Jewelery at Customs

[Cancun01]

On 7/25/2019 at 1:35 PM, Hoyaheel said:

I've not heard this about jewelry but definitely about electronics and coming back from Asia (esp in the 90s, early aughts - haven't really seen this being recommended recently?) You can register your equipment with customs prior to travel to avoid this problem https://help.cbp.gov/app/answers/detail/a_id/368/~/registering-equipment%2C-computer%2C-camera%2C-laptops%2C-etc.-prior-to-traveling

 

CBP also has information on how jewelry (which typically doesn't have serial numbers) can be handled https://help.cbp.gov/app/answers/detail/a_id/427/related/1

Interesting that you mention Asia.  I am aware of a couple of friends who have recently been questioned about their expensive watches on their wrists upon return from Asia. They were told to ensure that they fill out the appropriate forms the next time they travel.  In Canada we have similar forms as mentioned above that you are supposed to fill out if you are leaving the country with expensive items.    I understand you can obtain a wallet sized card if you travel frequently with the items.

Edited August 21, 2019 by Cancun01

[Rhumb Line]

9 hours ago, Cancun01 said:

Interesting that you mention Asia.  I am aware of a couple of friends who have recently been questioned about their expensive watches on their wrists upon return from Asia. They were told to ensure that they fill out the appropriate forms the next time they travel.  In Canada we have similar forms as mentioned above that you are supposed to fill out if you are leaving the country with expensive items.    I understand you can obtain a wallet sized card if you travel frequently with the items.

This happened to a friend twice at Logan a few years back as he commuted to the UK for consulting work. He wore a gold Rolex given to him as a retirement gift by his company. It had his monogram engraved on the back with the retirement date. It was caught by the same customs agent a few weeks apart. The second time, my friend said "do you remember me? You got me last month."

[mlshum]

I always photograph any jewelry Iam taking with my phone before packing.  I was questioned once but it was resolved very quickly.

[ducklite]

On 8/25/2019 at 7:34 PM, mlshum said:

I always photograph any jewelry Iam taking with my phone before packing.  I was questioned once but it was resolved very quickly.

And that proves what? The time and date can easily be changed on a phone.  Unless you place the jewelry on that days newspaper, a photo means nothing to customs.

[ducklite]

On 8/21/2019 at 12:22 AM, Cancun01 said:

Interesting that you mention Asia.  I am aware of a couple of friends who have recently been questioned about their expensive watches on their wrists upon return from Asia. They were told to ensure that they fill out the appropriate forms the next time they travel.  In Canada we have similar forms as mentioned above that you are supposed to fill out if you are leaving the country with expensive items.    I understand you can obtain a wallet sized card if you travel frequently with the items.

We flew in from French Polynesia and landed right behind three heavies from Asia.  Thank goodness for GE, the lines were incredibly long--the longest I've ever seen.  As we walked past the end of the line to pay the duty on the pearls we had bought, we saw why.  HUGE piles of counterfeit bags (a literal ton of Coach and LV), DVD's, jewelry (mostly watches), you name it.  Just enormous!  They were hand searching every piece of luggage and person who was coming in from Asia.  They would have needed a 40 yard dumpster to cart it all off!  

[waterbug123]

9 minutes ago, ducklite said:

And that proves what? The time and date can easily be changed on a phone.  Unless you place the jewelry on that days newspaper, a photo means nothing to customs.

 

And what would keep a person from finding an old newspaper and photographing their jewelry on it at a later date?  Seems you'd need a photo that is date stamped.  Maybe email yourself a photo of it?  The email will automatically be time/date stamped.

Or have an actual photo printed out at a photo shop or photo kiosk...I'm assuming the back of such photos still shows a date stamp like they did back when everyone used real cameras, not camera phones, and then dropped film off to be printed.

Edited August 27, 2019 by waterbug123

[Daniel A]

12 minutes ago, ducklite said:

And that proves what? The time and date can easily be changed on a phone.  Unless you place the jewelry on that days newspaper, a photo means nothing to customs.

This is a quote from the U.S. Customs web site:  "U.S. Customs and Border Protection may accept a photo taken of you with the jewelry in your possession prior to your travels."

[ducklite]

9 minutes ago, Daniel A said:

This is a quote from the U.S. Customs web site:  "U.S. Customs and Border Protection may accept a photo taken of you with the jewelry in your possession prior to your travels."

Again you have to be able to prove it was taken prior to travel which was my point.  Just taking a random photo of jewelry laying on a table doesn't prove anything.  As I said, I wore my pearls in my passport photo--that's pretty irrefutable.

[ducklite]

17 minutes ago, waterbug123 said:

 

And what would keep a person from finding an old newspaper and photographing their jewelry on it at a later date?  Seems you'd need a photo that is date stamped.  Maybe email yourself a photo of it?  The email will automatically be time/date stamped.

 

Email would be a great option!

 

It would be highly unusual to find a US newspaper that predates your travels in a foreign country.  Impossible, of course not.  Improbably, yes.

[Daniel A]

4 minutes ago, ducklite said:

Again you have to be able to prove it was taken prior to travel which was my point.  Just taking a random photo of jewelry laying on a table doesn't prove anything.  As I said, I wore my pearls in my passport photo--that's pretty irrefutable.

I was responding to your statement "a photo means nothing to customs."

 

A person intent on smuggling jewelry into the country could always bring an old NY Times with them in their luggage.  Wearing your pearls in your passport photo was a good idea.  What do I do with my Rolex?

Edited August 27, 2019 by Daniel A

[waterbug123]

5 minutes ago, ducklite said:

 

Email would be a great option!

 

It would be highly unusual to find a US newspaper that predates your travels in a foreign country.  Impossible, of course not.  Improbably, yes.

 

I was thinking more of someone being flagged at US customs when returning to the US, and then later submitting their proof of prior ownership by finding an old newspaper at home...my grandmother kept years worth stacked on her back porch for reasons we can't fathom, LOL.  But many people have a few odd one lying around because of a particular headline or article or whatever.    Moving beyond that though, yes, I think emailing yourself a photo and keeping that photo accessible on your phone, perhaps in the same way many keep emailed photos of their passport and other travel documents on their phone (or in the cloud), is the easiest and surest way to quickly "prove" prior ownership.

[ducklite]

5 minutes ago, Daniel A said:

I was responding to your statement "a photo means nothing to customs."

 

A person intent on smuggling jewelry into the country could always bring an old NY Times with them in their luggage.  Wearing your pearls in your passport photo was a good idea.  What do I do with my Rolex?

A Rolex has a serial number engraved into the metal.  Register it with customs, they will give you a receipt proving you had it in the US before you began your travel.  Problem solved.  

 

The jewelry issue is a problem with things that don't have a serial number. BTW--GIA graded diamonds have serial numbers engraved into them that match their certificate.

[clo]

On 8/27/2019 at 7:06 AM, ducklite said:

Register it with customs,

You mean prior to the day you travel?  How can you get to customs unless you're returning?

[ducklite]

1 minute ago, clo said:

You mean prior to the day you travel?  How can you get to customs unless you're returning?

There is a customs office outside of the sterile concourse at every international airport in the US>  Find out where it is (call, Google, airport map, etc.) and present yourself with the item.  They will give you a receipt showing that you've registered it with them, stamp it, and send you on your way.  I've done it with camera gear in the past, and my husband registered a laptop.

 

They don't care about mobile phones, anymore they expect people to have one.  If you carry two or three for some reason, it would be a good idea to register them.

[clo]

2 minutes ago, ducklite said:

There is a customs office outside of the sterile concourse at every international airport in the US

I never knew that.  Thanks.