Declaring at Customs

[poison]

I'm goin to the states and planning to do some shopping. I know youre allowed 400 duty free to bring back. Question is how much do you need to pay for going over 400? and do people actually declare purchased items? everybody is telling me to rip the tags off haha

[benyl]

Just pay it. They aren't stupid. You have to prove where you bought stuff. So if you say I bought it new in Calgary and never wore it, you will have to provide a receipt.

So let's say you buy $800 worth of stuff.

They charge you GST on $400 which is $20. It is not worth being on the "list" to save $20.

If you get busted, they will hassle you EVERY time you come back from anywhere.

If you buy $450 - $500, they may not even charge you as the paperwork costs more than the $5 they get from you. This has happened to me a number of times where I was over and they just let me go.

[mr2mike]

Don't over state either. Made that mistake once and the guy got pretty pissed off and just wanted to show off he could tell I was lying.

He said, "why did you lie?"
I said, "I didn't, I guess I overestimated a little too much. I wanted to be on the safe side so I overestimated."

[kwjent]

they are not dumb. Pay it, they can assume what you paid for it. So say that you got some shirts for $20 and said that you had only 400, they can say well since you cannot provide proof and compared to other items we believe that you have soent 800. Then you get to pay more trying to cheat the system and go on a list as in the previous post. People go to Vegas all the time and think they can get away with that shit. CBS knows that there is good shopping there, they had 10 people ripped over into secondary getting there items ripped apart.

[kenny]

They threatened to check me every time I crossed the border after I was busted. Thats a total lie Ever since I got busted for under-declaring, I have actually been left alone.

[mr2mike]

I overdeclared coming back from Columbus... not exactly a shopping mecca. CBS, knows which are the shopping hot spots for sure.... just as kwjent said.

[benyl]

Originally posted by kenny
They threatened to check me every time I crossed the border after I was busted. Thats a total lie Ever since I got busted for under-declaring, I have actually been left alone.

You are lucky. My SIL gets a hard time everytime.

[Tik-Tok]

Just don't lie about liquor/tobacco, that's Customs bread and butter

[tenth]

Originally posted by poison
I'm goin to the states and planning to do some shopping. I know youre allowed 400 duty free to bring back. Question is how much do you need to pay for going over 400? and do people actually declare purchased items? everybody is telling me to rip the tags off haha

Buddy tried that a while back. They knew the clothes weren't from the US because the tags didn't have french on them (a Canadian requirement). There were a few other things they picked up as well. This is their job, they're not stupid.

After getting caught, he owed something like 10 bucks, was flagged, and they said they'd impound the vehicle he was in if he did it again. Did a couple more US trips with him after that and there weren't any issues crossing the border. We were definitely more honest though.

[Feruk]

Whatever you decide, do NOT discuss it anywhere near the border. They actually listen into the conversation going on INSIDE your car when you're waiting in line to cross.

[gqmw]

Originally posted by Feruk
Whatever you decide, do NOT discuss it anywhere near the border. They actually listen into the conversation going on INSIDE your car when you're waiting in line to cross.

Actually?

[Tik-Tok]

Originally posted by gqmw


Actually?

No. That would be illegal on several levels.

[Altezza]

It's all about how you talk to the customs agents. I've never once been stopped ever by Canadian customs, nor even questioned about my shopping beyond what's on the declaration card and I'm usually over the limit (I declare everything to the dollar). On my way back from NYC one time, I was waaaaay over (by thousands), and the agent let me slide through. I can only recall twice that I've ever had to pay GST on my purchases. Call it luck, but I'm not about to complain!

I did however get stopped by US Customs cuz I've been down to the US so much.

[littledan]

definitely declare all your purchases. if you don't they can fuck you hard and seize anything you didnt declare.

when you go over the limit, you will pay GST and duty on all goods over the limit. it's pretty arbitrary how they deterimine it. clothes was taxed at a duty rate of 17% !! while leather shoes are 0%! i think jewellery and leather shoes are the best duty rates. you get ass raped on clothes though FYI.

[Tomaz]

Hypothetically,

I go down to the states with a toothbrush, come back with a suitcase of clothes I bought AND WORE on my trip, how can they tell I bought it in the states?

[Aniki]

Originally posted by Tomaz
Hypothetically,

I go down to the states with a toothbrush, come back with a suitcase of clothes I bought AND WORE on my trip, how can they tell I bought it in the states?

bazinga

[drew_goring]

Originally posted by Feruk
Whatever you decide, do NOT discuss it anywhere near the border. They actually listen into the conversation going on INSIDE your car when you're waiting in line to cross.

[LadyLuck]

Does anyone know what the limit is when you're flying back from Europe?

[TYMSMNY]

Originally posted by Tomaz
Hypothetically,

I go down to the states with a toothbrush, come back with a suitcase of clothes I bought AND WORE on my trip, how can they tell I bought it in the states?

You're allowed to do that if reasonable. I buy stuff in the states and use it right away, that way I won't need to declare at customs.

even if I do declare over... it's only 5%.

[TYMSMNY]

Originally posted by LadyLuck
Does anyone know what the limit is when you're flying back from Europe?

Doesn't matter where.. it's how long you've been out of the country for.