Taking personal belongings with you

[lizanddavid 1]

I am moving to the U.S. next month and have some questions regarding some personal belongings I plan on taking with me.

I plan to pack my 2 x Sonos Play:3 speakers in my checked luggage, which I bought around 2 years ago for £249 each.

Do I have to declare my personal belongings on a form before I land?

Do I need to pay duty on my personal belongings? If so, which ones?

I can't seem to find clear guidance on the Customs & