Ordering something from the UK, USA or another country outside the EU for delivery to Spain? It can be straightforward — but there are a few things worth knowing before you click buy.
At Collect Corner, we deal with international shipments and customs clearances every week, and many of the problems we see come down to the same things: unexpected VAT, courier fees, paperwork requests and expensive returns.
Here are the main things to know.
1. If it comes from outside the EU, expect customs
If goods are being sent to Spain from outside the European Union, they are being imported.
That includes the UK.
What matters is not where the website is based, but where the goods are actually being dispatched from.
A British retailer may hold stock in an EU warehouse. Equally, a very European-looking website may actually be dispatching your order from China.
Always check.
2. Expect VAT, possible duties and a courier clearance fee
For most everyday purchases imported into mainland Spain, you should expect 21% Spanish VAT, plus any customs duties that apply.
The duty depends on the type of item and its country of origin, so there is no single percentage that applies to everything.
Another surprise is that the amount used for customs and VAT calculations can include shipping and insurance costs, not just the price of the item itself.
And on top of the tax and duty, the courier handling the import will normally charge its own customs clearance or administration fee.
This is often the charge people least expect.
So before deciding that something is cheaper to buy outside the EU, remember to factor in:
- Purchase price
- Shipping
- VAT
- Any applicable customs duty
- Courier clearance fees
3. Parcels under €150 are no longer automatically duty-free
From 1 July 2026, the previous customs-duty exemption for low-value e-commerce imports under €150 changed.
There is now a temporary €3 customs duty on low-value online imports from outside the EU.
In many cases, online platforms will collect the relevant import charges during checkout, but the old assumption that “it’s under €150, so there won’t be any duty” no longer applies.
4. What happens when the parcel reaches Spain?
Once the shipment arrives in Spain, the courier will normally contact the importer — usually the person who bought the goods.
They may request:
- ID
- NIE
- Invoice or order confirmation
- Proof of payment
- A description of the goods
- Signed customs or representation forms
The exact paperwork varies depending on the courier and what is being imported.
Keep your invoice and proof of payment until your parcel has been delivered.
Need help with the paperwork?
Collect Corner offers a prepaid customs clearance assistance service for €25 per shipment.
This service is available to anyone in Spain — you do not need to be an existing Collect Corner subscriber.
We assist with the necessary forms and paperwork and liaise with the courier handling the import on your behalf.
If required, a shipment can also often be rerouted to Collect Corner after clearance. The main exception is Correos.
Import VAT, duties and courier clearance fees are separate and are paid by the importer.
And one important point: the final decision on whether a shipment is released always lies with Spanish Customs, even when all paperwork has been completed correctly.
5. UK retailers can make buying easy — returns are another matter
Many UK retailers now make ordering from Spain very straightforward.
Retailers such as Next and The White Company take care of import duties for Spanish or EU customers, so the purchase itself can feel almost as easy as it did before Brexit.
The problem can come if you need to send something back.
With many UK retailers, return postage is the customer’s responsibility, and tracked shipping from Spain back to the UK can be expensive.
This is one of the reasons many Collect Corner clients use us for returns.
For Collect Corner subscribers, we can process suitable tracked UK returns using Royal Mail services, often at a much lower cost than sending the same parcel by international express courier from Spain.
This return service is exclusively available to subscribers.
So before ordering from a UK website, check both sides:
Who pays the import costs on the way to Spain — and who pays to send it back?
6. If you spend time in Spain, use Amazon Spain
If you regularly come to Spain, having an Amazon.es account with your Spanish delivery address makes life much easier.
For normal day-to-day purchases, this usually means buying stock already within the EU and avoiding unnecessary customs clearance.
With the appropriate Prime service, many items also arrive very quickly.
But always check who is actually selling and dispatching the item, as Amazon also has third-party marketplace sellers.
Amazon UK can still be useful
If you regularly shop in the UK or are looking for products and brands that are easier to find there, Amazon UK can also be a useful option.
Many UK products can be shipped internationally, although availability, delivery times, shipping costs and import charges can vary.
As the UK is no longer part of the EU, goods shipped from Great Britain to Spain may be subject to import VAT, customs duties and clearance procedures. Delivery times can also vary depending on the seller, where the item is dispatched from and the delivery service selected.
Always check the estimated delivery date and any import charges shown at checkout before placing your order.
For everyday purchases in Spain, Amazon.es is generally the simpler option, while Amazon UK can be a good choice when you’re looking for specific UK products or brands.
Amazon USA is also worth checking
Many of our customers also keep an active Amazon USA account with delivery to Collect Corner.
Once your Spanish address is selected, Amazon shows which products can be shipped to Spain — and there are plenty of things available in the USA that simply aren’t easy to buy here.
You will need your NIE for the import process to go smoothly.
When Amazon itself is the seller, we find the process particularly easy. Amazon is generally very transparent about import charges and will usually collect them in advance.
Customs clearance is then handled as part of the shipment.
In our experience, Amazon USA orders usually take around 7–8 days to reach us.
For hard-to-find items, it can be absolutely worth it. For everyday shopping, though, use Amazon.es wherever possible.
7. Always check the return policy
This one can save you a lot of money.
We regularly see clients who thought they had bought from a small boutique in Paris, Madrid or Milan, only to discover when they need to return the item that it was actually dispatched from China — and has to be returned there at the customer’s expense.
The company may not have done anything wrong. The return conditions were often there all along.
But it is very easy to make assumptions based on a website’s name, branding or photography.
Before ordering from a retailer you don’t know, check:
- Where the goods are dispatched from
- Where returns have to be sent
- Who pays return postage
- How long you have to return the item
- Whether there are any extra return charges
And be equally careful with third-party sellers on familiar websites such as Amazon or Leroy Merlin.
Always check who you are actually buying from.
Our advice
There is nothing wrong with ordering from outside the EU — sometimes it is the only way to get exactly what you want.
Just take an extra minute before placing the order.
Check where it is coming from, whether VAT and duties are included, who is selling it and what happens if you need to return it.
And if your parcel reaches Spain and you need help with the customs paperwork, Collect Corner can assist with customs clearance for simple personal imports, such as online purchases, for €25 per shipment, wherever you are in Spain.
Fees for commercial imports vary depending on the volume and value of the shipment. We are happy to provide a quote based on your specific requirements.
