How bad is this? How much would it cost me? (moving some stuff...)

[Not a Tailor 1,370]

I've planned out my move to Texas, for all that my visa is months and months off yet. I'll be going by plane. Everything I really need to bring with me will fit in a carry-on, a travel carrier for a cat and two suitcases. Except for three items. 1) a 100 year old french violin that is actually worthless due to a minor crack in the back (it's repairable and I intend to have it repaired so I can play it as it's a family heirloom) 2) a 90 year old antique mandolin that is worthless (again, heirloom, needs a minor repair, something that I intend to do) 3) a 10 year old Ibanez guitar that's worth about 500 dollars.

I'm going down for a visit this summer to meet her family and I'm considering taking the guitar and violin down with me and leaving them with my wife, thus saving money on shipping the instruments (the mandolin weighs next to nothing and I can box it up suitable to fedex it to myself).

So how much trouble am I likely to have with this? How much is it likely to cost me in customs fees? I don't want to get in trouble, but if it would save me money in shipping without costing me too much in customs fees, it would be worth it. It's going to cost me enough to be able to bring my cat with me!

[ricnally 259]

Why would it cost anything?

[Not a Tailor 1,370]

Why would it cost anything?

I'm not sure if they'll charge me customs fees? To drop off two items? I'm also not sure if this would make it look fishy that I'm planning to stay or something.

[ricnally 259]

Well, obviously you're not going to say "I'm going to be moving here later, so I'm starting to move some of my stuff now. Is that OK?", are you? Arriving with full sets of dishes or pots and pans, might cause them to suspect you're there to stay--a couple of musical instruments, not so much. And no, no customs fees.

Edited April 8, 2014 by ricnally

[NikLR 13,232]

NEVER EVER lie the the CBP, even about why you're taking something to the USA! Why on earth someone would suggest you do this is beyond me.

No you can't move thing ahead of time without paying duty. You have 10 years AFTER you immigrate to move things so no, legally, you cannot move it ahead of time. You'd need to visit and declare it and pay duty, if there is any, on the items. Even if it's a gift. You can't say it's not worth anything, it has to be worth "something."

If you are going to take and leave items, I suggest the things that are worth the least.

[ricnally 259]

NEVER EVER lie the the CBP, even about why you're taking something to the USA! Why on earth someone would suggest you do this is beyond me.

No you can't move thing ahead of time without paying duty. You have 10 years AFTER you immigrate to move things so no, legally, you cannot move it ahead of time. You'd need to visit and declare it and pay duty, if there is any, on the items. Even if it's a gift. You can't say it's not worth anything, it has to be worth "something."

If you are going to take and leave items, I suggest the things that are worth the least.

I totally disagree. OP is going on a visit and taking 2 musical instruments along with him/her. Ridiculous to think that duty would have to be paid. I did not suggest lying (if it's my comment you're referring to), just not to offer up extra information that is not required.

[NikLR 13,232]

If you take something to the USA, on a visit to leave there, lets say as a gift, you legally MUST declare that item.

https://help.cbp.gov/app/answers/detail/a_id/975/~/visitors-gift-exemptions

http://www.cbp.gov/travel/international-visitors/kbyg/must-declare

Not mentioning something is lying by omission.

They can take $100 worth of items to leave with their spouse. anything over that worth would be charged duty. Which is why the OP should take the two "worthless" items and make sure their value is under $100 (combined) vs the expensive guitar.

[Udella&Wiz 325]

People travel with musical instruments all the time.....I don't interpret anything as lying by omission either. If you bring a hair dryer and leave it there on purpose or accidentally no one is going to cry foul either, its not exactly in the same class as 'breaking a major law'. Who do you think will ask you if you left your guitar back in TX? The Canadian border guy on the way back home doesn't have a clue what you left with.

Many times during this immigration process we start overthinking things and make things more complicated. Unless they ask what your plans are with those items, I wouldnt; be concerned...answer truthfully.

I have to respectfully disagree with NLR.

Edited April 8, 2014 by Udella&Wiz

[NikLR 13,232]

Well hubs and I tend to play by the rules, maybe more than others. Do whatever floats your boat. After all, it's no skin of my back. Have a nice journey OP.

[aaron2020 11,651]

Well hubs and I tend to play by the rules, maybe more than others. Do whatever floats your boat. After all, it's no skin of my back. Have a nice journey OP.

Hi,

Good thing it's no skin off your back because you are wrong.

Look at what you posted.

OP is brining his personal item to Texas and leaving them in the safe hands of his wife. He is not selling them. He is not making a gift of them. It's his personal property.

In your CBP link where things must be declared - brining in his personal property and keeping it is not on the list of things that must be declared.

OP is playing by the rules.

Edited April 8, 2014 by aaron2020

[aaron2020 11,651]

I've planned out my move to Texas, for all that my visa is months and months off yet. I'll be going by plane. Everything I really need to bring with me will fit in a carry-on, a travel carrier for a cat and two suitcases. Except for three items. 1) a 100 year old french violin that is actually worthless due to a minor crack in the back (it's repairable and I intend to have it repaired so I can play it as it's a family heirloom) 2) a 90 year old antique mandolin that is worthless (again, heirloom, needs a minor repair, something that I intend to do) 3) a 10 year old Ibanez guitar that's worth about 500 dollars.

