alea

Can someone advise me what happens if you buy more than $400 worth of merchandise in Europe. Is customs really strict about that? Do they collect the extra duty on the spot? Can you pay with a credit card? I can't imagine coming home with less than $400 worth of stuff. Thanks!

xxx

Once you pass your $400 limit, you have to pay 10%, I believe - up to another limit, then the percentage changes. I'm sure this is covered in guidebooks or perhaps on a US Customs website. Some things are duty - free no matter how much you spend - unframed art, antiques, books, perfume, unstrung pearls.

KT

Check out the Know Before You Go brochure at <BR>http://www.customs.treas.gov/travel/travel.htm. <BR> <BR>It says you can pay by Visa and Mastercard "at some locations," which isn't exactly helpful, but it does give lots of detailed information, including how they calculate what you owe. <BR>

Don't want to

... but the form clearly indicates that you are required to itemize your purchases if you have more than FOURTEEN hundred (yes, $1400) of purchases overseas on which you owe duty. <BR> <BR>And keep in mind this is PER person, for all members of your household, traveling with you. <BR> <BR>So, I usually list "gifts", and put a number under $400 (this is always the actual truth for me). If you are searched, your reply MIGHT be that you didn't realize the cost of things, knowing that you were not required to itemize. <BR> <BR>On the other hand, if you really do have more than $1400 worth if items, especially if you have ONE item that cost more than $1400, you simply itemize, and pay on arrival. And yes, I think that they do take credit cards. the websites listed above would seem to confirm that. <BR> <BR>

Ed

Do check the customs website. It's quite helpful. <BR>http://www.customs.treas.gov/about/about.htm is a particularly useful page. <BR> <BR>As stated above, 10% on everything between $400 and $1400, when coming from most countries. And you can pool things within the family, so your $400 exemption is &gt;&gt;per person&lt;&lt;, and the 10% duty on the next $1,000 is per person. Above the $1400 bracket (per person) you pay whatever is the duty on the specific items. The customs personnel are usually quite helpful in assembling the items with the high tariffs into the cheaper bracket, leaving the items with the lower tariff rates for the full-tariff portion. <BR> <BR>Yes, they're pretty strict; yes they collect on the spot. In major airports, certainly, they take credit cards. It's a pretty painless procedure ... except for the expense of course ... which for most folks with two family members in the part is really pretty low-budget. <BR>twenj

elvira

My experience with going over the $400 limit: <BR>1) $600, Customs charged me $20 - don't know how they arrived at that figure, I paid in cash. <BR>2) $800 - they waved me through and never asked for money. <BR> <BR>My take? List honestly what you have (works of art are excluded, so if you buy a painting, list it, but have the receipt) and don't try to shave anything. If you're not sure if something should be declared, DECLARE IT ANYWAY. Have your receipts in one place, all your purchases packed together. They'll take a personal check (geez, they've got your passport number, how hard can it be to run you down if you bounce it? And do you really wanna piss off the Feds?), so just bring one check with you to write in case they don't take credit cards. And let me iterate - DON'T PISS OFF THE FEDS. If you try to sneak in stuff, and get caught, is it worth it? The whole horror of being dragged into a room, everything I own tossed about the place, interrogated...oh god that gives me the creeps. I'll pay my 4% or whatever just to avoid that nightmare. And then they've got your name in a computer, so you're in for it next time. <BR> <BR>Even if I've bought something and worn it, I still declare it. I'll risk jail to protest a war, but not for a $20 scarf.

pam

How do they know what is bought and the prices? a beaded braclet could be a 5 dollar one from the street or it may be 250 dollars from a boutique? Are you all saying they search the luggage, add up the wine, novelty items and so forth and come to a conclusion on how much was spent? gee, I don't even know how much i spend. When I left spain they asked did you buy Lladro? I say no they wave me through. What is the big deal? thank You.

elvira

No, Pam, they don't search everybody's luggage...but they do make random searches. Those guys do know the value of most things, so let's see, 4% of $250 is oh what $10? Maybe other people are willing to risk humiliation and fines for $10, I'm not. So 99 times I go through Customs with no problem, and that 100th time they decide to do a random search. If I've listed everything with a fair price, I've got no worries. All I'm saying is, fair warning. If someone gets caught with stuff they didn't declare, then let's hear no whining and "my rights were violated". <BR> <BR>Same idea as driving drunk - 99 times you get home okay, that 100th time...

