View Full Version : Customs and Duty
Recently a friend of mine returned from Amsterdam. She had her Nikon D200 digital SLR camera with her, and was stopped in Customs. They accused her of trying to sneak the camera into the country without paying the appropriate duty. They wanted her to pay the duty, plus a fine for trying to sneak the camera into the country. She had purchased the camera several months before, in her favorite camera store in Chicago. She had no actual proof, but showing them that the camera didn't exactly look new (she's tough on cameras, no she's tough on lots of things) they let her continue to talk. She lucked out. She was carrying a memory card with her, which had on it photos she had taken before she left the country. The data on the card showed that the photos, dated before she left the country, had been taken by the D200. After a few more minutes of discussion they let her go, without having to pay the duty or fine. I repeat she lucked out.
She could have prevented the potential problem, and the time which it wasted, if she had used US Custom's Form 4457, Certificate of Registration for Personal Effects Taken Abroad (http://www.cbp.gov/linkhandler/cgov/toolbox/forms/4457.ctt/cbp_4457.pdf). You fill out the form and take it, along with the items you want to register, before you leave the country, to a Customs Office to be signed by a Customs officer.
If you get questioned by Customs upon reentering the country, you just pop out the form.
I'd like to know how many of you use Customs Registration for some of your personal items, to prove you owned them before leaving the country. If you don't use this registration method, do you do anything else to prevent problems at reentry, or do you just wing it, if necessary, and hope for the best?
REDJIM
07-02-2006, 10:02 AM
Thanks for the tip, Ned. I've never given a thought to identifying personal effects before you posted this question.
Kairho
07-02-2006, 10:58 AM
I obtained that form once, when we walked across the Freedom Bridge (Niagara Falls) to Canada for a few hours. The Inspector was a nice guy, oohed and awed at the mini-camera, and told us it wasn't really all that necessary for just once camera. But that was way pre-911.
Funny aside ... a few hours we walked back and were standing in the immigration/customs line when we saw him leaning against a wall enjoying a smoke break. He recognized me, I waved and he, very friendly-like, asked what we had in the (very obvious) bakery bag. I joked, "chocolate chip cookies," and offered him one saying, "here's your bribe."
He thought that was funny (probably routine) and we chatted, both enjoying a cookie. A few minutes later we were at the window and he yelled over at the inspector there, "Watch out, Joe, they have contraband in the bag!" Well, the inspector pulled a gun and ordered me to put the bag on the counter and not to move.
Meanwhile, my guy was ROFL and soon so was everyone else when they noticed it was a bakery's bag. Except Joe, of course, who just said, get out of here, pointing towards the US.
travel
07-03-2006, 01:29 PM
The one time I had to take my computer with me on an overseas trip, I completed the form. Typically, I don't, but I never thought about camera issues. I'm about to get a new camera prior to my Athens/Marseilles cruise, so I'm thinking I should do that for this trip. Thanks for the info!
mercwyn
07-03-2006, 01:36 PM
I have used the form several times for cameras, computers and watches and I haven't had to use on most trips but when I came back from Turkey last time customs in JFK started asking about my 1954 Rolex (inherited it from my Grandfather who told me to wear it everywhere) and my 35mm SLR that I bought used in 1990. I pulled out the form and away I went.
As an aside, when I was in college, at the University of Arizona in Tucson, one of the guys in my dorm drove into Mexico. When returning into the States his passenger made a joking comment that they were smuggling the car back into the US. Apparently the Customs agent wasn't amused because they pulled the car to one side and took it apart. When they were done, the Customs agents said, well, you can go, we didn't find any contraband and walked away from the disassembled car. :o
Since then I haven't joked with Customs because I don't want to be disassembled! :lol:
deangreenhoe
07-03-2006, 01:45 PM
Since then I haven't joked with Customs because I don't want to be disassembled!*
:lol: :lol: :lol:
Yeah, I got "disassembled" in Grand Portage, Minnesota...in a rental car. I'm still not sure if we ever got all the pieces put back in the right place.
Of course XXX Rent-A-Car didn't dare say a word since our two hours of search and seizure was their fault. Evidently the lot crew thought it was a good idea to snuff out their doobie in the back seat ashtray before I rented it for the trip to Ontario. <_<
BYOFT
07-03-2006, 02:09 PM
You fill out the form and take it, along with the items you want to register, before you leave the country, to a Customs Office to be signed by a Customs officer.
Where in the heck do you find one of these guys? In the airports, if you are not arriving, they seem to be completely sequestered off from the general public.
Originally posted by BYOFT@Jul 3 2006, 02:09 PM
Where in the heck do you find one of these guys?* In the airports, if you are not arriving, they seem to be completely sequestered off from the general public.
30544
You can go to any "Port of Entry" ('http://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/toolbox/ports/'). Many federal office complexes around the country include customs offices.
deangreenhoe
07-03-2006, 02:26 PM
You can also download the form off the internet, print it out and then fill it in prior to your departure. That's probably the easiest way.
U.S. Customs Form 4457 (http://www.cbp.gov/linkhandler/cgov/toolbox/forms/4457.ctt/cbp_4457.pdf)
cole75
07-03-2006, 02:39 PM
Originally posted by deangreenhoe@Jul 3 2006, 12:45 PM
:lol:* :lol:* :lol:
Yeah, I got "disassembled" in Grand Portage, Minnesota...in a rental car.* I'm still not sure if we ever got all the pieces put back in the right place.