I'm going down for a visit this summer to meet her family and I'm considering taking the guitar and violin down with me and leaving them with my wife, thus saving money on shipping the instruments (the mandolin weighs next to nothing and I can box it up suitable to fedex it to myself).

So how much trouble am I likely to have with this? How much is it likely to cost me in customs fees? I don't want to get in trouble, but if it would save me money in shipping without costing me too much in customs fees, it would be worth it. It's going to cost me enough to be able to bring my cat with me!

There are no custom fees for personal property that you will bring to the US and retain ownership of. You do not even need to declare them.

The musical instruments are "personal effects." (legal term).

Read this: http://www.cbp.gov/travel/international-visitors/kbyg/customs-duty-info

Household Effects & Personal Effects - Customs Duty Guidance

Household effects conditionally included are duty-free. These include such items as furniture, carpets, paintings, tableware, stereos, linens, and similar household furnishings; tools of the trade, professional books, implements, and instruments.

You may import household effects you acquired abroad duty-free if:

• You used them abroad for no less than one year.
• They are not intended for any other person or for sale.

For Customs purposes, clothing, jewelry, photography equipment, portable radios, and vehicles are considered personal effects and cannot be brought in duty-free as household effects. However, duty is usually waived on personal effects more than one year of age. All vehicles are dutiable.

Edited April 8, 2014 by aaron2020

[NikLR 13,232]

He can bring them, even leave them, but he must declare them.

https://help.cbp.gov/app/answers/detail/a_id/246/kw/duty%20exemption%20non-resident

The duty-free exemptions ($200, $800, or $1,600)
apply if:
? The items are for your personal or household use or intended to be given as gifts.
? They are in your possession, that is, they accompany you when you return to the United States. Items to be sent later may not be included in your $800 duty-free exemption. (Exceptions apply for goods sent from Guam or the U.S. Virgin Islands.)
? They are declared to CBP. If you do not declare something that should have been declared, you risk forfeiting it. If in doubt, declare it.
? You are returning from an overseas stay of at least 48 hours. For example, if you leave the United States at 1:30 p.m. on June 1, you would complete the 48-hour period at 1:30 p.m. on June 3. This time limit does not apply if you are returning from Mexico or from the U.S. Virgin Islands. (See also the section on the $200 exemption.)
? You have not used all of your exemption allowance, or used any part of it, in the past 30 days. For example, if you go to England and bring back $150 worth of items, you must wait another 30 days before you are allowed another $800 exemption. (See the section on the $200 exemption.)
? The items are not prohibited or restricted as discussed in the section on Prohibited and Restricted Items in the "Know Before You Go" <a data-cke-saved-href="Publications section of our Web site.

If you wish to receive automatic updates to this Q&A, select "Subscribe to Updates" on the left side of this screen.

So hey now... everyone who hasn't been grated a visa yet, you can send your items to the USA first, but only in XX dollar values based on what country you came from!

[aaron2020 11,651]

He can bring them, even leave them, but he must declare them.

https://help.cbp.gov/app/answers/detail/a_id/246/kw/duty%20exemption%20non-resident

The duty-free exemptions ($200, $800, or $1,600)

apply if:

? The items are for your personal or household use or intended to be given as gifts.

? They are in your possession, that is, they accompany you when you return to the United States. Items to be sent later may not be included in your $800 duty-free exemption. (Exceptions apply for goods sent from Guam or the U.S. Virgin Islands.)

? They are declared to CBP. If you do not declare something that should have been declared, you risk forfeiting it. If in doubt, declare it.

? You are returning from an overseas stay of at least 48 hours. For example, if you leave the United States at 1:30 p.m. on June 1, you would complete the 48-hour period at 1:30 p.m. on June 3. This time limit does not apply if you are returning from Mexico or from the U.S. Virgin Islands. (See also the section on the $200 exemption.)

? You have not used all of your exemption allowance, or used any part of it, in the past 30 days. For example, if you go to England and bring back $150 worth of items, you must wait another 30 days before you are allowed another $800 exemption. (See the section on the $200 exemption.)

? The items are not prohibited or restricted as discussed in the section on Prohibited and Restricted Items in the "Know Before You Go" <a data-cke-saved-href="Publications section of our Web site.

If you wish to receive automatic updates to this Q&A, select "Subscribe to Updates" on the left side of this screen.

So hey now... everyone who hasn't been grated a visa yet, you can send your items to the USA first, but only in XX dollar values based on what country you came from!

You are wrong. He does not need to declare them.

What you highlighted is a suggestion to declare something just in case it needed declaring. It does not state that he "MUST" declare all his personal effects.

[nightingalejules 678]

If asked, OP could say the instruments were being taken to a luthier to be repaired... which is technically true. Eventually, that's just what OP intends to do.

[aaron2020 11,651]

If asked, OP could say the instruments were being taken to a luthier to be repaired... which is technically true. Eventually, that's just what OP intends to do.

NEVER LIE TO IMMIGRATON!!!!!

Why should OP make up a lie? Who's the luthier that will do the repairs?????

Sometimes, there is nothing exciting about a situation. Until someone creates suspicion with lies and half truths.

All the OP has to do is say they are his personal effects and he intends to leave them with his wife. That's all. Nothing exciting.