Mel

Going through Newark after returning from London I handed the guy my card and he said, "Quickly, what is the most expensive item you bought?" I said, "A purse." He said, "Quickly, how much did you pay for it." I answered him (honestly, of course) and he waved me through. It was the only time I've been questioned, but I was glad I hadn't tried to hide any purchases. He really intimidated me!

Andy

Don't get so frightened of Customs--if you are honest,have everything written down and listed, they will go out of their way to NOT charge you a lot--I have ALWAYS gone over my limit and always listed everything-incl.antiques,artwork,jewelry etc- and the most I have ever paid is abotu $100 in duty--Made the whole trip a major bargain that I wanted to turn around and fly back to Europe and go shopping somemore!-the US DOLLAR is so good right now,go shop to your hearts content-as there is a sliding scale after you go over the $1400 mark and it won't put a dent in your budget.

carol

I agree with Andy--don't be so frightened of Customs. On my last return from Italy, I declared just about $1400 worth of goods. It turned out that everything I bought was duty free--and I owned nothing. The Customs guy told me that you only have to pay duty on clothing, jewelry, perfume and liquor. So if you're like me and buy lots of antiques, flea market stuff and artworks (framed and unframed), and souvenirs, and the occasional bottle of perfume and article of clothing--RELAX.

alea

Thanks everybody! I absolutely wouldn't try to scam the customs agents because I'd be so embarrassed if I got caught...not to mention that thing about having your name in the computer forever. I'll pay whatever I have to pay. Just wondered about it.

Christina

I think partly they go by intuition and looks and their experience. If you're dressed expensively, wearing a fur coat with matching Louis Vuitton luggage, etc and claim you only bought $50 worth of souvenir Tshirts and refrigerator magnets, they are likely to scrutinize you more than a guy in ripped jeans with one backpack. They never question me at all and I itemize every keychain honestly (seriously, although usually I put something like "$10 souvenir trinkets") and never spend more than about $300, most of which is CDs and books and lingerie; I guess I look poor (I know I do) and/or honest. I did bring home jewelry once from Prague where garnets are so cheap, but even then it wasn't more than a couple hundred bucks total.

CAROL

Right--and remember, you only pay duty on the balance left after you subtract $1400!!!

Ed

Carol: <BR> <BR>Again: <BR> <BR>Between 400 and 1400 you pay 10%. That's where Elvira's $20 came from: <BR>$600-$400 exemption leaves $200. 10% of $200 is ... $20! <BR> <BR>Over 1400 you pay the rate set by the tariffs, which are all over 10% I believe. Not all items are tariffed, of course. <BR> <BR>For those who challenge, "What gives them the right to charge?" <BR>It's the law. <BR> <BR>For those who ask, "How do they know...?" <BR>They've got plenty of experience. <BR> <BR>For those who wonder, "Suppose I tell them ...?" <BR>They listen to BS all day long, and can spot it a mile away! <BR> <BR>I've always found them businesslike at least, and often downright pleasant. They're tough as nails with folks who try to cheat &gt;&gt;us&lt;&lt; out of the duty that should be paid. Smuggling isn't a victimless crime ... we're the victims.

lori

Last year while on a return trip to Switzerland I bought a watch. I was aware that I would have to pay customs, (they took my passport number upon the purchase) I promptly took out my receipt, and my visa card and began to calculate what I was suppose to owe in my head. I was shocked as I expected to pay 10% above the limit of duty free. The customs officers looked at my purchase, and only charged me about 6%. They subtracted from the purchase price, the mark up on the item. Large ticketed items are allowed this deduction if properly reported they said. I didn't argue, as I still paid far less than US prices. The worst thing they said, was that if I didn't claim it, they would have confiscated it, with no recourse. So.... list all, tell all. Sometimes you won't have to pay.

Sylvia

What do you do if you mail purchases home? I'm going to Italy and hope to purchase a jacket and some boots.

Book Chick

Sylvia, <BR>There will be a little form to fill out & you will need to state what it is you're shipping home & declare its value on the form. (Sometimes it's nice to go to a copy shop, make a copy of the receipt(s) & enclose it/them inside the box in case customs decides to open the box to ascertain its contents. Keeps everybody honest... <BR>BC

Sylvia

Thank You Book Chick

xxxx

You can also ship items via FedEx or another private company...