Delivered duty paid (DDP)
We handle the Hong Kong export and UK import declarations, with duty and import VAT built into the freight price. No UK VAT number is needed, which suits shippers without a UK tax entity.
GB · United Kingdom
Hong Kong to United Kingdom
Hong Kong to the UK by sea or air, cleared under DDP or postponed VAT accounting
Transit (working days, to warehouse)
- Air express 5–8
- Air standard 8–12
- Sea FCL 25–30
- Sea LCL 28–35
Cargo is consolidated in Hong Kong or Shenzhen, flown direct to London Heathrow (LHR) or shipped to Felixstowe or Southampton. We can clear the goods under delivered duty paid (DDP) with one all-in price, or, if you hold a UK VAT number, you can import under your own GB EORI using postponed VAT accounting (PVA) so that import VAT is not paid up front. The two paths differ in prerequisites, who owns the import documents and whether the import VAT can be reclaimed; the comparison is set out below.
Gateways and ports
- Air departure
- Hong Kong (HKG) / Shenzhen (SZX)
- Air arrival
- London Heathrow (LHR)
- Sea departure
- Yantian / Shekou / Kwai Tsing
- Sea arrival
- Felixstowe / Southampton
Clearance paths
How to clear goods into United Kingdom
Postponed VAT accounting
You import under your own UK VAT number and GB EORI; import VAT is accounted for on your VAT return rather than paid at the border. Only the importer named on the declaration can use PVA.
Pay-at-border import
You import under your own numbers and pay import VAT at the border, reclaiming it later with the C79 certificate. The most complete paper trail, but the highest cash outlay.
Channels and transit
UK route channels
| Channel | working days | Suited to |
|---|---|---|
| Air express | 5–8 | Urgent stock, out-of-stock recovery, high-value samples |
| Air standard | 8–12 | Launches, test batches, small to medium lots |
| Sea FCL | 25–30 | Bulk replenishment |
| Sea LCL | 28–35 | Smaller lots and multi-SKU consignments |
Unit: working days. Warehouse-arrival basis: counted from trunk departure (vessel sailing, flight departure or train dispatch) until customs release in the destination country and signed receipt at the FBA or third-party warehouse. Includes destination customs clearance; excludes Hong Kong collection, consolidation and booking lead time, and excludes Amazon appointment and check-in.
Last mile
Delivery network
- Royal Mail National postal network
- DPD Parcel carrier suited to e-commerce
- Evri Economy parcel delivery
- Pallet network Palletised freight and FBA appointment deliveries
Highlights
Three things about this route
-
Oversized and irregular cargo accepted
Sea FCL and LCL both take over-length and over-weight pieces; send dimensions and weights before dispatch.
-
Built for FBA bulk replenishment
After arrival, cargo goes straight to an Amazon UK appointment or into a third-party warehouse for staged transfers.
-
Peak-season space planned ahead
Air and sea space ahead of Black Friday and Christmas is arranged against your dispatch plan to reduce last-minute shortfalls.
FAQ
UK route: frequently asked questions
How long does Hong Kong to the UK take?
On a warehouse-arrival basis: air express 5–8 working days, air standard 8–12, sea FCL 25–30 and sea LCL 28–35, all including UK customs clearance. Collection in Hong Kong, consolidation and booking lead time are additional.
Can I ship without a UK VAT number?
Yes, under DDP: we act as importer and pay duty and import VAT. That import VAT is not raised in your name, so you cannot reclaim it.
Is PVA cheaper than DDP?
They are not price tiers but different importer arrangements. If you hold a UK VAT number and genuinely import the goods, PVA means no cash tied up in import VAT and the amount is reclaimable, which is usually the better outcome. Without a VAT number, DDP is the only option.
Do you deliver to Amazon FBA warehouses in the UK?
Yes. After release we book Amazon appointments; labelling, carton splitting and palletisation can be done before dispatch or at the receiving warehouse.
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