not ship there.

We screen every request against this list before quoting. A refusal costs you nothing; a seizure costs you the goods.

  • ✕Food of animal originNew Zealand biosecurity is among the strictest in the world and enforcement is thorough. Meat, dairy and honey are prohibited for personal import.
  • ✕Used outdoor equipment carrying soil or plant matterA biosecurity concern rather than a customs one. We ship new only, and clean.
  • ✕Medicines and supplementsMedsafe rules apply and a courier shipment does not qualify as personal import. Declined.
  • ✕Restricted knives and weaponsNew Zealand rules on certain lock types are specific. We check the model before purchase.
  • ✕Wooden and plant-derived packagingSubject to biosecurity treatment requirements. We repack in compliant materials before export.

Transit

Geneva to your door.

All routes are tracked and insured to full replacement value. Duty and tax are prepaid by us on every service, so nothing is collected from you on arrival.

ServiceDoor to door
DHL ExpressDefault, best clearance5–6 days
FedEx International PriorityAlternative express routing5–7 days
UPS Worldwide SaverBusiness accounts6–8 days
Swiss Post PriorityEconomy, tracked12–20 days

Questions

Shipping to New Zealand, answered.

Is the NZD 1 000 threshold real?

Yes, and it is one of the more useful ones. Below NZD 1 000 duty is not collected at the border. GST is collected either by the supplier at the point of sale or at the border, depending on how the consignment is handled.

What does FOB mean for my total?

Duty is assessed on the goods value alone, without freight and insurance. On a route this long that is a real saving compared with a CIF destination, where you would pay duty on your own shipping cost.

Why is there no duty relief on Swiss goods?

There is no free trade agreement between Switzerland and New Zealand, so the general tariff applies. It is modest at around 5%, and the threshold means many orders never reach it.

How strict is biosecurity really?

Very. Declarations are checked and inspections are common. We repack in compliant materials and ship no food of animal origin, which removes the usual causes of a hold.

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