VAT reclaim for personal items shipping from non-EU country
 

I am a student in Italy for my master degree (having my study VISA for 2 years). Before the trip, I sent a few boxes of personal belongings to Italy from my own country (Hong Kong), all items inside the box do not include any tobacco, wines, in fact, those are just clothes and some computer parts. However, when I received the parcels today, I was asked to pay the VAT and Duty fee for each box. I was totally shocked, cause this amount of fee already take a 3-4 months -daily expenses of my study. Those are just personal items, and is definitely not for selling in Italy, I wonder if I could make a reclaim for the VAT due to my situation, if so, how could I do that in Italy? Please kindly advise. Thanks!

How did customs come to the VAT amount? Percentage of what value? Did they open the boxes? If not, you might be able to contest the value given to the contents of the boxes.

Have you asked your consulate?

Often what happens is that the courier service tacks on a hefty fee for "customs processing". This has happened to people I know who live in Italy. One woman accidentally left a camera behind when visiting relatives in the US. Her relative mailed it to her, and the customs bill was so much higher than the value of the camera that she just didn't accept the package and bought a new camera.

The US post office was sending all "packages" (as opposed to "letters") through a courier service. They seemed to define a package as anything in a box, no matter how small, and a letter as anything in an envelope, no matter how large. I often paid more than the value of a gift sent to me for VAT and customs processing. So I told all my friends and relatives in the US to use large padded envelopes to send things to me. That worked, and I haven't seen a customs bill in years. I don't know if the US is still using that courier service for packages, and I don't know how post offices in other countries decide to send their packages.

Personal effects should always have something to the effect of "used personal items, no value" written on the customs form.

When shipping anything internationally it should always be marked - used personal belongings, no commercial value - and should be clothing, books etc.

Sending computer parts is dicey - since they will assume everything is for resales unless it is obviously used.

Not sure what to do now - since this really needs to be set up in the official description when the cartons are shipped.

You are charged VAT on insured value plus shipping. I know it is really upsetting. You should have been able to bring your personal belongings FREE as change of residence. There should be something in writing but you may need to take some particular papers somewhere to get an import tax EXEMPTION. You as a resident should not have to pay.... even for your CAR so find someone to help you... but there IS a process to follow.

In spain you would go to the tax office w proof of residence, passport and papers of the box in question.

As lincasanova wrote, there is a procedure to follow.
The VAT/Customs exemption is harmonized across the EU Customs Union - so first thing you need to do is to find the proper government agency in charge for this in Italy.
Being a student, it should be possible to find someone among your fellow students or professors who had to deal with the same issue and could give you guidance.
If not, I would check Italian ex-pat forums on the web, or ask at your local City Hall.