China to USA Move: DVD/CD/VCD Question

[Hamburger Man 3]

I'm helping my Fiancee (K-1 holder already) move to the United States. She has about 300 or so DVDs, CDs and VCDs she wants to bring. Some of them are cheap copies of American movies, others Kareoke VCDs and also some music CDs. Around 50% or so are probably not-so-legal copies.

She isn't trying to sell them, and even removed the paper jacket from many of them and put just the disk in a large CD/DVD wallet.

I asked her why not ship them and she told me China customs won't allow unmarked disks or disks without a receipt showing their authenticity out of the country via mail.

This disks are her life. She loves these movies and singing along with the VCD songs. They all have subtitles in Mandarin and I know we won't be able to find/replace them (with Mandarin) once in the USA.

What are the legal risks associated with bringing such disks into the country on a flight from Beijing to JFK/NYC.

Any feedback + experiences would be helpful.

Thanks.

Edited July 4, 2010 by Hamburger Man

[Moonandstar 6]

I would imagine the worst that can happen is they'll try to take it from you. What, they gonna throw you in jail for something that is common practice in another country?

Besides, tell them to prove that they ARE fakes.

We will be bringing some too (maybe not quite 300 though)- just hide them with the clothes, put them in a cd holder- i think it would be a little over the edge going through all your stuff trying to figure out which cds are real and which are fakes.

I think its mostly just old fashioned all-American scare tactics they use to try to keep the company's monopolies from being undermined.

Just my $.02

Also, not suggesting that you lie, but as long as you dont tell them you are bringing some, they shouldn't try looking for them.

Edited July 4, 2010 by Moonandstar

[HappyRs 8]

I'm helping my Fiancee (K-1 holder already) move to the United States. She has about 300 or so DVDs, CDs and VCDs she wants to bring. Some of them are cheap copies of American movies, others Kareoke VCDs and also some music CDs. Around 50% or so are probably not-so-legal copies.

She isn't trying to sell them, and even removed the paper jacket from many of them and put just the disk in a large CD/DVD wallet.

I asked her why not ship them and she told me China customs won't allow unmarked disks or disks without a receipt showing their authenticity out of the country via mail.

This disks are her life. She loves these movies and singing along with the VCD songs. They all have subtitles in Mandarin and I know we won't be able to find/replace them (with Mandarin) once in the USA.

What are the legal risks associated with bringing such disks into the country on a flight from Beijing to JFK/NYC.

Any feedback + experiences would be helpful.

Thanks.

I am wondering if you guys cannot bring them the US in installments; a few now, some next time you go to China and return, the rest on some other occasion. I took about 5 such DVDs when I went to visit my fiance in the US and nobody even noticed at the security check. 300, though...I think it's way too much for one load... Good luck!

[Darnell 8,478]

Getting on the plane ? no problem

Flying on the Plane ? no problem

Getting off the plane in USA ? no problem.

Customs Inspection at the POE ? MIGHT BE BIG HASSLE. Is some regs for Customs officials to check for pirated and illegal copies. Some Customs officials are adamant on inspection, others are blase about it. All depends on where the POE is, and which Custom Official you get.

I suggest to go for it - the worst that could happen is that all of the platters are confiscated and a huge fine is levied.

OTOH - a few 500 gig USB drives are easily shipped, even can pack in checked luggage. Maybe she should think to 'copy all' to usb disk, then leave the platters in China, recreate all on new media in USA ?

I'm not an advocate of piracy, by any means - indeed, just the opposite - but in this case, her keeping her cultural ties via the platters seems to be more important that having the platters confiscated, yes?

[kaffy 2]

load them onto a portable HDD ?

[Darnell 8,478]

For any seizure info, review http://www.cbp.gov/linkhandler/cgov/trade/legal/informed_compliance_pubs/icp069.ctt/icp069.pdf

starting at page 68.

Just so you know, ah ?

FWIW, since will be tagged as 'personal use', is no fine to be levied (if I'm reading the matrix/grid right).

[GabiandVi 34]

I would probably convert all dvds to a hard drive. A lot of them won't work on a typical dvd player in the US. Unless they say zone 1 on them, they may not play.

I shipped 1000s in my shipment from China to the US. No problem, and my shipment was randomly chosen to be inspected in the US. But I'm a USC. The only thing they were worried about was that I was not shipping antiquities.

I used to carry them over all the time. I also used to send them to my nieces and nephews by mail.

[Darnell 8,478]

ya, that brings up another point - region-free players.

SAMPO makes several, no idea if sold direct in big box stores like Best Buy or Radio Shack -

but always found new with warranty on eBay. I've bought several over the years, no complaints.

[Moonandstar 6]

I havent had problems with the locales of my fakes. Most fakes end up using the universal code, so they can be played regardless of location. Also, Cds and VCDs dont even have to worry about that problem, if i recall right...

[Jared and May 16]

Just throw them in a big cd wallet, put it in your checked luggage, and she'll be fine. They're looking for drugs at the border, not fake cds/dvds..