European American with a customs question?

[majdeegans]

Here's a theoretical question for you customs experts out there.

I am an American living in Europe. I brought two suitcases full of stuff with me when I moved and never thought anything about customs. Since I've been here I bought a watch for approx $5000 (18 months ago). I was thinking about bringing it home with me on my next trip back and leaving it in a safe back stateside (or maybe trading it if that works out). If and when I bring it back with me, do I have to declare it? and at what value? I would obviously be bringing the box and papers with it.

Thanks for the help.
M

[ralpie]

Interesting question, I am curious to hear the answer!

[Tools]

In theory, you're an American purchasing goods overseas and bringing them into the US.

So, yes, you declare items at market value and pay customs duty, like any other citizen.

[patek.wis]

Im not sure what answer you are expecting, but I believe anytime you import anything you must declare the full purchase price.

That is the legal way to do it.... I dont believe there are any breaks just because you have dual citizenship, but could be mistaken.

[beshannon]

Originally Posted by majdeegans

Here's a theoretical question for you customs experts out there.

I am an American living in Europe. I brought two suitcases full of stuff with me when I moved and never thought anything about customs. Since I've been here I bought a watch for approx $5000 (18 months ago). I was thinking about bringing it home with me on my next trip back and leaving it in a safe back stateside (or maybe trading it if that works out). If and when I bring it back with me, do I have to declare it? and at what value? I would obviously be bringing the box and papers with it.

Thanks for the help.
M

Nothing theoretical about it.

Each individual arriving into the United States must complete the CBP Declaration Form 6059B.

http://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/travel/va...ation_form.xml

15. If you are a U.S. resident, print the total value of all goods (including commercial merchandise) you or any family members traveling with you have purchased or acquired abroad (including gifts for someone else, but not items mailed to the United States) and are bringing into the United States.
Note: U.S. residents are normally entitled to a duty-free exemption of $800 on items accompanying them.

You would declare the watch for what you paid and may be asked to show a receipt to prove it.

[Zed Homme]

I dont know, I see some gray area here. I guess I'd ask how long have you owned the watch and if you paid taxes on it locally. When one moves from Europe to the US they dont necessarily have pay import duties on their furniture, clothes etc. I guess it depends on whether the customs bureau would regard your watch as a personal effect or a monetary instrument. I'm thinking the former provided you can prove in good faith that you didnt acquire the watch in Europe with the intention of importing to the US. However, since you'll be going back to Europe things get dicey. If you want to truly do it by the book, I suggest asking an attorney although this would probably cost as much as the minimal import tax.

If duties are to be paid on the watch they should be based on its used as is value, not what you paid. However, as a European resident, you can bring your personal watch into the country (with the understanding that it will go back to Europe with you) without having to declare or pay tax.

[Kingair]

If it's yours . . . just wear it.
Easy ;-)

HAGOne

[supertrooper]

Originally Posted by Kingair

If it's yours . . . just wear it.
Easy ;-)

HAGOne

Agree. Simple solution is still the best solution.

[dirt1212]

Originally Posted by kingair

if it's yours . . . Just wear it.
Easy ;-)

hagone

x 100000000000000!

[whackamole]

When relocating, anything you bring with you (provided it's not 10k+ cash or livestock, perishables, etc) does not need to be declared. I moved to the uk a year ago and explored what needed to be done - so no worries on that.

if you have proof of purcahse that originates back to europe then bringing it back from america shouldn't be an issue. having paperwork that shows it's been owned for a significant period of time would mitigate any concerns as well. customs is more focused on people bringing goods for sale between countries or taking advantage of tax benefits from other countries on purchases (ex: buying a used product and importing it still needs to be delcared).

just wear the watch. the paperwork is with you to prove ownership and for service reference.

i purchased by datejust in the uk and have traveled to and from ny multiple times without issue. i also had the box and papers with me for one of the trips and didn't have any problems.

hope this helps


cheers!

[zeuloa]

Originally Posted by beshannon

Nothing theoretical about it.



http://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/travel/va...ation_form.xml



You would declare the watch for what you paid and may be asked to show a receipt to prove it.

He is not a US resident as he lives in Europe.

[MonBK]

Originally Posted by zeuloa

He is not a US resident as he lives in Europe.

He's a US citizen.

[Zed Homme]

Originally Posted by zeuloa

He is not a US resident as he lives in Europe.

Agreed, citizenship doesnt matter. Assuming he would be taking his watch back home with him, he doesnt need to declare it at all.

However, he stated that he wants to leave the watch behind. Is he doing so as he is traveling back and forth in the process of moving back to the states? If so, I dont know if duties are to be owed just as masterserg states, but if his intention is to sell before he goes home to Europe, and he probably needs to pay. No matter what, the duties are levied on the value of the item as is, not its original purchase price.

If I were in your shoes, I'd wear my watch to the US, not declare it and claim personal effects if questioned. With an onward ticket back to Europe, it would be ridiculous that the matter went any further.

