Sending And Receiving International Gifts

For U. S. Citizens, it is important that specified items brought back from an international trip are declared. This includes any gifts that you may have received or purchased for others while overseas and will ensure that all regulatory processes are adhered to and you are not fined for particular goods. The following guide can aid in determining which products and gift lists must be declared.

It is important to understand that duty free exemption is not provided for commercial goods that are meant to be used for professional and promotional purposes. All products that consist of alcohol, tobacco, and perfumes that include alcohol and possess a purchase price of more than $5 will not be part of the gift exemption process. Such measures are applicable for the items that fall within the stipulated categories according to federal law.

If you wish to mail a gift to a friend or family member overseas, one may send items that are worth $100 without having to pay any duties or tax within the United States. This rule only applies if the recipient is only receiving one item of that value and not multiple products totaling a value of more than $100 on the same day. Where such items are going to be mailed or shipped based on an insular possession, the value is increased to an amount of $200.

For those who may be traveling back to the United States from insular possession, there is no need to have to declare the items that were purchased and sent while on your journey. This is because the various gift sets will not be traveling with you. It is important to remember that packages forwarded with a worth of more than $100 will be subject to duties.

When sending items for more than 1 person it can be included in the same packaging, but it is important to specify the goods that are included. The label must state Unsolicited Gift and Consolidated Gift Package to ensure that customs is aware of each item being wrapped and including the recipients names. The overall value for these items and the type of goods being delivered must be clarified.

It is important to understand that travelers will not be permitted to send gift items to themselves. If you are on a trip with another person, you will not be able to forward goods to one another. Such measures are based on the regulations for exemptions that must be determined to provide the greatest possible value and results.

Where personal items were originally purchased in the United States, it can be sent back to the U. S. Duty free. This is based on the fact that these valuable should not have been modified in any way, shape or form. A package that contains personal clothing can be duty free provided that the label, American Goods Returned, is placed on the delivery.

Packages that must pay duty will be handled by the post office. The individual responsible for sending the gift will not be required to pay any duties, but upon arrival in the States, the charges will apply. Remaining knowledgeable of such regulations can aid in making informed decisions when mailing packages.

Official information at: http://www.cbp.gov/travel/international-visitors/kbyg/gifts