Engagement Ring- Import Tax in UK?

[Nich-Nick 3,354]

$100 is right for non USC... but the US adds in the nice bonus point of all duty is waved on all personal effects over one year. And honestly, I don't ever see an officer struggling to determine what is and isn't over a year.

Now I'm pretty interested to know what's the procedure of customs duty when he arrives at the POE with his K1 and a couple of suitcases of his belongings (clothes, laptop, xbox etc) does the one year provision still apply?

What you stated is more about an immigrant's allowance at POE or their shipped items. And it is good for a certain period after the immigration POE date. Five years??

Nothing is waived for visitors. There is a $100 limit of things visitors can bring duty free and leave in the US. For example--Pheebs brought gifts and should have itemized them and their value on the customs form. She wouldn't have to list her clothing, camera, phone, laptop, etc because they are returning to the UK when her visit is over. When she moves over with her visa, then those items are her "household goods" and she can bring them all duty free to stay in the US.

[yuna628 9,702]

What you stated is more about an immigrant's allowance at POE or their shipped items. And it is good for a certain period after the immigration POE date. Five years??

Nothing is waived for visitors. There is a $100 limit of things visitors can bring duty free and leave in the US. For example--Pheebs brought gifts and should have itemized them and their value on the customs form. She wouldn't have to list her clothing, camera, phone, laptop, etc because they are returning to the UK when her visit is over. When she moves over with her visa, then those items are her "household goods" and she can bring them all duty free to stay in the US.

See this is where I'm a little confused. CBP seems to feel household goods and personal effects are two different things. One is duty free, the other is not unless you have owned them for a year.

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

He won't be shipping anything here because of the expense, he'll just take what he can pack with him. Just curious what he'd need to fill out on his form.

[Nich-Nick 3,354]

See this is where I'm a little confused. CBP seems to feel household goods and personal effects are two different things. One is duty free, the other is not unless you have owned them for a year.

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

He won't be shipping anything here because of the expense, he'll just take what he can pack with him. Just curious what he'd need to fill out on his form.

I think the page is confusing you because it is written to Americans. You as an American going abroad on a vacation and bringing souvenirs or Swiss watches, or Japanese electronics back into the US have a limit, then duty or import taxes may apply. Or if you as an American got transferred by your company to work a few years in Brazil, you would likely acquire certain things in your living there that you could bring back.

Your fiancé as an immigrant gets to bring his household goods, personal effects in unlimited amount. They are supposed to be older than a year. But again, how do they know if the RayBans on his head or the jeans on his body were bought recently or last year. I wouldn't get too paranoid over that. Now if he brings a suitcase full of new in the box, sealed iPhone 6...well that wouldn't fly as his personal effects should they choose to search his luggage.

The airplane customs forms says to list and value anything that is going to remain in the US. I was curious at the time of my fiancé's POE if they wanted a list from him. And since I was with him and we had six bags between us, would it be a problem if my bags were mostly his stuff. We had the insides of his computer, old coins, several cameras and such besides clothing. I spoke to the CBP supervisor at the POE airport and he said don't make a list. Write Household Goods in the list part of the form. If you purchased duty free items or bring souvenirs, then do list them separately with a value. So our customs form looked something like this--

2 lbs English cheddar-------$10

Harrod's bear------------------$20

800 tea bags-------------------$20

Household Goods

[wbeem 568]

I bought and wrapped presents for everyone at home before leaving, and brought presents with me for Dans family with the exception of two people who I've just bought presents for this week

What did you declare as the value of gifts remaining in the US on your customs declaration? The duty is not really that much, but with the exchange rate as it is, that only gives you about £65 worth. So I ordered most of my stuff online to be shipped to my fiance in the US. It's not paying duty - it's the hassle of having to make one more stop and join an extra line when we just want to get out connection and get moving.