[conrail]

Why don't you just wear it and ship the boxes...

[masterserg]

Normally if you lived abroad for an x period of time you are allowed to bring your belongings. You need to check with a specialist.

[zeuloa]

Originally Posted by MonBK

He's a US citizen.

Yes but on post 5 by beshannon he lists a paragraph 15 that refers to someone who resides in the US, and the OP does not.

[Tijssan]

Customs typically applies rules on whether import duties or due for residents abroad that are based on how long you lived abroad and when you purchased the item. Best thing would be to check with them directly.

[montpyt]

Just to add another wrinkle to this...what if you wore your Rolex on your wrist overseas? Do you have to declare it when you get there and then declare it again when you come back? I've never traveled out of the country and have always wondered.

[Gaijin]

I am a US citizen that is a permanent resident of Japan. I just bought a house here. If I buy a Rolex here and am going home to visit my family with it on my wrist or even in a carry on bag I am not going to claim it. The duty applies to US residents bringing in items they purchased abroad or foreign nationals who are bringing items into the US that they intend to leave there.

I hope I am right.

[MonBK]

Originally Posted by Gaijin

I am a US citizen that is a permanent resident of Japan. I just bought a house here. If I buy a Rolex here and am going home to visit my family with it on my wrist or even in a carry on bag I am not going to claim it. The duty applies to US residents bringing in items they purchased abroad or foreign nationals who are bringing items into the US that they intend to leave there.

I hope I am right.

You are right but in the OP's case he says he plans on leaving it or sell it in the US.

[Tools]

Originally Posted by MonBK

You are right but in the OP's case he says he plans on leaving it or sell it in the US.

Correct.. If the idea is to indirectly "import" it into the US - regardless of the end use, it needs to be properly declared..

If he is just wearing it in, then going back to his overseas residence while still wearing it, it isn't being imported into the US, only worn as any other item of clothing.

If you could just bring stuff in as a resident of another country (regardless of citizenship) for the express purpose of "importing" the product and bypassing customs (and trademark laws), then everybody would have their suitcases full of stuff so they could pay for the trip..

[Zed Homme]

Originally Posted by Gaijin

I am a US citizen that is a permanent resident of Japan. I just bought a house here. If I buy a Rolex here and am going home to visit my family with it on my wrist or even in a carry on bag I am not going to claim it. The duty applies to US residents bringing in items they purchased abroad or foreign nationals who are bringing items into the US that they intend to leave there.

I hope I am right.

You are absolutely correct. If customs wanted to really make your life tough, they could demand the duties and place them in an escrow account that would be released to you upon re-export (ie you go to us customs at the airport on your return to japan) out of the US. However, this in practice simply does not happen. You are well within the boundaries of the law.

[beshannon]

Originally Posted by majdeegans

I am an American living in Europe.

Originally Posted by zeuloa

He is not a US resident as he lives in Europe.

I was just reading what he had written.

[Gaijin]

Originally Posted by Zed Homme

You are absolutely correct. If customs wanted to really make your life tough, they could demand the duties and place them in an escrow account that would be released to you upon re-export (ie you go to us customs at the airport on your return to japan) out of the US. However, this in practice simply does not happen. You are well within the boundaries of the law.

How about the Rolex that I bought in or from the States? When I bring those back for a visit or maybe someday a move I wonder if I need to declare them...

[AmbSteve]

Originally Posted by Gaijin

How about the Rolex that I bought in or from the States? When I bring those back for a visit or maybe someday a move I wonder if I need to declare them...

If you bought the Rolex here in the States before you left then when you return you are not importing the item. This applies if you buy it outside of the US and are trying to bring it in. It's like all of your other personal items that you left with and are coming back with.

[katana]

Originally Posted by majdeegans

Here's a theoretical question for you customs experts out there.

I am an American living in Europe. I brought two suitcases full of stuff with me when I moved and never thought anything about customs. Since I've been here I bought a watch for approx $5000 (18 months ago). I was thinking about bringing it home with me on my next trip back and leaving it in a safe back stateside (or maybe trading it if that works out). If and when I bring it back with me, do I have to declare it? and at what value? I would obviously be bringing the box and papers with it.

Thanks for the help.
M

I would send in the mail box and every paper on the clock, also put the watch on the hand. So I had done.

[Hairdude1]

Great info here

[majdeegans]

Thanks for the great answers.

And just to clarify my situation ... I am hoping to trade my watch in the US market and as I am not sure if I could complete the transaction this trip, I wanted to leave it with a friend to handle it for me. There would be no monetary gain however I think technically speaking there would be and therefore I would have to declare it as an import. Of course there are ways around it but I am only concerned with the legal aspects and if there are exceptions.

[Gaijin]

Thank you.

[caryyee]

I don't know about US Customs, but here in Australia, there is no duty to be paid on items that you're bringing into Australia that you've bought overseas, and owned for 12 months. And if it's less than 12 months, there's some sort of sliding scale of depreciation.