IR-1 Entry: Visitors' or U.S. Line? [split & merged topic]

[devusr 41]

If my wife is coming alone as IR1 (I'm already in the US), which line should she go to? Visitors line???

Edited June 8, 2023 by devusr

[M+K IL 102]

11 minutes ago, devusr said:

If my wife is coming alone as IR1 (I'm already in the US), which line should she go to? Visitors line???

By herself? Definitely visitors line unless directed otherwise .

 

Even when she gets her green card, in many airports those now get lumped together with visitors too - I was disappointed my first time coming into the country after getting GC. Get Global Entry as soon as she gets GC so after that you both can use the Global Entry kiosks

[Redro 4,611]

41 minutes ago, devusr said:

If my wife is coming alone as IR1 (I'm already in the US), which line should she go to? Visitors line???

When she arrives she needs to tell people she is activating immigrant visa. They will tell her where to go… 

[devusr 41]

My wife has a several 22 karat diamond encrusted jewelry that I bought her over a 4 year period....the total value would probably be around $8000 USD. She will be wearing a bracelet, bangle, and wedding ring but the rest will be in her hand purse. She has certificates of authenticity for all of the jewelry.

 

How should we declare this to customs? Do we even need to declare it? It's personal use. When do we usually get the form to fill out?

Edited June 8, 2023 by devusr

[Mike E 11,739]

6 minutes ago, devusr said:

bought her over a 4 year period

Where was it purchased?

[devusr 41]

11 minutes ago, Mike E said:

Where was it purchased?

Most of it was  in Sri Lanka and only 1 in Bahamas. There was an economic crisis in Sri Lanka and they are still recovering.

 

Most of the Jewlery was bought when the currency exchange was 1 USD to Sri Lankan 170 rupees. Some of the Jewlery was bought when the currency exchange was 1 USD to 360 rupees.

 

So when we estimate the value........what exchange rate should we even use? This is so confusing.

 

 

Edited June 8, 2023 by devusr

[nelmagriffin 148]

note: I read the following below, but if you want to make sure contact them directly. 

references: Registering jewelry with U.S. Customs and Border Protection prior to traveling abroad (cbp.gov)

                     Frequent question: Do you have to declare jewelry at customs? - Shine precious stones (phioro.com

[JeanneAdil 6,491]

It does get very confusing 

u need to declare all jewelry with the receipts u mentioned

Take your receipts/ declare it /u can put ? mark for value and let CBP officer see receipts and figure US $  from other currency and even if u mail it,  u pay duty when it arrives in US

 

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.

 

if the jewelry that was purchased in Bahamas was bought within last 30 days (and u can prove this )  no duty on 1st $800

• Many products from Caribbean and Andean countries are exempt from duty under the Caribbean Basin Initiative (CBI), Caribbean Basin Trade Partnership Act, Andean Trade Preference Act and the Andean Trade Promotion and Drug Eradication Act.

To even be more confusing , there are higher duty rates on some EU countries 

 

and CBP  says u should declare jewelry when leaving the US so CBP doesn't make u pay duty when u return

 

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

[Mike E 11,739]

31 minutes ago, devusr said:

Most of it was  in Sri Lanka and only 1 in Bahamas. There was an economic crisis in Sri Lanka and they are still recovering

As this was personal property she bought years ago, and as she is entering on an IR-1 visa, IME no duty will be due. For example, when my father died, I inherited a bunch of his stuff. Pulled up at the CBP inspection station, and declared it with estimated valuation. Officer said this was exempt from duty.

 

Declare it of course. For simplicity use the price paid USD as the value.

 

You could get it appraised, but not worth the hassle IMHO.

[devusr 41]

23 minutes ago, Mike E said:

As this was personal property she bought years ago, and as she is entering on an IR-1 visa, IME no duty will be due. For example, when my father died, I inherited a bunch of his stuff. Pulled up at the CBP inspection station, and declared it with estimated valuation. Officer said this was exempt from duty.

 

Declare it of course. For simplicity use the price paid USD as the value.

 

You could get it appraised, but not worth the hassle IMHO.

 

When you say price paid as USD, do you mean convert the rupees into USD based on the time each piece of jewelry was brought OR the currency exchange rate?

[Mike E 11,739]

3 minutes ago, devusr said:

When you say price paid as USD, do you mean convert the rupees into USD based on the time each piece of jewelry was brought

USD equivalent at the time the items were purchased.

 

Per https://hts.usitc.gov/view/Chapter 71?release=2023HTSARev7 jewelry is dutied at 6.3 percent. So this discussion is about at most $504. Which I predict will not be collected. 
 

 

[devusr 41]

24 minutes ago, Mike E said:

USD equivalent at the time the items were purchased.

 

Per https://hts.usitc.gov/view/Chapter 71?release=2023HTSARev7 jewelry is dutied at 6.3 percent. So this discussion is about at most $504. Which I predict will not be collected. 
 

 

I just did a calculation according and based on that it's about $10,600 worth of jewelry. So at 6.3 percent, my wife has to pay $668.80 dollars on her own personal jewelry?!?!? Wow.

 

She only has $300 cash on her and her debit card might not work. Is there a way I can pay it?

 

 

[Mike E 11,739]

3 minutes ago, devusr said:

She only has $300 cash on her and her debit card might not work. Is there a way I can pay it?

If this worries you, send her money via western union or money-gram before she goes to the airport.

 

Personally I would be more worried that someone is doing an international trip with no functioning credit card and only $300 than the remote risk of duty.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Ontarkie 14,218]

~~Moved to Moving to the US and Your New Life, from IR1/CR1 P&P - as this is a moving and customs question.~~

[TBoneTX 45,266]

The above were split from another thread in another forum.