I just left Paris this morning and Customs was open at 6am when I went to detaxe. Of course the 9k vat didnt pass the machine so I had to see an officer. He asked if I had the items with me and I replied “yes, would you like to see them”? He said know and I was done. I scanned it into my tax free app so I can track it and dropped it in the mail box located at the back wall behind tax free machines.
US Customs discussion - airports, importing
- Thread starter esyee
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Manon07 is correct. They open at 6am. Usually I’d say go early, as the queue fills up quickly. But with what’s going on with the coronavirus in Asia, the queue might not be as crazy.
Wow! Really? My 7k purchase didnt pass the machine in December. All my Hermes bag purchases never pass. I always have to see the agent and they always want to see the item. But the last 2x, the officers didnt want to see.
When I was there last year they were closed so I just used the kiosk. I actually got there before the kiosk even opened so had to wait for that! I feel like the kiosk opened at 5 am. Officers were maybe 6 or 7 am.
My 11k purchase recently didn’t pass the Pablo Machine and a customs officer validated our tax forms. Before handing back the form he said to make sure you declare at US customs upon arrival in the US. When we arrived the US and scanned our passports on the global entry kiosks, there was a big X on our arrival forms . A US custom officer then approached us and told us to follow him and told us to present all our receipts and purchases. He computed and asked us to pay the necessary dues .
What airport did you fly into? I have always suspected that pretty soon all the foreign airports will be connected to our US airport customs.
Each time I fly back from Paris after using the Tax Back Pablo machines at CDG, I will usually tell the Customs officers I need to pay tax. My Global Entry hasn’t given me an X on the receipt (most recent being three weeks ago).
However, I don’t ever want to NOT disclose information from my Paris purchases. Even with my higher purchase items (B, K, ostrich C, etc) I find the CBP officers are more receptive when you are upfront about needing to pay tax. Each time they’ve actually gone out of their way to make sure I’m paying as minimal as possible and have expressed they’re doing that because people are dishonest with trying to go undetected upon entry in the US.
I usually enter into either DTW or MSP!
Regardless if the PABLO machine works for you or you need to see a real officer, you STILL need to declare at customs when entering the US ( or in theory, anywhere else). Whether you do or not is your own personal call.
For me, I always do. I have 2 lists, one with the calculations in dollars, and one in euros, with the percentages done in different colors for different goods ( its all on the website).Yes, I totally indulge my OCD. I present this to the officer after global entry and ( after they look at the lists and ask themselves if I have taken my medication) they have invariably thanked me for my honesty and waved me through.
Note that if you do NOT declare, and then are caught, the penalties are impressive, including additional duties, an impressive amount of time spent doing all that while they go through everything you and your partner brought in, and a potential to lose your Global Entry. And yes, the fine print DOES state that you can go through at the airport, but if there is a discrepancy between the exit from Paris ( or London , etc. ) and what you declared on the way in, they can still come after you (I think up to 6 months, but not sure as to the time limit).
For me, I always do. I have 2 lists, one with the calculations in dollars, and one in euros, with the percentages done in different colors for different goods ( its all on the website).Yes, I totally indulge my OCD. I present this to the officer after global entry and ( after they look at the lists and ask themselves if I have taken my medication) they have invariably thanked me for my honesty and waved me through.
Note that if you do NOT declare, and then are caught, the penalties are impressive, including additional duties, an impressive amount of time spent doing all that while they go through everything you and your partner brought in, and a potential to lose your Global Entry. And yes, the fine print DOES state that you can go through at the airport, but if there is a discrepancy between the exit from Paris ( or London , etc. ) and what you declared on the way in, they can still come after you (I think up to 6 months, but not sure as to the time limit).
^^^^ I have been reminding people of their customs obligations and the penalties for failing to disclose for some time. Yet I am always astonished (and horrified) by the people who brag that they have scammed customs and -- more disgustingly -- advise others to do the same. smdh
With the price differences between the US and Europe, you still save a lot of money after you pay customs. More importantly, you are obeying the law and not committing a crime for a few hundred dollars.
I also have been waived through after telling agents I owed customs payments. It's best to be honest.
With the price differences between the US and Europe, you still save a lot of money after you pay customs. More importantly, you are obeying the law and not committing a crime for a few hundred dollars.
I also have been waived through after telling agents I owed customs payments. It's best to be honest.
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I always get the X if I declare on the Global Entry kiosk. I usually go through MIA.
