Before Covid, I try to keep my abroad shopping $800 or less as much as possible.
However, I'm planning a Paris shopping trip, are they more strict now when it comes to duties tax?
US Customs discussion - airports, importing
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Before Covid, I try to keep my abroad shopping $800 or less as much as possible.
However, I'm planning a Paris shopping trip, are they more strict now when it comes to duties tax?
What do you mean by "strict"? In my experience they are charging the full amount more often, if that is the question. It's always best to assume you will get the maximum assessment (which is still quite a bit less than you save in Paris).
You still have to declare. Many people have reported paying customs fees in this thread. I think some airports may do a more rigorous exam than others, maybe depending on how many people there are, staffing etc. But I would expect to pay the requisite amount when factoring it into your cost of something.
I do see people get pulled over for failure to declare these days, particularly depending on the airport. In my recent case, I was the only one declaring for tax purposes and i felt they treated me quite fairly as a result. Don’t take the risk at losing your beautiful things and heavy fines, in addition to causing yourself future travel headaches like loss of global entry/TSA pre and higher scrutiny when returning to the US through customs.
@QuelleFromage and @lulilu are right. Just declare.
Also be mindful that at many US airports it’s the honor system meaning it’s possible no one will specifically ask you or there may not be a form BUT you are still expected to declare. My last trip from Paris no one asked , I have GE and there was no question on the electronic form but as I was about to exit I told the agent and he sent me to the customs desk where I formally declared and paid. It’s possible that I could have just walked through the exit BUT I would risk that so be mindful that you may have to tell the agents that you are declaring.
In general leather handbags are 9% which is the most I have paid BUT I know someone who came from
Paris to US via Canada and they were charged significantly more… when we went back and read the CBP it was clear that there actually isn’t a max☹️It might be some weird Canada thing but it was US customs in Canada. It was a connecting flight the people did not visit Canada. It was crazy. There were 2 people traveling together and it happened to both of them
It's NOT the "honor system" (and I'm not even referring to the fact that it's actually the law). French customs reports detaxe activity to US CBP and while, yes, they can't monitor everything, they see large purchases. I'm not going to post about this again, because I've said this before, but your US passport is tied to your purchases in Europe and to your request for tax exemption, and this activity goes to CBP. What level CBP takes note of I could not tell you but I had a CBP official tell me (with a little bit of glee) - "There are only two people declaring from your Paris flight, but we know everyone who made a big purchase and claimed tax refund. We will be calling on some folks."
It's your decision but again, it is actually a law, and if it goes wrong you can lose all frequent traveler privileges (like, no Global Entry for life?! Is that worth even a few thousand dollars?) and be pulled aside whenever you enter the US. (You can also lose your purchased items.) It's not easy (added an hour to our last entrance into the US in JFK) and I wish it were automated or somehow made simpler, but now that the systems are tied...as I said, last time I make this plea - not worth it!
+1 on everything above, as I've also said this all before- it ain't news.
My last entrances to JFK from Paris (March) and UK (June) were just as QF described. I actively had to look for and seek out a Customs agent in March, and I was thrilled to do it. Not only added just 15 min, so I was STILL in my car while most of the plane was waiting for bags etc., but the Customs agent was actively appreciative of my looking for him. So much so that he declared I had the lowest possible amount due ( their calculations can be very elastic), and that I should just go now having filled out his form, and they would send me a bill ( I think the CC machine was out of order). Bill arrives exactly when he said it would, and for the amount he had "calculated" it to be- which again, was exceedingly below what it should/could have been- and I was done.
As of now- the duty free amount into the USA is $800 per person, but can be combined with a spouse/family member/ person living in the same household for a (usual) total of $1600.
here's the link the US Customs and Border Control- everything you could possibly want to know is there.
Have a wonderful and safe trip!
My last entrances to JFK from Paris (March) and UK (June) were just as QF described. I actively had to look for and seek out a Customs agent in March, and I was thrilled to do it. Not only added just 15 min, so I was STILL in my car while most of the plane was waiting for bags etc., but the Customs agent was actively appreciative of my looking for him. So much so that he declared I had the lowest possible amount due ( their calculations can be very elastic), and that I should just go now having filled out his form, and they would send me a bill ( I think the CC machine was out of order). Bill arrives exactly when he said it would, and for the amount he had "calculated" it to be- which again, was exceedingly below what it should/could have been- and I was done.
As of now- the duty free amount into the USA is $800 per person, but can be combined with a spouse/family member/ person living in the same household for a (usual) total of $1600.
here's the link the US Customs and Border Control- everything you could possibly want to know is there.
Have a wonderful and safe trip!
how much did you pay or estimate for customs total? how much was your shopping total? I'm doing a shopping trip in Paris in December!
+1 on everything above, as I've also said this all before- it ain't news.
My last entrances to JFK from Paris (March) and UK (June) were just as QF described. I actively had to look for and seek out a Customs agent in March, and I was thrilled to do it. Not only added just 15 min, so I was STILL in my car while most of the plane was waiting for bags etc., but the Customs agent was actively appreciative of my looking for him. So much so that he declared I had the lowest possible amount due ( their calculations can be very elastic), and that I should just go now having filled out his form, and they would send me a bill ( I think the CC machine was out of order). Bill arrives exactly when he said it would, and for the amount he had "calculated" it to be- which again, was exceedingly below what it should/could have been- and I was done.
As of now- the duty free amount into the USA is $800 per person, but can be combined with a spouse/family member/ person living in the same household for a (usual) total of $1600.
here's the link the US Customs and Border Control- everything you could possibly want to know is there.
Have a wonderful and safe trip!
Came back a few weeks ago from Paris into JFK. Was asked if I had purchased anything upon exiting and declared. He asked to see my VAT refund forms. Agent appreciated the honesty and taxed me 5% across the board which I felt was fair and much less than if I had purchased the items at my home store. Meanwhile my GF got pulled over by another agent and got penalized 3x the full tax rates for not declaring. So best to be honest when the agents ask.
Did she get her items seized? If not she should consider herself lucky. And she will be flagged for the next few years for a search each time she flies home. Full disclosure: I have no sympathy for customs evaders.
I have a silly question. When you purchase from a duty free store (which requires you to have a plane ticket to international destination on the same day, and the receipt does show your flight information) and return to US, do the duty free shop and/or the airline company alert the customs department that you had made a duty-free purchase? Hope this makes sense. Thanks!
It really makes no difference because duty free only applies to VAT, not customs fees due when entering the US.
I use the Pedro machines. I had no problem leaving Singapore at 6am, before the customs office opened, by using the Pedro machines. CDC asks you to use them first and only see the agent if asked.