US Duty Free limit doubled

[David Bizer]

*** YOU JUST SAVED DUTY ON $400

The standard personal exemption--the total value of

merchandise--travelers may bring back to the United States

without having to pay duty, increased from $400 to $800

this past November 4. The increase was contained in the

Trade Act of 2002, which became law on August 6, 2002. All

other personal exemption rates remain unchanged.

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TO READ MORE: Go to http://www.parlerparis.com

[VivreManger]

This doubling is curious since I just returned to the States on Monday. The Customs Forms still state $400. It was moot in my case since together we three travelers had less than $800, but I am curious when the forms will catch up with the law.

[hollywood]

I've returned thru LA, NYC and Atlanta on various occasions declaring more than the limit but being waived on thru without payment several times. Were they too busy?

[Bux]

Were they too busy?

Probably. Whatever tariff you might have to pay would be on the least taxable items that brought you over the limit. While the agents at the airport have to work their shift no matter how fast or slow the line moves and regardless of the number of forms they fill out, the whole process of collecting the tax and filing the necessary paperwork is likely to cause more work for the government than the revenue is worth. Declare some ten thousand dollar diamond and they'll probably collect no matter how busy they are.

The first time I was ever waved by was when there was a one liter limit on alcohol. (That may still be the limit, I haven't checked in a while.) We had three 750 cl bottles of spirits. The guy just laughed when I pointed this out.

[cabrales]

If members can believe it, I was recently directed to the INS Agriculture inspector for having declared that I had food purchased abroad with me. I disclosed I had cans of French foie gras and even said canned duck and goose liver (in case foie gras sounded too esoteric). Once I got to the inspector, I was waved by quickly.

[Bux]

I was recently directed to the INS Agriculture inspector for having declared that I had food

That's standard procedure, especially after the recent BSE and Hoof and Mouth Disease outgreaks in Europe. We've been waved over to the Department of Agriculture guys (I don't believe they have any connection to INS) when all we've had is chocolates and caramels. I was specifically told that candy was not food. The implication was clearly that I was wasting their time.

We've brought very little back with us on recent trips and have concentrated on jams and alcohol. Bottles and jars get very heavy bery quickly. In the past we've declared terrines, pates and mi-cuit foie gras in mason jars (all artisanal to be sure ) and been waved through, but I've heard of some people having trouble with meats that weren't canned so we didn't bother trying this year.

[KathyP]

I've always thought that it was not permitted to bring unpasteurized cheese back into the USA and I have not done so. However, a Northwest flight attendant told me that it was OK to bring it into the country. Since I'm going to Paris in February, I'd sure like to be able to bring back some cheese. Anyone know what's the scoop?

[Bux]

Cheese made from raw milk must be aged (think it's 60 or 90 days) before it's legal for importation. Inspectors are interpreting "importation" to mean commercial shipments. Numerous travelers have said they've not been stopped from bringing in small amounts of cheese for their own consumption. It's debatable if unpasturized cheese is truly the health concern the government says it is. Listeriosis is the main concern and we have enough outbreaks of that in pasturized cheese. Post production contamination is, in my opinion, the greater fear. Nevertheless there was a listeriosis problem in Burgundy a while back and it was traced to a shoddy cheese factory and not to an artisanal producer.

My understanding, and this is hardly based on official accounts, is that a contaminated cheese is not a public health hazard unless it's offered for sale. It's just plain silly for the government to worry about the single traveler and his family eating another piece of cheese after they've just spent a week in France gorging themselves on raw milk cheese. Thus they don't look to confiscate cheese from pasengers. There's no guaranty they won't change their minds or that some inspector decides to do what he feels is his duty in interpreting the law more rigorously. I have brought in raw milk cheese and friends have brought in the same. The bigger problem is in handling it from the time of purchase to the time you get home.

[anil]

The Customs directive is here

For standard stuff, 400 is enough

Edited December 9, 2002 by anil (log)