BEWARE - shipping items home from overseas diving destinations can result in unforeseen costs

[Wookie]

But I always thought American travellers could import stuff purchased while abroad without duties/tariffs? I’m probably using those words wrong, forgive me. Kind of like when Americans buy stuff online from out of the country. I could be totally wrong.

Depends on the country and the status of our trade agreements with them. I can import $200 worth of rum from Cuba but only 2 liters from Canada duty free.

$200 of Cuban rum is cases at $3 a liter. Good rum, too. I can also spend $1700 for a bottle.

 

[Marie13]

But I always thought American travellers could import stuff purchased while abroad without duties/tariffs? I’m probably using those words wrong, forgive me. Kind of like when Americans buy stuff online from out of the country. I could be totally wrong.

You get a personal exemption. Forget the exact amount. But above that you do have to pay duties, depending on the specific item.

 

[Edward3c]

Buying overseas and importing, to nearly any country, is likely to incur additional costs. Many tourists get caught out. Abandoning an item when in HMRC (U.K.) custody is not recommended as HMRC have got medical powers to recover any Taxes owing.

 

[Marie13]

UK also imposes duties and taxes and freight handling. A laptop I sent to UK incurred over £800 in fees.

The freight/shipment handling charges aren’t levied by HMRC. You would have to pay freight/handling charges regardless of which country you were sending something to.

 

[Bubblesong]

I got a $100 baby stroller shipped to UK that cost $400 after shipping and fees. I got the cheap version of That lesson.

 

[Bubblesong]

@Ardy and @billt4sf a great place for massive carved mahogany art is St.Croix, USVI, there’s this wood carver up the mountain from Frederikstead, and since it is a USA territory, maybe it won’t cost quite as much to get home. He’s got lots of wood to work with since that hurricane blew through in 2017.

 

[tridacna]

Customs are excise duties are some of the oldest taxes. Why is everyone so surprised?

When I immigrated here, I was able to bring in household goods with no duties. Other than that and personal exemptions, you pay. Some economies use it instead of income taxes - think Bermuda.

 

[JohnnyC]

Try carting 90 sea containers in and out of the US, Canada, and South America on a Carnet, plus duties on consumables, plus import regulations on everything from chemicals to feathers, plus customs in Colombia taking a knife to everything that could possibly contain Colombian Marching Powder.

If you can fit it in your suitcase and get lucky or a personal exemption, great. If not, expect to pay.

 

[Marie13]

@Ardy and @billt4sf a great place for massive carved mahogany art is St.Croix, USVI, there’s this wood carver up the mountain from Frederikstead, and since it is a USA territory, maybe it won’t cost quite as much to get home. He’s got lots of wood to work with since that hurricane blew through in 2017.

Don’t even think about it.

 

[Marie13]

Here are two screen shots (literally - I took pictures of the tariff on my monitor at work) of some of the personal exemptions.