Shipping CPAP to Europe

[Slinky]

Has anyone from Europe purchased a new or used CPAP from the United States?

How was it shipped from the USA to Europe, via what method?

How was it declared for Customs purposes?

My neighbor has a lightly used CPAP she would like to send as a gift to a friend in Europe but hasn't the slightest idea of how to go about it. Checking w/UPS the shipping cost was quite prohibitive. She has no idea about Customs whatsoever.

[BlackSpinner]

Has anyone from Europe purchased a new or used CPAP from the United States?

How was it shipped from the USA to Europe, via what method?

How was it declared for Customs purposes?

My neighbor has a lightly used CPAP she would like to send as a gift to a friend in Europe but hasn't the slightest idea of how to go about it. Checking w/UPS the shipping cost was quite prohibitive. She has no idea about Customs whatsoever.

Europe is not a country. You have to check with the country she is sending it too. It is medical equipment, which means if you ship it to Canada it has no duty but elsewhere? The friend should do the checking, they live there and should know who to ask. But since it is USED medical equipment and it is a gift, it should be no problem.

[Slinky]

Thank you, BlackSpinner.

Does anyone have any idea which shipping method is most reasonable in cost, yet safe?

[PAPalogical]

UPS used to be cheapest, but I've found USPS flat rate was pretty cheap, but I went to check instead of just saying it - I looked at USPS large flat-rate box - w/ bubble wrap, could get a small CPAP in, but I checked - $16 domestic turns into $60 international. So not cheap, but I guess the question is it still a good deal for them? $60 is less than a new CPAP setup...

[James1]

Europe is not a country. You have to check with the country she is sending it too. It is medical equipment, which means if you ship it to Canada it has no duty but elsewhere? The friend should do the checking, they live there and should know who to ask. But since it is USED medical equipment and it is a gift, it should be no problem.

Second this - it depends on what country in Europe it's being shipped to.

In the United Kingdom, OSA is classed as a disability, and equipment for personal use, *solely* for the purpose of treating said OSA is free from import duty and import VAT.

If it's going to the UK, PM me for the info that'll need to be declared on the customs form. Note that I have found no distinction between new and used equipment, so you can can't necessarily assume you won't get taxed unless you get the info right.

[-tim]

USPS tends to be the cheapest. You will need a CP72 form for customs. The obvious must be filled in like addresses. For a description "Used CPAP machine" seems to work. Put a reasonable value on it but you can list other things unless they look like accessories that should come with it. You can list them with values like $1 but customs doesn't trust low value items if you spent $70 to send it.

You will need to provide ID to mail a package to Europe. There is something called "sea mail" which is cheaper but can take 3 months. If you have the choice of "surface mail", that means what your shipping isn't safe to go in a plane and so it will be delayed until they find a different way to get it there.

Taxes can be 20% and that tends to be based on the value of the machine and shipping and insurance. There can be import duty as well. The value of the machine is based on what you insure it for, its retail value or the value of an invoice. Most places tend to pick the highest they think is reasonable. The tax and duty are paid by the receiver and most countries have rules that there are no taxes if its under some threshold. If your sending several things, consider two boxes. UPS, FedEx and other have a nasty habit of charging paperwork charges that can be close to $100. USPS avoids that.

A 7 pound package going the other way around the globe recently cost about $70. Western Europe should be cheaper.

[theSleeper]

No problems with ordering on-line in the USA. I sent them my scanned prescription (not even in English). Great service.
On top of that a link for free download of the software to use on the PC.
The prices are about 50% cheaper. I got hit with about a 20% import tax that I think was not justified on medical equipment but I didn't have time/energy to fight that. Transport as indicated, DHL or USPS costs about $50.
Accessories are much cheaper there as well but the transport costs are too high to just order a mask etc.

Still wondering what kind of game is being played to keep the cost of CPAP equipment so high in Europe. In Western Europe people manage the costs or insurances cover it. In most of Eastern Europe, people can just not afford very necessary equipment. On top of that, prices are 2-3 times of the price in the USA.

[Slinky]

Okay. She wants to ship it to a friend in Spain. Anyone ever shipped a CPAP to Spain?

[Uncle_Bob]

Okay. She wants to ship it to a friend in Spain. Anyone ever shipped a CPAP to Spain?

http://www.respshop.com/shipping.php

Due to Custom restrictions (individuals cannot import medical devices) we do not ship to Spain.

https://www.cpap.com/cpap-faq/International.html

Do you ship internationally?
Yes. We will ship to any country in the world with the exception of the following countries:

•Cuba
•Iran
•Syria
•North Korea
•Spain (Customs Restrictions)

[chunkyfrog]

Pay the 'ransom'; or get a traveling doctor or missionary to hand-carry it.
Or ask the State department if they can help.

[DoriC]

I just sent a used M Series Auto, no HH, to a forum member in Australia, USPS, the weight was about 3lbs, cost $45.00. I filled out a customs form right in the PO, put the value at $100, but they questioned the "cpap" terminology and told me to write "Sleep Machine" in the contents box! I didn't list any accessories, they didn't ask, and I did not insure it. It took about a week to arrive there.