Of course XXX Rent-A-Car didn't dare say a word since our two hours of search and seizure was their fault.* Evidently the lot crew thought it was a good idea to snuff out their doobie in the back seat ashtray before I rented it for the trip to Ontario.* <_<
30540
I thought that you aren't allowed to bring the rentals into Canada - A few years back we had some people come into our office *****ing and moaning b/c they rented a car in MSP drove it to the border and weren't allowed over with it.. they got their relatives/friends from TBay to pick them up at the border and bring them here. They came into our office, wanted us to call the car rental company to see if they wouldn't charge them for the time the car was sitting at the border waiting for them to go back since it wasn't being used... :lol:
deangreenhoe
07-03-2006, 02:56 PM
Nicole...
Maybe they weren't able to cross the border because they didn't have a Canadian Non-Resident Insurance Card. They probably didn't tell the rental agency where they were going so one wasn't issued. It's free of charge, usually just included in the rental packet in locations near the border.
Another reason may be that they rented from a smaller company that limits travel to certain areas, even within the U.S. (i.e. Enterprise.) Some of the smaller companies just won't let you cross the border if they do not have locations in Canada for service reasons. But any major company will let you smuggle your hooch in their rental cars. :lol:
No, I wasn't really smuggling. I just happened to work part time for the agency that I rented from and knew the yahoos out back that cleaned the cars. Suffice it to say I gave them a piece of my mind when I got back, especially since I also got smacked in a McDonald's parking lot in T-Bay by a drunk woman (hey, was that YOU? :lol: ) and had to get a police report. Imagine the FUN I could have had if they would have searched the car also. <_<
travelwhiz
07-03-2006, 03:00 PM
It’s not just for expensive electronics…..you can use this form for furs, designers purses, clothes and luggage, etc. Anything that is made in a foreign country can be questioned, if you go over the duty free limit.
deangreenhoe
07-03-2006, 03:07 PM
...even recommened if you travel with expensive luggage.
It's not all that uncommon for travelers to leave the country with disposable Wal-Mart luggage which magically turns into Vuitton inside a foreign country. Amazingly, it often morphs into something like luxurious calf-skin when you are in Italy. B)
Nicole, Dean is exactly right about driving a rental into Canada from the US. I have personally done it several times. You just have to have your paperwork, the insurance, and permission to drive the car out of the US into Canada from the rental agency, all in order to do it. There are some rental agencies which don't even allow you to drive the rental car out of state.
Originally posted by travelwhiz@Jul 3 2006, 03:00 PM
It’s not just for expensive electronics…..you can use this form for furs, designers purses, clothes and luggage, etc.* Anything that is made in a foreign country can be questioned, if you go over the duty free limit.
30561
Thats for sure T. Before my wife and I went to Florence, Italy the last time, we registered the jewelry she was taking with her, one of which actually came from Florence. We don't take many valuable on trips, however, the ones we take we normally register.
glorya14
07-10-2006, 08:11 PM
"You can also download the form off the internet, print it out and then fill it in prior to your departure. That's probably the easiest way. U.S. Customs Form 4457"
Thanks deangreenhoe for the link. Just one other thing, who would we get to sign this when we are leaving a US airport (like O'Hare, for example)?? Can this be done at the departure terminal?
Originally posted by glorya14@Jul 10 2006, 08:11 PM
"You can also download the form off the internet, print it out and then fill it in prior to your departure. That's probably the easiest way.* U.S. Customs Form 4457"
Thanks deangreenhoe for the link.* Just one other thing, who would we get to sign this when we are leaving a US airport (like O'Hare, for example)??* Can this be done at the departure terminal?
31145
You ask the crucial question. I have never seen a customs office at an airport available for departing passengers to visit. I always take the form to a customs office a few weeks prior to leaving the country if my form needs updating. I'm lucky that in Philadelphia we have a large customs office. It's housed in the historic US Customs House, designed by the famous architecture firm of Ritter and Shay.
Kairho
07-11-2006, 12:02 AM
If departing from an international airport, there will be a customs office somewhere. I once had the form certified (or whatever) in Philadelphia, Ned. Someplace in Terminal A or B if I recall. Fairly hidden ... you have to ask for it.
Originally posted by Kairho@Jul 11 2006, 12:02 AM
If departing from an international airport, there will be a customs office somewhere.* I once had the form certified (or whatever) in Philadelphia, Ned.* Someplace in Terminal A or B if I recall.* Fairly hidden ... you have to ask for it.
31153
Good to know. Thanks. I've flown out of A (International Terminal) many times and would bet it's there.
deangreenhoe
07-11-2006, 07:56 AM
Thanks deangreenhoe for the link. Just one other thing, who would we get to sign this when we are leaving a US airport (like O'Hare, for example)?? Can this be done at the departure terminal?
It can be done at any customs facility. They are located all around the country, including offices in most every airport of even moderate size. You can look up your area locations below, including hours of operation:
CBP (http://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/toolbox/ports/)
EcuadorMan
07-11-2006, 02:58 PM
Thanks a lot for the heads up on this, Ned. I had not heard of this form before. All the best! Allen.
Originally posted by EcuadorMan@Jul 11 2006, 02:58 PM
Thanks a lot for the heads up on this, Ned. I had not heard of this form before. All the best! Allen.
31233
De nada.