[wbeem 568]

I spoke to the CBP supervisor at the POE airport and he said don't make a list. Write Household Goods in the list part of the form. If you purchased duty free items or bring souvenirs, then do list them separately with a value. So our customs form looked something like this--

2 lbs English cheddar-------$10

Harrod's bear------------------$20

800 tea bags-------------------$20

Household Goods

That is very helpful. Thank you. For some reason, your post didn't show up until after I'd posted. So you just used a separate piece of paper? I'd rather do it before we go, than try do the math in my head 7 hours into a flight.

[Pheebs1201 269]

What did you declare as the value of gifts remaining in the US on your customs declaration? The duty is not really that much, but with the exchange rate as it is, that only gives you about £65 worth. So I ordered most of my stuff online to be shipped to my fiance in the US. It's not paying duty - it's the hassle of having to make one more stop and join an extra line when we just want to get out connection and get moving.

I was travelling with Dan and the items were in his suitcase so he declared them not me, as all of the gifts were from us both anyway. The amount they came to was insufficient for him to have to pay anything extra, although I believe he estimated what they cost instead of recalling the exact amount we'd paid, as we started our christmas shopping quite awhile ago . Sorry I can't be of more help!

[Nich-Nick 3,354]

That is very helpful. Thank you. For some reason, your post didn't show up until after I'd posted. So you just used a separate piece of paper? I'd rather do it before we go, than try do the math in my head 7 hours into a flight.

There is a form you will have to write it on. Looks like this on the front http://www.cbp.gov/travel/us-citizens/sample-declaration-form. The back has a place to itemize. Sometimes those forms are on the airline counter when you check in. Otherwise they will hand out on the plane before landing. You can take a list with you as a reminder note, but have to copy it onto the form. That's what I did when we travelled all over Europe on vacation ..kept a log of what I bought as I went along. Then I didn't have to try to remember four weeks and 7-8 countries.

The POE list was easy because we bought the tea and cheese at Sainsbury's the day before and I bought the bear in the airport.

[yuna628 9,702]

Hmm interesting Nich-Nick, thanks much. He would have his xbox and a few games receipt with him (he refuses to leave it behind).. so he could absolutely prove that it's all older than a year if he was ever questioned. But yes I always wondered what he should write. Putting household goods is very simple indeed.

[mlh 93]

A lot of the airports now have the automated kiosks so you don't even have to hand write the customs forms....

http://www.cbp.gov/travel/us-citizens/automated-passport-control-apc

[wbeem 568]

There is a form you will have to write it on. Looks like this on the front http://www.cbp.gov/travel/us-citizens/sample-declaration-form. The back has a place to itemize. Sometimes those forms are on the airline counter when you check in. Otherwise they will hand out on the plane before landing. You can take a list with you as a reminder note, but have to copy it onto the form. That's what I did when we travelled all over Europe on vacation ..kept a log of what I bought as I went along. Then I didn't have to try to remember four weeks and 7-8 countries.

The POE list was easy because we bought the tea and cheese at Sainsbury's the day before and I bought the bear in the airport.

Thanks. The link takes me to a page saying it has been moved.

So this is a different form to the blue and white customs declaration they usually have at check in or hand out on the plane? I have a spare one here and there is a space on the second side near the bottom where it says Description of articles with a place for value. Is this where I complete the details? We have never taken anything except the standard requested Cadburys for our US friends.

[Nich-Nick 3,354]

Thanks. The link takes me to a page saying it has been moved.

So this is a different form to the blue and white customs declaration they usually have at check in or hand out on the plane? I have a spare one here and there is a space on the second side near the bottom where it says Description of articles with a place for value. Is this where I complete the details? We have never taken anything except the standard requested Cadburys for our US friends.

?? I dunno. http://www.cbp.gov/travel/us-citizens/sample-declaration-form

Trying again.

Yes. That is the form. There is a more sophisticated form when shipping a load of unaccompanied goods, but things with you on the flight use the form you have.