i purchased an Ostrich birkin just last month from FSH and was not given a CITES. I specifically asked for it and was told that it is not required. I also did not have any issue leaving France (and the custom officials just looked at the receipt and bag and stamped it).
CITES, travel and exotics
- Thread starter Ms Birkin
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Do you remember if it was printed directly on your receipt instead?
I think they may not give CITES unless you ask for it? I remember mentioning that I was taking it out of the EU, so the SA said she'll get CITES for me. Otherwise, I don't think she was going to mention it.
In any case, I think you can get a CITES from any H store, no?
I was told that they don't give CITES for wallets. I was given one for my belt though only after asking.
It was not printed directly onto the receipt, I will ask at my local store next time I go in if it is possible to obtain one. I also checked my receipt for a lizard agenda wallet that I bought in Geneva last year and I have no cites for that either.
I hope this will not cause me problems in the future, as I use the lizard wallet everytime I travel
I hope this will not cause me problems in the future, as I use the lizard wallet everytime I travel
My last ostrich birkin from FSH was in March'09 - as I had it shipped to me, I was told that the certificate of origin (aka CITES) was meant to be for one-time use, for customs reference.
I also did not get a certificate of origin when I got my ostrich wallet from FSH.
I also did not get a certificate of origin when I got my ostrich wallet from FSH.
here's the lawyer in me rearing her ugly head and getting into technicalities - ostrich does come with documentation, but it's a certificate of origin rather than a CITES certificate.
a CITES certificate is documentation that an article (or specimen) of a species subject to the CITES treaty was harvested in conformity with the treaty rules. farmed ostrich is not a species subject to the CITES treaty, and it is not possible to get such a certificate. what you get is a certificate of origin - which demonstrates that the ostrich in question is not one of the wild species that IS subject to the treaty (and would therefor require a CITES certificate).
which is the long way of saying, with ostrich what you get is a document that shows that you don't need the CITES.
i believe this is technically correct ~ the CITES treaty is not applicable to a person traveling with his/her personal items. it is stated and intended to apply to the commercial export of CITES subject species items/specimens.
however, customs officials don't always know exactly what they are enforcing. in actuality it's not the importing country that should even be looking at CITES documents, since they're required for export - not import. but the broad authority of border crossing police powers means that if they want to, they'll just grab it and make you prove they were wrong. which is expensive, time consuming and inconvenient ~ not to mention, who knows where they keep your expensive croc/lizard piece and whether it's safe from damage during the months of bureaucratic nightmare trying to get it back.
so the safe thing is to get a copy of your CITES or certificate of origin if you're going to travel with it ~ technically you shouldn't need it, but it will save a lot of headache if someone asks for it.
I have spoken to my local store in the UK and they do not issue cites certificates or other documentation with ostrich bags. Ironically I did get one for my alligator bracelet purchased recently. Work the logic out in that one?
As you have already said I am more concerned with having some documentation to be able to prevent my bag being seized (heaven forbide) the situation arises. I really don't understand how Hermes can be so inconsistent. I never had this problem with LV who always gave a Cites Cert without asking and advised me to carry it with the bag when abroad just in case
As you have already said I am more concerned with having some documentation to be able to prevent my bag being seized (heaven forbide) the situation arises. I really don't understand how Hermes can be so inconsistent. I never had this problem with LV who always gave a Cites Cert without asking and advised me to carry it with the bag when abroad just in case
how CITES works (from the website: http://www.cites.org/eng/disc/how.shtml)
Appendix-I specimens
1. An import permit issued by the Management Authority of the State of import is required. This may be issued only if the specimen is not to be used for primarily commercial purposes and if the import will be for purposes that are not detrimental to the survival of the species. In the case of a live animal or plant, the Scientific Authority must be satisfied that the proposed recipient is suitably equipped to house and care for it.
2. An export permit or re-export certificate issued by the Management Authority of the State of export or re-export is also required.
An export permit may be issued only if the specimen was legally obtained; the trade will not be detrimental to the survival of the species; and an import permit has already been issued.
A re-export certificate may be issued only if the specimen was imported in accordance with the provisions of the Convention and, in the case of a live animal or plant, if an import permit has been issued.
In the case of a live animal or plant, it must be prepared and shipped to minimize any risk of injury, damage to health or cruel treatment.
Appendix-II specimens
1. An export permit or re-export certificate issued by the Management Authority of the State of export or re-export is required.
An export permit may be issued only if the specimen was legally obtained and if the export will not be detrimental to the survival of the species.
A re-export certificate may be issued only if the specimen was imported in accordance with the Convention.
2. In the case of a live animal or plant, it must be prepared and shipped to minimize any risk of injury, damage to health or cruel treatment.
3. No import permit is needed unless required by national law.
1. An import permit issued by the Management Authority of the State of import is required. This may be issued only if the specimen is not to be used for primarily commercial purposes and if the import will be for purposes that are not detrimental to the survival of the species. In the case of a live animal or plant, the Scientific Authority must be satisfied that the proposed recipient is suitably equipped to house and care for it.
2. An export permit or re-export certificate issued by the Management Authority of the State of export or re-export is also required.
An export permit may be issued only if the specimen was legally obtained; the trade will not be detrimental to the survival of the species; and an import permit has already been issued.
A re-export certificate may be issued only if the specimen was imported in accordance with the provisions of the Convention and, in the case of a live animal or plant, if an import permit has been issued.
In the case of a live animal or plant, it must be prepared and shipped to minimize any risk of injury, damage to health or cruel treatment.
Appendix-II specimens
1. An export permit or re-export certificate issued by the Management Authority of the State of export or re-export is required.
An export permit may be issued only if the specimen was legally obtained and if the export will not be detrimental to the survival of the species.
A re-export certificate may be issued only if the specimen was imported in accordance with the Convention.
2. In the case of a live animal or plant, it must be prepared and shipped to minimize any risk of injury, damage to health or cruel treatment.
3. No import permit is needed unless required by national law.
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for example, both P and N croc are schedule I species so when hermes gets the raw or tanned hides the exporter needs an export permit and hermes needs an import permit. sending finished goods out of france is re-export, and only a re-export permit is required (i.e., the CITES certificate) ~ no import permit is required since it's not a live animal.
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DQ
... I had to wake the sleeping fuchsia ostrich kelly to peer into her zipper pocket to see the document that I have with it .... I think you are going to laugh ... it's a CITES. It reads "Struthio Camelus Linnaeus Ostrich, South Africa.