Photo equipment and U.S. customs...

[sharky60]

Has anyone been ased by U.S. Custom agents, when returning to the U.S., for a Form 4457?

This is a form to claim any items you own that were not manufactured in the U.S., so when you return to the U.S. you won't be charged a tax on items bought abroad.

I have been asked about this the last 2 out of 3 times coming back home from Mexico, when the customs agent saw my carry-on pelican case and asked what was inside.

Niether time did I have the form, the first time I had never heard of it and this last year I totaly spaced it out. I don't think the officer remembered me from the previous year, because it was the same guy for sure. He has the same last name as a good friend of mine, so I remembered him. Each time they told me to get one for my next trip.

Anyway, just curious if a.) anyone has been asked about this or b.) do you do this on a regular basis when traveling abroad.

AND!...

If you have done this, the instructions say on depature to show the form to a Customs agent and them sign it. Is there usually a customs office in the international terminal on the depature side?

thankx!

 

[jcclink]

When you buy new gear, visit your insurance agent & the nearest Customs office. Customs has to actually see each item & verify serial number. Declare all camera gear, at least that's most likely to be inspected (or not). The only time you might need to show your Form 4457's is returning to the US. It's been years since I've been asked for the form or been inspected, but everything is covered just in case. There may be some items on form that you did not take on a given trip, but no problem. Put as many items as you can on each form to minimize paperwork. Maybe its more of a Mexico thing these days for some reason.

 

[Damselfish]

My husband has been traveling with a fair amount of camera gear for at least 2-3 dive trips a year for 15-20 years and has never bothered with this or been asked, ever. But we've never been to Mexico and he doesn't use a Pelican.

 

[teddyg04]

We went to Bermuda last year with dive cameras and laptops; we asked before the trip about that form. I was told I could fill it out if I wanted, but Customs is more interested in areas where there was a large black market. I guess it doesn't hurt to fill it out as a precaution.

 

[hammerhead man]

I've been all over the world the last 6 years and didn't even know the form existed. I haven't been Mexico for about 3 years but traveled there 4 times with no problems. It sounds like one guy that is on a mission and it was your bad luck to get him multiple times when returning to the US.

Regards,

Bill

 

[sharky60]

...the nearest Customs office. Customs has to actually see each item & verify serial number....

So I can do it in advance of the trip? That would be great! I don't mind filling out the form at all, I just hate the idea of having to be at the airport even earlier for my flight than I have to be now, just to have customs sign a piece of paper.

...but Customs is more interested in areas where there was a large black market.

I don't know about black market, but cameras are a HUGE gray market item. A large amount of cameras sold on e-bay are gray market items.

 

[MarineResearch]

I've never been asked about my equipment and have always found the CBP agents to be quite friendly. I did have an issue with TSA overreacting to my carry-on that included two Ikelite strobes, four battery packs, three dive computers, chargers, USB cords, etc. I have to admit, it did look like a bomb. They opened my carry-on and swiped for explosives. I also showed how the battery packs attached to the strobe and turned the strobe on to show that it worked. It was a good learning experience for TSA in Houston.

 

[Gilligan]

I've never been asked about my equipment and have always found the CBP agents to be quite friendly. I did have an issue with TSA overreacting to my carry-on that included two Ikelite strobes, four battery packs, three dive computers, chargers, USB cords, etc. I have to admit, it did look like a bomb. They opened my carry-on and swiped for explosives. I also showed how the battery packs attached to the strobe and turned the strobe on to show that it worked. It was a good learning experience for TSA in Houston.

I have a carry-on with nothing more than my G10, strobe,tray and a few miscellaneous items. They pull me out of line and inspect it every time and swipe it for explosives.

Are they being efficient or does TSA hire people that lack enough life experience and/or common sense to do that job?
When was the last time TSA caught a terrorist?

 

[sharky60]

I have a carry-on with nothing more than my G10, strobe,tray and a few miscellaneous items. They pull me out of line and inspect it every time and swipe it for explosives.

Are they being efficient or does TSA hire people that lack enough life experience and/or common sense to do that job?
When was the last time TSA caught a terrorist?

That's TSA, I'm talking about U.S. Customs...different guys.

And let me make this perfectly clear, the Customs agent was very friendly and in no way was he being a jerk about it, he just wanted me to know that it would be a good idea to get the 4457 form for my next trip out of the country, "just in case" to make sure there would be no problems getting my stuff back into the U.S. on return.

My favorite TSA story is in my pre-photo equipment days, when we were going through the Miami airport on the way to the Bahamas AND on the way back home from Miami to Dallas, the TSA people made me take my regulator rigs out of our carry-ons any proceeded to look them over like they had never seen anything like them....EVER!

Now how many regulators do you think go through the Miami airport on any given day? 100's I'm sure!! A very large percentage of folks traveling from the States to the Caribbean HAVE to go through Miami to get there! and these guys, EVERY TIME I WENT THRUOUGH SECURITY, made me totally unpack my carry-on so they could visually inspect my & my wife's rigs, each time acting like they had never seen a regulator before!!!

 

[fppf]

We go to Canada on a regular basis. I have never been asked about proof of ownership for anything. Your scuba gear can also be questioned as well. But you don't need to fill out that form, its just one way. Having a copy of a receipt, insurance paper work, and other methods are fine also. In reality customs officers collecting taxes from individuals is very low on there list of things to do. I have declared many items on my way home from Canada and told "have a nice day sir".