US Customs can be your friend

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Jill Heinerth

RebreatherPro
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Travel Tips: Use Customs Documents

In the past six weeks we have traveled to the Canary Islands, Boston, New Jersey, Toronto, Welland, Richmond, and Savannah-mostly with lots of dive and video gear.
Sometimes The U.S. Customs office can be your best friend:



When you leave the country with expensive cameras, rebreathers and other equipment, you should theoretically consider registering that equipment with the Customs and Border Control office near your departure airport. Customs registration only takes a few minutes and can save you a lot of hassles at the airport on return. In order to register your gear you must make an itemized spreadsheet of the equipment in each individual case. This itemized list should include a description, value, serial number, country of manufacture and weight of object. The total weight of each case should also be listed. Take this list and the packed bags to the Customs and Border Control office, which is usually located close to the International Airport. They will verify one or two items in your case and stamp the list with all sorts of official looking stamps.
If you get accused of importation upon arrival, show the customs officers the list and tell them that this proves that you are obliged to return all gear to your home country. Do not unnecessarily confess and pull out that list unless needed. Under no circumstances should you speak the local language. Just smile and be as polite and patient as possible.
On your return to the US, if you are separated for additional screening, bring out the list to prove that the gear originated in your home country.
If you have lost baggage, the list also serves as crucial proof of contents and their value.
Customs registration is free of charge. Official carnets can also be obtained for more regular travelers. These registrations last for a period of one year on listed equipment, but they come with a hefty charge based on the value of goods.


--Jill Heinerth


More great tips at www.RebreatherPro.com
 
When I used to do a lot of international travel for work, I kept xerox copies of the purchase order receipts for the electronic gear we carried. This made it a lot easier with customs hassles.

But I didn't know you could register it before you left. that's a good idea.


Most of the time the Custom guys are just on an 'rush' trying to find out if you've got any Cuban cigars though....

also keep a copy of the receipt for your laptop. Found this usefull when departing government installations that searched our vehicles for items being taken out of their property.
 
Do they just take the inventory at heart or do they do an open bag verification?
 
So far our experience has been that the Customs Officer will look at the list and ask to visually confirm one or two items. Usually a video camera or some dive gear he can recognize, like a regulator. The more neat, squared away and organized your list and your packing are, the better. Be polite. Be patient. Allow plenty of time before flight check in because the Customs office is sometimes off-site of the passenger terminal. FYI-In Jacksonville, Florida the Customs office is at the Port of Jacksonville, amid seagoing container ships--at Orlando, the office is right on the civilian side of the airport. Make sure you know the EXACT location!
--Jill Heinerth
 
Great advice, but it should be highlighted that this is not necessary for the average SB Reader.

If you get asked about "importation" when you first arrive in a foreign land- there is an obvious difference between a commercial user/importer and Joe Vacationer. Remove all tags and original boxes before packing for a trip. This inlcudes polo shirts, regulators and cameras.

Remember- anything that is used (not brand new) is exempt (in reasonable quantities).

We had the similar problem for many years dragging Formula 1 cars around the planet. Everybody wanted to see serial numbers and paperwork. I suppose it cut down on the thriving underground world of black market Grand Prix cars, but mostly it kept the foreign customs agents very busy.

We were detained in Munich airport by some pleasant zit faced kids with machine guns who insisted that they had to sort through our cases. We stood there for the anticipated lengthy wait, and then the Captain of the guard found out that we were from Chicago and he was born in Milwaukee. He told the boys to continue with their search (gave them something to do) and he took us to Coffee.

Remember on that customs form when they asked you if your visit was for tourism or business? That's the crux of the biscuit. When you start "recreating whilst using professional level gear"- they start to ask questions.

If you don't look commercial, they don't care. But it doesn't cost anything to get that certificate, so why not?

Here's the warning, however. If you are all fired up and sure that you want to register all of your toys and serial numbers, remember this: IF IT ISN'T IN YOUR POSSESSION upon using that document... well, you might have a problem. Keep it updated for each trip.

What is this service really all about- what is it's intended function?

It is to allow you, a US Citizen, to show proof that you bought this on US soil and are merely bringing it home. So you don't have to pay import duty tax on items bought overseas.

Where (other than the US) would you go to buy gear at a lower price?

That would be the only reason for such an inquiry of an obviously vacationing diver.

If you are dragging stuff around for work, that's one thing, but if you're standing there with the little woman in a Hawaiian shirt and a fresh tan, there's not much need for the paperwork.

It's all about buying stuff cheaper overseas and trying to bring it home. Rolex? Maybe. Dive Gear and cameras? Not happening. We are the discount hub of the world.
 

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