QuickZoll: Declaring customs with your smartphone

Digitalization does not stop at customs either. The Swiss Federal Customs Administration has developed a smartphone application that allows private individuals to declare goods imported since Easter via smartphone. This solution saves stopping at the border, but there are also disadvantages.

Faster through customs

‍With QuickZoll, private individuals can now register goods imported for personal use or as gifts in the app and pay the duties directly. No registration is required. In addition to the simple registration of goods including foreign currency conversion and deduction of allowances, there is also a fact book about entering Switzerland with helpful information such as restrictions and prohibitions.  The time of the border crossing must be set in the app in a two-hour window in advance and the duties on the goods must be paid by credit card before the border crossing. Otherwise, duties will be incurred again.

‍Further development announced

‍However, there is also a major disadvantage. The app only knows the VAT rate of 7.7%. Thus, items such as food, animal feed, medications, and books, which normally are subject to the reduced tax rate of 2.5%, cannot be declared with this reduced rate through the app, but are also taxed at the uniform rate of 7.7%. If you want to benefit from the low 2.5% rate, the customs desk at the border must still be visited in person. However, the Customs Administration has announced that it will continuously develop the application further with the help of feedback. Findea helps you to keep your taxes simple and uncomplicated.