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How to Import a Phone Sold Only in Europe, China or Russia

Checked against the makers' own pages · Last reviewed October 15, 2026

When you buy abroad, you are the importer

CBP's guidance for internet purchases is blunt: "When you buy goods from foreign sources, you become the importer." The importer, not the seller, must make sure the goods meet US rules and pays any duty owed. That holds whether you buy from an established store or from an individual on an auction site.

CBP lists questions to settle with the seller before you buy:

• How will the phone ship: international post, a courier, or freight?
• Who arranges customs clearance and delivery to your door?
• Will the seller fill in the customs paperwork accurately?

That last one matters. CBP says that giving "misleading or inaccurate information about the nature of the item and its value is illegal," and that the importer is the one who can face fines. CBP also says that misrepresenting an item's value on the customs declaration is illegal. Calling a purchase a gift doesn't help: CBP's gift exemption covers only real gifts and excludes anything bought, bartered or "given" along with a purchase.

Some sellers offer to put a lower value on the customs declaration to save you duty. CBP's internet-purchases page addresses this: "Many sellers offer to misrepresent costs in an effort to save the purchaser from having to pay duty, but this is illegal." CBP asks buyers to have the seller list the purchase price in US dollars and says "fudging or miscalculating the price paid for goods is a bad idea." As the importer, you are the one who, in CBP's words, "could face legal action and fines." [1][3]

Duties and tariffs on phones in 2026

Base duty. In the Harmonized Tariff Schedule (HTS), the US list of import duties, smartphones fall under line 8517.13.00. The "general" rate on that line is Free. The "Column 2" rate is 35% (USITC HTS).

Russia and Belarus. Since the Suspending Normal Trade Relations with Russia and Belarus Act was signed on April 8, 2022, imports from both countries pay Column 2 rates, CBP says (CBP: Russia Column 2). By the HTS line above, that means 35% on a smartphone.

No more duty-free small parcels. CBP says the de minimis exemption, which used to let parcels worth $800 or less in duty-free, is suspended indefinitely. The suspension covers "merchandise valued at $800 or less arriving via all modes, including the international postal network." CBP also says "all applicable duties, taxes, fees, exactions, and charges must be paid on these shipments" (CBP e-commerce FAQ).

Extra tariffs. On top of the base rate, the HTS has a section (Chapter 99) for added duties. These depend on the product and the country where it was made. They changed many times in 2025 and 2026. CBP is now refunding duties collected under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) to importers of record, "as authorized by court order or applicable law." CBP also says it "cannot speak to future actions regarding tariffs." Which extra duties apply to your phone depends on where it was made (CBP counts the country of manufacture, not where you bought it) and on the date it enters the US. Before you buy, check the current rate with CBP or with the courier that will clear the parcel. [1][2][3][4][8][9]

How the package clears customs, and who bills you

• Courier (DHL, FedEx, UPS and similar). CBP says courier shipments are usually cleared by a customs broker the courier hires. The courier "will either bill you for the duty they paid on your behalf or require payment on delivery," often with a brokerage fee on top. CBP warns that these charges sometimes exceed the price of the item.
• International post. Since de minimis ended, mail shipments also need a formal or informal customs entry. CBP's new mail informal entry process for parcels worth $2,500 or less took effect July 24, 2026. Under it, only the owner or buyer of the goods, or a licensed customs broker they name, can file the entry, and the filer needs a customs bond. CBP says parcels that arrive without the required data or bond "will not be released from CBP custody until all requirements are satisfied." From Oct. 22, 2026, CBP excludes some parcels from this mail process, including merchandise subject to duties under Chapter 99 (the extra tariffs below). Those must use another entry type, "such as an Entry Type 13 or formal entry."
• Over $2,500. A formal entry is required.

CBP also notes that a price that "includes shipping and handling" usually does not include duty or clearance costs. Only CBP makes the final call on what is owed. [1][3]

FCC rules for importing a phone for your own use

Phones send radio signals, so FCC import rules apply as well as customs rules. Normally a radio device needs an FCC equipment authorization (an FCC ID). The FCC's import rule, 47 CFR 2.1204, lists exceptions. One of them covers personal imports: "Three or fewer radio frequency devices are being imported for the individual's personal use and are not intended for sale." The devices allowed under that exception include transmitters used as subscriber devices on licensed services, which is how a cell phone works. The same rule says the person receiving the goods "must be able to document compliance with the selected import condition."

Huawei and the FCC Covered List. The FCC's Covered List of equipment judged a national security risk has included "telecommunications equipment produced by Huawei Technologies Company" since March 12, 2021. Under 47 CFR 2.903, equipment on the Covered List can't get an FCC equipment authorization. That ban also covers equipment that would otherwise be exempt. Before importing a Huawei phone, check with the FCC. [5][7][10]

Huawei and the Commerce Entity List

Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd. and its listed affiliates are on the US Commerce Department's Entity List, run by the Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS). The first listing rule was published in the Federal Register on May 21, 2019 (84 FR 22963). The listed license requirement is "for all items subject to the EAR" (the Export Administration Regulations), and BIS's review policy for license applications is "presumption of denial."

The Entity List is an export control. BIS says it names parties believed to be involved in activities against US national security or foreign policy interests. The rule is that "you may not, without a license from BIS, export, reexport, or transfer (in-country)" covered items when a listed entity is party to the transaction. BIS does not say anything there about consumers buying a Huawei phone. If your situation goes beyond a personal purchase, ask BIS.

For the phones themselves, see China ROM phones and our pages on the Huawei Pura 80 and Mate 80. [6]

Phones from Russia: duties and sanctions

• Duty: Russian-origin goods pay Column 2 rates (35% on smartphones), as above.
• Sanctions: The Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) runs the Russian Harmful Foreign Activities Sanctions program. People and companies on OFAC's Specially Designated Nationals (SDN) list have their assets blocked, and "U.S. persons are generally prohibited from dealing with them." Before you pay, check the maker and the seller in OFAC's free Sanctions List Search.

OFAC's Russia program page lists the program's regulations, general licenses, FAQs and recent actions. [2][4][11][12][13]

Warranty and returns

Phone warranties are often tied to the country where you bought the phone, so check before you order. Huawei, for example, says in its global hardware warranty provisions that "the warranty for your device is only valid in the country / region where it was purchased." Its APAC regional warranty adds that a phone bought in China can't be claimed under warranty in other countries in that program.

Ask the seller about returns before you order. CBP notes that courier brokerage fees and duties are billed to you, the importer, and are separate from the price you paid the seller. [1][14][15]

Before you order: a checklist

1. Check that the phone has the LTE/5G bands and VoLTE support your carrier needs: see phone bands and US carriers.
2. Ask the seller how it ships, who clears customs, and whether the price includes duty. CBP says it usually doesn't.
3. Check the country where the phone was made. That country sets the duty, not the country you buy from.
4. Read the maker's warranty terms for the country you're buying from.
5. For Huawei or Russian products, read the FCC, BIS and OFAC pages above and check the seller in OFAC's search.
6. If anything is unclear, check with CBP before you pay.

[1][3][12][14]

Questions people ask