CITES, travel and exotics

TPF may earn a commission from merchant affiliate
links, including eBay, Amazon, and others

Hi, thank you so much, this is really helpful. Unfortunately Brazil, Chile and Colombia (the ones I searched and called) have no exemptions. Brazil and Colombia have very strict regulations because of the Amazon. Italy is not friendly - the way they interpret the legislation is that if you are an Italian moving back to Italy you can bring as personal effects within a year of establishing residence there (which is a major hassle; you need to file for residence and the police actually comes to your house unannounced within 3 months to make sure you actually live there, and only after certification you would be considered a resident). If you are living outside of Italy just coming in and out, no, you would need permits. Customs there is very strict - just because it is one of my passports (I haven’t lived there in 20 years and wasn’t born or brought up there) they make me prove every time that I don’t live there otherwise they don’t approve my tax free forms bc I go so often. Now that I married one it became worse 😆😆Even if I use my other passports to get in, they still connect them to my Italian passport. A nightmare. So now I come in with bank accounts statements, lease agreements, business cards, print outs of where offices are etc.
So I actually just spent some time reading the Italian websites and laws in question, I highly suspect you were told incorrectly because Italy says they implement the same exemptions as EU (so in the case of croc handbags, as long as it’s not more than 4, you are good).

Edit: and, I found the Brazilian law too ! https://www.informea.org/en/legisla...onvention-flora-and-fauna-international-trade

Link to the full PDF: https://faolex.fao.org/docs/pdf/bra112515.pdf

CAPÍTULO IV (Chapter 4)
DAS ISENÇÕES (Exemptions)

If Google translate is not failing me, Article 16, part III under there is saying that exemptions for personal effects apply! (III - espécimes que sejam objetos pessoais ou de uso doméstico)

:smile:
 
Last edited:
  • Insightful
Reactions: Hermes Zen
I still read your post and saw the bag. Unfortunately I have to tell you, if the postal border control does their due diligance, the bag will be confiscated and it will not arrive.

It is 100% an exotic leather (caiman, or crocodile). And is therefore not legal to cross borders.
Does it make a difference if it's vintage, or this case, possibly antique?
 
Does it make a difference if it's vintage, or this case, possibly antique?
No, because you can‘t prove it is older than July 1st 1975. And even if you did have documentation, submitting them, and applying for a cites-excempt document is time consuming. The value of the bag does not reflect the hassle.

However if you are indeed lucky, they simply won‘t open your package and the seller marked it as „vintage handbag“ only. If thats the case it will arrive. Its possible they don’t care to open it since the bag was probably only around 20-50 bucks. (At least thats what these are worth nowadays).

I hope you‘ll receive the bag nevertheless.
 
Does it make a difference if it's vintage, or this case, possibly antique?
No, because you can‘t prove it is older than July 1st 1975. And even if you did have documentation, submitting them, and applying for a cites-excempt document is time consuming. The value of the bag does not reflect the hassle.

However if you are indeed lucky, they simply won‘t open your package and the seller marked it as „vintage handbag“ only. If thats the case it will arrive. Its possible they don’t care to open it since the bag was probably only around 20-50 bucks. (At least thats what these are worth nowadays).

I hope you‘ll receive the bag
Does it make a difference if it's vintage, or this case, possibly antique?
Always contact the seller prior to purchase to mark the value low and to not indicate the exotic leather. If its only a 20$ bag, even if it is confiscated by customs, it was worth a try and you‘re not at a huge loss.
 
  • Like
Reactions: ConnieinSeattle
No, because you can‘t prove it is older than July 1st 1975. And even if you did have documentation, submitting them, and applying for a cites-excempt document is time consuming. The value of the bag does not reflect the hassle.

However if you are indeed lucky, they simply won‘t open your package and the seller marked it as „vintage handbag“ only. If thats the case it will arrive. Its possible they don’t care to open it since the bag was probably only around 20-50 bucks. (At least thats what these are worth nowadays).

I hope you‘ll receive the bag

Always contact the seller prior to purchase to mark the value low and to not indicate the exotic leather. If its only a 20$ bag, even if it is confiscated by customs, it was worth a try and you‘re not at a huge loss.
Thank you for the wisdom.
 
Hi everyone,
Recently I scored a Hermes mini bolide in exotic leather at my local boutique in Singapore .... I am planning to bring this new bag to Korea and Japan for my coming holiday.... other than bringing a copy of the CITES certificate, receipt of purchase...do i need to apply for an import license or application prior to my holiday? Appreciate all your advice....
 
Travel with exotics - AUSTRALIA

I have recently been researching the requirements for the personal effects exemption in relation to travel with exotics to and from Australia and I thought I’d post a link to the relevant section of the Australian Government website for the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment & Water, in case it is helpful for anyone doing similar research. This sets out a relatively concise summary of this complex regulatory area.

CITES personal effects exemption, Australia
 
Hi girls. I was wondering about something. I’m based in UK and bought online python bag from Singapore. I don’t have any cites for it and would like to request it from uk government. I bought bag a year ago and do you know if there is any penalties because I didn’t tell them straight away or applied before purchase?
The purchase was fast as the bag is gorgeous and it goes fast so I didn’t apply before.
 
Hi guys,

I recently purchase a preloved Hermès Constance with exotic clasp through an auction house. They do not have the real cites but they do come with a copy of the cites with the barcode. Do you think for travel it is enough to just bring the copy?

Thank you!
 
Hi guys,

I recently purchase a preloved Hermès Constance with exotic clasp through an auction house. They do not have the real cites but they do come with a copy of the cites with the barcode. Do you think for travel it is enough to just bring the copy?

Thank you!
I would assume so - as Ive only received cites directly from the H boutique, in both cases, both were copies - not original. i could tell because there was a decent amount of handwritten notes throughout, and it was clearly re printed from a scanner/copier machine of some sort.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Bagsbags18
Hi guys,

I recently purchase a preloved Hermès Constance with exotic clasp through an auction house. They do not have the real cites but they do come with a copy of the cites with the barcode. Do you think for travel it is enough to just bring the copy?

Thank you!

I would assume so - as Ive only received cites directly from the H boutique, in both cases, both were copies - not original. i could tell because there was a decent amount of handwritten notes throughout, and it was clearly re printed from a scanner/copier machine of some sort.
There is only one original of a CITES and it is held by the importer of the hide. Therefore CITES from stores are almost always a copy.
 
Hi girls. I was wondering about something. I’m based in UK and bought online python bag from Singapore. I don’t have any cites for it and would like to request it from uk government. I bought bag a year ago and do you know if there is any penalties because I didn’t tell them straight away or applied before purchase?
The purchase was fast as the bag is gorgeous and it goes fast so I didn’t apply before.
If you already have possession of the bag in the UK
it would have passed through customs and import controls
as long as you do not want to travel abroad with it
I don't think you have anything to worry about

CITES for it needs to have been issued by the manufacturer or vendor to certify that it was not made from an endangered animal - it is not something the UK Government would issue retrospectively.
 
Top