Duty Free Shopping Lie

[SilkShirt]

Cruising in the Caribbean people talk about duty free shopping. They don't tell you about the US Customs Duty Tax you owe when you finish your cruise.

If you buy a $10,000 ring on one of the islands how much will you be charged when you declare it to US Customs?

Please share your experience with high value jewlery purchases, and how much you were charged from Customs. Thanks

 

[esm54687]

15 minutes ago, SilkShirt said:

Cruising in the Caribbean people talk about duty free shopping. They don't tell you about the US Customs Duty Tax you owe when you finish your cruise.

If you buy a $10,000 ring on one of the islands how much will you be charged when you declare it to US Customs?

Please share your experience with high value jewlery purchases, and how much you were charged from Customs. Thanks

 

A great website to visit would be USCBP website:

 

https://www.cbp.gov/travel/international-visitors/kbyg/customs-duty-info

[tef43]

Nothing to see here.  Move along.

[ItsAllAboutTheSass]

Why would you declare it? 

[PTC DAWG]

26 minutes ago, SilkShirt said:

Cruising in the Caribbean people talk about duty free shopping. They don't tell you about the US Customs Duty Tax you owe when you finish your cruise.

If you buy a $10,000 ring on one of the islands how much will you be charged when you declare it to US Customs?

Please share your experience with high value jewlery purchases, and how much you were charged from Customs. Thanks

 

Your problem appears to be with the US Customs folks...not the sellers of said goods.  

[BirdTravels]

36 minutes ago, SilkShirt said:

Cruising in the Caribbean people talk about duty free shopping. They don't tell you about the US Customs Duty Tax you owe when you finish your cruise.

If you buy a $10,000 ring on one of the islands how much will you be charged when you declare it to US Customs?

Please share your experience with high value jewlery purchases, and how much you were charged from Customs. Thanks

 

That’s why you buy returning US items so they can brought in without duty. You need to understand the Customs and Duties rules before making blanket statements. We have brought in $10k’s of duty free items, declaring them at customs legally (not smuggling them in as suggested above) with zero additionally duty. That is our experience. 

[sparks1093]

48 minutes ago, SilkShirt said:

Cruising in the Caribbean people talk about duty free shopping. They don't tell you about the US Customs Duty Tax you owe when you finish your cruise.

If you buy a $10,000 ring on one of the islands how much will you be charged when you declare it to US Customs?

Please share your experience with high value jewlery purchases, and how much you were charged from Customs. Thanks

 

Not a lie, a misunderstanding of terms. "Duty free goods" are normally exempt from the export duty charged by countries. That doesn't mean that they are exempt from the import duty you potentially owe by bringing the goods stateside. If you exceed your exemption amount your are expected to declare that and pay the required duty.

Edited February 17, 2020 by sparks1093

[SilkShirt]

If I were to a a $10,000 watch, and I obey the law and declare it, I'd like to have an idea of how much I'll owe customs.

I don't see that info on their website.

[lifes-a-beach]

If I were going to spend $10,000 on jewelry of any kind I would spend it at my local, trusted jeweler in my home country.  

[sparks1093]

2 minutes ago, SilkShirt said:

If I were to a a $10,000 watch, and I obey the law and declare it, I'd like to have an idea of how much I'll owe customs.

I don't see that info on their website.

https://www.cbp.gov/travel/international-visitors/kbyg/customs-duty-info 

The flat duty rate will apply to articles that are dutiable but that cannot be included in your personal exemption, even if you have not exceeded the exemption. For example, alcoholic beverages. If you return from Europe with $200 worth of purchases, including two liters of liquor, one liter will be duty-free under your returning resident personal allowance/exemption. The other will be dutiable at 3 percent, plus any Internal Revenue Tax (IRT) that is due.

[hancock]

1 hour ago, ItsAllAboutTheSass said:

Why would you declare it? 

The jewelers report the purchase to US Customs. 

They have a list of large purchases when the cruisers debark ship.

[Langley Cruisers]

1 minute ago, hancock said:

The jewelers report the purchase to US Customs... They have a list of large purchases when the cruisers debark ship.

 

The ship also reports large purchases. I have been here for years and have read how surprised some people were when they were "caught" not declaring large purchases made on board.

[1025cruise]

If I'm going to spend that much on jewelry, it will be at home with a trusted jeweler.

[spookwife]

2 hours ago, SilkShirt said:

Cruising in the Caribbean people talk about duty free shopping. They don't tell you about the US Customs Duty Tax you owe when you finish your cruise.

If you buy a $10,000 ring on one of the islands how much will you be charged when you declare it to US Customs?

Please share your experience with high value jewlery purchases, and how much you were charged from Customs. Thanks

 

I got charged nothing.  They key is to be up front and declare everything .  If you lie/fail to disclose, they get a little annoyed and make examples.

[ItsAllAboutTheSass]

The jewelers report the purchase to US Customs. 
They have a list of large purchases when the cruisers debark ship.

Sorry. I thought you means like a diamond international type store.

Sent from my SM-N960U using Tapatalk

[SilkShirt]

57 minutes ago, 1025cruise said:

If I'm going to spend that much on jewelry, it will be at home with a trusted jeweler.

I agree. There some Rolex Professional models that have a 2- 3 year waiting list. My authorized dealer told me if I see one while I’m traveling to buy it! If I happen upon a  watch not available at home I’m going to purchase it from an authorized Rolex dealer abroad. I just don’t want any surprises with US Customs.

Edited February 17, 2020 by SilkShirt

[ducklite]

2 hours ago, ItsAllAboutTheSass said:

Why would you declare it? 

Why would you not?

 

The total duty would be about $400.  The cost of an attorney for an initial one hour meeting if you are arrested for smuggling would be the same amount. They can also seize the jewelry and don't have to return it.  If you are honest, often they will look away, or charge a lot less.  We've many times brought a dozen or more bottles of wine back into the US. We always declare them and never been charged duty.

 

We bought a black pearl necklace in French Polynesia.  They charged us $43 in duty.  The entire process took about five minutes.  (They only take US Dollars or checks, not credit cards or foreign currency as an FYI).  Paying it was well worth not losing out Global Entry and having a black mark on our record so every single time we re-entered the country we'd be subjected to special screening.  No thanks.

[That sinking feeling]

Oh to have £10,000 just lying around waiting to spent on jewelry in the Caribbean 

[Cruzaholic41]

$10k is a key figure regarding monetary instruments. You might want to look at US code. 

[ducklite]

Just now, Cruzaholic41 said:

$10k is a key figure regarding monetary instruments. You might want to look at US code. 

A watch is not a monetary instrument, and neither is a credit card.

[ItsAllAboutTheSass]

Why would you not?
 
The total duty would be about $400.  The cost of an attorney for an initial one hour meeting if you are arrested for smuggling would be the same amount. They can also seize the jewelry and don't have to return it.  If you are honest, often they will look away, or charge a lot less.  We've many times brought a dozen or more bottles of wine back into the US. We always declare them and never been charged duty.
 
We bought a black pearl necklace in French Polynesia.  They charged us $43 in duty.  The entire process took about five minutes.  (They only take US Dollars or checks, not credit cards or foreign currency as an FYI).  Paying it was well worth not losing out Global Entry and having a black mark on our record so every single time we re-entered the country we'd be subjected to special screening.  No thanks.

OP didn't specify on ship purchases vs on shore purchases. I know people that bought jewelry on an island and just slipped the ring on a finger. I was answering based on off ship purchase.

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[mom says]

6 minutes ago, ItsAllAboutTheSass said:

OP didn't specify on ship purchases vs on shore purchases. I know people that bought jewelry on an island and just slipped the ring on a finger. I was answering based on off ship purchase.

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So you know people who got away with smuggling. And you actually think this is the right thing to do,even if you aren't caught?

Edited February 17, 2020 by mom says

[ducklite]

13 minutes ago, ItsAllAboutTheSass said:

OP didn't specify on ship purchases vs on shore purchases. I know people that bought jewelry on an island and just slipped the ring on a finger. I was answering based on off ship purchase.

Sent from my SM-N960U using Tapatalk
 

Again, IMHO it's not worth the risk of being caught.

[ldubs]

3 hours ago, SilkShirt said:

Cruising in the Caribbean people talk about duty free shopping. They don't tell you about the US Customs Duty Tax you owe when you finish your cruise.

If you buy a $10,000 ring on one of the islands how much will you be charged when you declare it to US Customs?

Please share your experience with high value jewlery purchases, and how much you were charged from Customs. Thanks

 

 

I'm a little confused.  Did you make a purchase from a duty free place and then have to pay some kind of fee upon reentry to America?  Is that why it is a lie?    I freely admit I know just about nothing on this subject.    

[That sinking feeling]

9 minutes ago, mom says said:

So you know people who got away with smuggling. And you actually think this is the right thing to do,even if you aren't caught?

In the UK most people have a very low opinion of the inland revenue (taxman). So anyone fleecing the tax man doesn't always get criticised. Unless its ahuge corporation not paying their fair share.

 

But the little guy sticking it to the man is encouraged.