Customs duties. . .paying ransom for your gear

[sf]

Have you any stories about US customs taking your international purchase and holding it till you pay its ransom?

I suspect they may have done that with a shipment that I am waiting to receive - I know I'm already on their hotlist, on this address, for having tried to 'smuggle' Cuban cigars once from Spain through Skynet.

What kind of fee will they charge? ANd how long does it take to get the shipment through?

grumble.

 

[ch1]

Ditto what G-man says. No customs into US.

Did you check with the shipper? Perhaps a tracking is in order here?

 

[oftheherd]

There are no fees if it's a legal shipment.

No kidding? I forget, was this used? I remember in the 70s having to pay customs on items ordered and shipped from the PX catalog just before I left Korea. If they have stopped doing that, wonderful. The way they did it then was to have the post office collect the fees. You didn't have to pay, but then you didn't have to get the item either. :bang:

 

[Stu W]

We discussed this once before. I had a ring set to me, Fed-Ex overnight from Ireland. Fed-Ex charged me $80 and the ring stayed in the customs house for over a month. No duty paid though. I'll never ship anything by Fed-Ex again. Post Office for me.

 

[John Camp]

I subscribe to a DVD-based photo magazine from Toronto. The last one took about three weeks from the day of mailing to arrival in Minnesota. The problem is not customs (tax collections), the problem is that apparently that everything coming in is either scanned or checked in some other way. To see a discussion of these delays, look here:

http://luminous-landscape.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=10304

I don't think a month-long delay is unusual anymore, for items that are not pre-cleared or specially-handled. (I say that because I recently got a camera in three days from Hong Kong.)

JC

 

[lubitel]

when I receive something over 35 euros in value in Germany I have to pay german salestax. thats 16%!

 

[stric]

I ordered and received some pricy items from Japan (from custom made fountain pens to watches). I never had to pay any custom duties. The best thing is to check with the post office or the carrier that you use. You never know and these days with all this "terrorism" the customs are much stricter than they used to be.

 

[sf]

well, I have had things caught in customs before. Items over $2000 in value are subject to a pretty heavy import tariff as well as a processing fee - and the process takes weeks or months (rarely). I bought my RF645 kit from Robert White, got it 2 days later, and paid nothing in customs.

Of course, the lens (100mm Bronica RF645 lens) is not $2000. Not even $1000, but they "reserve the right" to tax me and to hold the item indefinitely, or until I expedite the process manually. Or so she says. (She, at customs office in New Orleans).

I just want the tracking number so I can see what is going on.

I should quit whining, though. I know it.

 

[ch1]

well, I have had things caught in customs before. Items over $2000 in value are subject to a pretty heavy import tariff as well as a processing fee - and the process takes weeks or months (rarely). I bought my RF645 kit from Robert White, got it 2 days later, and paid nothing in customs.

Of course, the lens (100mm Bronica RF645 lens) is not $2000. Not even $1000, but they "reserve the right" to tax me and to hold the item indefinitely, or until I expedite the process manually.

I have heard nothing from the seller (Richard Caplan in London) since Saturday, have sent a few emails off requesting confirmation that hte item was actually mailed, and sent also emails requesting a tracking number so that I might track it myself. No replies. Not one. Irritating, but probably not evil.

I guess no one has had trouble - I WILL, however have trouble because I am on the customs hitlist after trying to bring Cuban cigars in through the mail a few years ago.

Crud. I just want the tracking number so I can see what is going on. I paid over $100 in shipping for a single lens. . . .it should have been here yesterday - certainly today . . .but no sign. If it doesn't show up, then I must assume that it is the will of God that I not own that lens.

Shutterflower,

Duh?

There are no customs duties for used goods (or most new goods) into the USA!

Have you never heard of Free Trade!

Please don't get the Euros all in a bother about their damned VATs and duties etc.

There are several threads in the archives on this topic.

Check with your carrier - they are to blame for the delay!

Oh, and please give the "victimhood" thing a rest.

Is your ego that inflated that you really think anyone in US Customs gives a damn about you!

Wow - talk about a "swelled head"! 😱

 

[sf]

I am a worrier - mostly looking to hear from others if I am out of line about it. The customs website details import duties on certain values of goods. . . I didn't read about whether being NEW makes a difference or not. I suppose it would.

Bottom line, the input from more experienced international shoppers on the RFF is useful to me so that I might avoid doing something unnecessary.

 

[dazedgonebye]

I've seen the carrier's charge a brokerage fee for items sold from the US to Canada. That looks a lot like a custom's fee. But, that was only leaving the US. I have no idea about bringing it in.

