Buying a Swiss watch in the EU: import VAT, customs duty and DAP explained

Every VISSO watch ships from Switzerland. Switzerland is not part of the EU customs territory, so a parcel crossing into the EU is an import, even when you ordered it online and paid in euros. This page explains what that means for the price you pay, in plain terms.

What DAP means

We sell on DAP terms: Delivered At Place. We pay for shipping and insurance to your door. You, as the buyer, are the importer, so the import charges of your country are settled at delivery. The carrier pays them to customs on your behalf and collects them from you before handing over the parcel.

The three parts of the import bill

• Import VAT: charged at your country's standard VAT rate on the value of the watch plus shipping. It is the same VAT you would pay in a local shop, just collected at the border.
• Customs duty: wristwatches fall under customs heading 9102. The standard EU duty for non-preferential origin is 4.5%, but watches of Swiss preferential origin generally enter at 0% under the EU and Switzerland free trade agreement.
• Carrier handling fee: a fixed or small percentage fee the courier charges for clearing the parcel through customs. It varies by carrier and country.

A simple way to estimate it

Take the price of the watch, add your country's VAT rate and a small handling fee. For a Swiss-origin watch there is usually no duty on top. The exact figures appear on the carrier's notice before delivery, and our shipping policy lists how the process works step by step.

Why prices on VISSO exclude import VAT

Because the VAT belongs to your country, not ours. A price that already included, say, German VAT would be wrong for a buyer in Poland or Portugal. Showing the price without import VAT keeps it the same for everyone in the EU and lets your own tax office collect the right rate.

Returns and warranty after import

Import does not change your rights. EU customers keep the 14-day right of withdrawal from delivery, and every watch comes with at least 24 months of warranty. Read the return policy for how returns across the border are handled, or contact us before you order if your country has specific rules.