[TAC] Fwd: form 4457 and customs

[Hank Kohl]

Like I said on 75 through the static this evening ....
You are supposed to fill out the form(s), show the item(s) to customs,
and carry the form(s) with you.
In 2000 on our return from FP via VE we were asked by the man in the
booth (I do not remember if he was Customs or Immigration) if we had
our 4457's for all of our equipment.  We indicated for some of the
equipment and the man in the booth told us that we were supposed to
have them and if we did not he could impound some or all of our
equimpent.  (This guy was either having a bad day or his wife was
having a bad day and he was passing it on!)
I think Stan and I were questioned about it one other time, but in
both cases we got back into the US with all our stuff.

Here is what I found on the web on www.customs.gov :

Register Items Before You Leave the United States
If your laptop computer was made in Japan – for instance – you might
have to pay duty on it each time you brought it back into the United
States, unless you could prove that you owned it before you left on
your trip. Documents that fully describe the item—such as sales
receipts, insurance policies, or jeweler's appraisals—are acceptable
forms of proof.

To make things easier, you can register certain items with CBP before
you depart— including watches, cameras, laptop computers, firearms,
and CD players—as long as they have serial numbers or other unique,
permanent markings. Take the items to the nearest CBP office and
request a Certificate of Registration (CBP Form 4457) ( ports ) . It
shows that you had the items with you before leaving the United States
and all items listed on it will be allowed duty-free entry. CBP
officers must see the item you are registering in order to certify the
certificate of registration. You can register items with CBP at the
international airport from which you're departing. Keep the
certificate for future trips.


http://www.cbp.gov/linkhandler/cgov/toolbox/forms/4457.ctt/cbp_4457.pdf
is the form


http://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/travel/clearing_goods/certificate_of_registration.xml


--
'Never argue with an idiot. They drag you down to their level then beat you
with experience.'      -anon

--
'Never argue with an idiot. They drag you down to their
level then beat you with experience.'    -anon