 

[ch1]

I've seen the carrier's charge a brokerage fee for items sold from the US to Canada. That looks a lot like a custom's fee. But, that was only leaving the US. I have no idea about bringing it in.

Yeah, this is an old UPS scam. Doesn't "cpe-ste-croix" here have an Avatar profile comment to that effect? 😉

After I got "hit" with UPS's robbery selling a piece of ham radio gear on eBay to a Canadian I stopped doing so.

Then a savvy Canadian buyer clued me into just using the good old USPS!

Now I sell EVERYWHERE!

OOPS - forgot to offer - Wanna Buy a Bridge (you get to collect ALL the tolls!) 😀

 

[sf]

Could you give me a link to the area that claims a $2,000.00 duty limit?

I don't know if that is a "limit", but here is the link :

http://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/import/infrequent_importer_info/internet_purchases.xml

 

[Doug]

There are import duties for some kinds of items coming into the US, I believe, but camera gear is not one of them. Lumber from Canada, apples from China, automobiles, stuff like that where we're trying to protect domestic production.

 

[sf]

OK, but if you read on, there are other classes of items that are taxable. I really am no expert, but the URL below points you to some information on the subject, provided by the USCS. Of course, my interpretation may be warped as well. I didn't read every single word.

It does say something about most taxable items being textiles, produce, etc. Makes sense. I believe that cameras might not be part of the taxable pile.

 

[ch1]

"Personal vs. Commercial Use: Many import regulations only apply to goods imported for commercial - business or resale - purposes. For instance, most goods imported for personal use are not subject to quota. The one exception to this is made-to-measure suits from Hong Kong, which are subject to quota restrictions regardless of the use they are imported for. On the other hand, import restrictions that are based on health, safety and protecting endangered species apply across the board."

Shutterflower,

Are we talking a made-to-measure HK suit or some kind of "endangered species" here?

I thought you were just a personal buyer?...... 😕

 

[sf]

"Personal vs. Commercial Use: Many import regulations only apply to goods imported for commercial - business or resale - purposes. For instance, most goods imported for personal use are not subject to quota. The one exception to this is made-to-measure suits from Hong Kong, which are subject to quota restrictions regardless of the use they are imported for. On the other hand, import restrictions that are based on health, safety and protecting endangered species apply across the board."

Shutterflower,

Are we talking a made-to-measure HK suit or some kind of "endangered species" here?

I thought you were just a personal buyer?...... 😕

It's just a lens. Not a custom suit or anything like that. Not produce. I hope. I was unsure, but have done some reading, and nothing mentions cameras,etc being taxable.

Oh well, we'll see tomorrow if it arrives. I stew and stew about things. Drives those around me totally crazy.

 

[sf]

Personal vs. Commercial Use: Many import regulations only apply to goods imported for commercial - business or resale - purposes. For instance, most goods imported for personal use are not subject to quota. The one exception to this is made-to-measure suits from Hong Kong, which are subject to quota restrictions regardless of the use they are imported for. On the other hand, import restrictions that are based on health, safety and protecting endangered species apply across the board.


Note: U.S. Customs and Border Protection is authorized to make judgment calls about what qualifies as personal use. Several suits that are identical or a number of very similar handbags will have a hard time passing the credibility test as items for personal use.

OK, that makes sense. Obviously. Customs doesn't have the time or money to mess with the consumer. That is a good thing. But, they do enjoy messing with people's lives occasionally.

 

[ch1]

It's just a lens. Not a custom suit or anything like that. Not produce. I hope. I was unsure, but have done some reading, and nothing mentions cameras,etc being taxable.

Oh well, we'll see tomorrow if it arrives. I stew and stew about things. Drives those around me totally crazy.

Oh yeah, no "produce"?

Hah! That's what you say.

But do you know what kind of fungus might be growing in that lens?

My goodness, you could be importing endangered fungal species that are also hallucinogens!

If I were you, I would put on a disguise before going down to the PO to pick this package up! 🙂

Have fun, enjoy your lens. You probably just have a lazy seller who waited until the weekend to go mail the thing to you - just like I do! 😉

 

[Doug]

Reminded by a statement in the US Customs link above... I recently received a Pentax 67II camera and TTL finder from Hong Kong, which arrived a few days later unimpeded by customs. It was $1660 plus $65 s&h and $20 insurance. Illegally, as a "favor", HK Supplies put a $500 value on the shipping sticker. And counterproductive too, as I think that limits value recovery in case of damaged or lost shipment.