Keep Hermes Receipts for US Customs

susanvon

susanvon
O.G.
Aug 27, 2007
479
3
Well I am off to Wien/Vienna, the real one, not the one out here in DC/VA and I wanted to let everyone know that Dulles Customs is cracking down on the US Customs declaration form. US citizens are only allowed to bring in $800 worth of merchandise, which, for Hermes, is practically nothing, as we all know! So keep your Hermes receipts for the items you purchase here in the US (you already paid the duty, why paid again)! The burden of proof is on the traveller, I have all my US Hermes receipts in the Hermes cream envleope that the SAs give us when we purchase something in an Hermes store. If you purchase Hermes items at Neimans, you are not given this Hermes envelope.
I have 3 Hermes stores to shop in this time, down from 5 in February, so I hope I can still do some damage!
Happy Hermes shopping to everyone!
Susan von
:yahoo:Hermes:yahoo:Wien
 
Have a nice trip! And re: customs -- I'm scrupulously honest on those little forms and even when I write an amount over $800, they never assess duty. Some trips were years ago. I know my address is on the forms. Will I be getting a bill someday? The total has never been more than $3000, though, so maybe I'm small potatoes.... :smile:
 
Matt-g, I did the same thing on my Paris trip a few months ago--excruciatingly honest in fact, and the guy at customs waved me through after asking what it was that I bought. I would be surprised if they sent you or I a bill!
 
I am honest as well--the penalties are too huge if caught. Whenever I have passed through with items around $2,000 to $3,000 I have been waved through. That, of course, does not mean it will happen to you!

On my last trip I brought back a birkin and the amount declared must have passed a threshold--I did have to pay. But I was advised at the time that I would be receiving an invoice.

In the end, the amount charged came to about the same than the detaxe credit I would receive.

You get $800 per person free...and the next $1,000 is taxed at a very low level.

I am sure many people breeze through without declaring with no problems, but I just won't risk it myself. Yes, I feel like an idiot on the rare times when I am asked to pay...there I stand alone in line while others walk past (and I KNOW they have $$$ goods). But I have also seen people in tears who have to pay many times what they would have paid.
 
It is always wise to declare ALL of the goods you have purchased. If you don't and a Custom's agent finds items that you have failed to declare they can be confiscated.
If they are nice, they will allow you to pay; but the risk is not worth it.