Since February 2, 2024, the Apple Vision Pro has been available in the United States and from July 12 in more countries including Germany and France. Unfortunately, the spatial computer is not yet available in the Netherlands and Belgium.
Anyone who had hoped that the Vision Pro could be ordered with a few clicks will be somewhat disappointed. If you want to order a Vision Pro online as a customer, you must have an iPhone or iPad with Face ID. Can you therefore buy a Vision Pro abroad as a Dutch or Belgian customer?
Where can I buy the Apple Vision Pro?
Since Friday, February 2, 2024, Apple’s first spatial computer has been for sale in the US. From June 28, the spatial computer will be available in more countries and regions, including: Hong-Kong, Japan, Singapore and mainland China. In Australia, Canada, Germany, France and the UK can pre-order Apple Vision Pro starting Friday, June 28. In those countries, the device will actually be available from Friday, July 12.
Buy Apple Vision Pro online
To buy Apple’s spatial computer online, you must have an iPhone or iPad with Face ID and the latest Apple Store app. During the ordering process, you’ll need your iPhone or iPad to scan your face and head. This helps Apple determine the correct size of the Light Seal and headbands, which work together to give you a precise fit. This ensures that the customer receives a custom Vision Pro that fits optimally.
Order Vision Pro in a store
If you do not have an iPhone or iPad with Face ID, you can also test and order the Vision Pro at an Apple Store where the Vision is sold. You will need to make an appointment for this, because testing and applying the Vision Pro is an extensive process. The store employee scans the face with an app so that the fit can be determined. The employee then takes the correct size cushion and band. To give an example, there are more than 25 different Light Seals, cushions and headbands available. If you are satisfied, you can order the spatial computer and pick it up at a later time or have it delivered.
Prescription lenses
Not only is the fit completely tailored to the head, you can also order custom ZEISS lenses. When ordering, you can upload or hand over an optician or doctor’s prescription to order prescription lenses. These lenses can then be magnetically attached to the Vision Pro so that the customer sees everything razor-sharp. When ordering, you can add reading lenses for $99 (€115) and pay $149 (€169) for prescription lenses.
You can upload a valid eye prescription that has not expired in Apple’s Health app. Unfortunately, not all glasses prescriptions are supported. It is therefore possible that your Dutch or Belgian eye prescription will not be accepted.
Order Vision Pro as a foreigner
Do you want the Apple Vision Pro delivered to your home as soon as possible? Then you can possibly purchase the Vision Pro as a foreigner in the US or other available country, but that is not an easy process. The purchase price of €3999 ($3499) is also high, so you want everything to go well and the fit to be good. These are the options:
Foreign Apple account
For example, if you want to buy an Apple Vision Pro in the US as a European, you will need to have a valid US Apple Account. This is also the case for other countries, do you want to buy the Vision Pro in Japan? Then you need a Japanese Apple Account. An address, payment method and telephone number from that country must be added to this account. History has taught us that creating a foreign Apple Account sometimes fails. You also need this account to be able to download apps from the App Store.
Order online and have it delivered to your US address
If you have, for example, an American Apple Account, it is possible to place orders in the US Online Apple Store, this is also the case for the Vision Pro. Please note that you must do this with the Apple Store app on an iPhone or iPad with Face ID. Once you have placed the order, you can have the Vision delivered to an American address, for example to family, friends or acquaintances who live in the US and will forward the package.
Reserve online and collect in the Apple Store
If you yourself are planning to travel to a country where the spatial computer is sold, you can of course also reserve the Apple Vision Pro online and pick it up at an Apple Store. Whether Apple will enforce a specific policy for buyers from abroad is not yet clear, but you will probably be able to pick up the Vision without any problems.
Buy at an Apple Store
For now, the Vision Pro will only be available in the Apple Store and not yet at other electronics stores such as BestBuy. Since February 2, the Vision Pro has been for sale in stores and some Apple Stores have a large stock. As a buyer, you can then walk into the Apple Store in the hope that your combination is for sale, test it and take it with you right away. You can also reserve a Vision Pro online in an Apple Store.
Order via a forwarding service
You can also use a forwarding service. These are community services that users join and place and forward orders for you. Via the website you indicate which product you would like to order, the possible ‘forwarders’ in that country are contacted and make you a proposal to purchase the product. If you agree, they will order the product for you and forward it.
Anyone who pays via PayPal is insured for the purchase and will get your money back if something goes wrong. You can also view the reviews for each forwarder and see how often he or she has already sent products. A piece of certainty that you as a buyer would like to have.
Of course, the Vision becomes more expensive to purchase when using such a service. For example, you have to pay for the spatial computer yourself, shipping costs, a small fee to the forwarding website and the buyer. In addition to ‘personal shoppers’, you can also use a forwarding address. The package then arrives at a hub location and is then forwarded to your personal address. Sometimes these hub locations are refused by web shops. You can use Forward2me, MyUS.com, USA2you, etc.
Of course, the Vision Pro will also appear on platforms such as eBay and perhaps also the Marktplaats, but the price will be extremely high on these platforms.
Other points of interest
- In the US, products are advertised without VAT and sales tax is added per state. Also for the Apple Vision Pro, on top of the amount of $ 3499 sales tax is added. How much differs per state, there are also states that do not charge VAT including: Alaska, Oregon, Delaware, Montana and New Hampshire.
- If you order products outside the EU and have them delivered to, for example, the Netherlands, you must declare this to customs and import costs will apply. Through this input calculator you can see how high the import costs are, you can find more information here back.
- In EU countries, the Vision Pro is actively checked by customs upon arrival of flights from countries outside the EU. After all, it is a product that is not yet widely available here and import costs must be charged. If you do not report this in advance and are ‘caught’, you will also pay a fine.
- No support. If you have problems with your Apple Vision Pro, you can unfortunately not consult Apple Support in the Netherlands or Belgium, for example. Apple only handles cases of products that are also for sale in that country. The Vision Pro has limited availability, so you can only make use of warranty, repair and support in the country of purchase.