Duties? Customs?

[ms_mom_1965]

Please, please overlook my ignorance. I have never been out of the country. What are duties? Why do some locales say duty-free? What does Customs check for? If I buy souveneirs for my kids, am I going to owe money for duties on that? How much?

[redskin80]

Ordinary trinkets are not a problem. What you have to declare will be the the large items that you purchase like expensive jewlery. All travelers are allowed a certain amount per trip. You also need to see what amount of liquor is allowed. When you buy in certain places you are allowed more if one of the items is from that country. Just read your documents when they come in and you will have no problems.

[captNcrunch]

Depends on where you go, in general you are allowed to bring back a certain amount of goods "duty free", if you exceed that amount then you must pay the duty on the amount over your allotment. The allotment is different depending on where you go, if you stop in the USVI then the allotment amount is higher. There is also a limit on the amount of liquor and tabacco products you can bring back duty free.

 

Here is a link that explains more details:

http://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/travel/vacation/kbyg/dutyfree_exemption.xml

[BlueHerons]

Please, please overlook my ignorance. I have never been out of the country. What are duties? Why do some locales say duty-free? What does Customs check for? If I buy souveneirs for my kids, am I going to owe money for duties on that? How much?

 

Duty=Tax or Tariff

 

A duty or duties are a system of taxation on goods imported into a country. Duty free means there are no taxes imposed on the items only for use outside the said country with severe limitations.

 

Example; cigarettes are duty free outside the US. You can buy a carton for around half of what they cost in the United States.

 

However, you are only allowed to bring in a certain amount of duty free cigarettes into the United States before you are taxed.

 

As a US citizen, you are allowed to bring up to a certain dollar amount of goods per person before you have to pay tax.

 

On my imigration form, I always list Misc. Goods, value $200 which is under the amount the US allows.

[CruzVinnieCruz]

Even if you go over the liquor allowance the duty is only a buck or two still cheaper than what you can it for at home. We just got back and were over and declared it and they just let us walk through with it. Don't lie about it and get caught that's when people get themselves in trouble.

[zqvol]

Please, please overlook my ignorance. I have never been out of the country. What are duties? Why do some locales say duty-free? What does Customs check for? If I buy souveneirs for my kids, am I going to owe money for duties on that? How much?

When you return you are required to declare everything that you bought while out of the country. You have an exemption on a certain dollar amount. If you exceed the amount you are required to pay a duty on the overage.

 

There are special rules for certain items including liquor, unmounted gems, fine art and some other things.

 

Be sure and read the information that is provided from what ever department is running customs these days (It used to be the US Customs service but I think the name changed.)

 

The duties are no big deal but if you elect not to declare something and get caught that is a big deal. (Don't believe anyone that tells you not to declare something, it is just not worth the risk or the fine.)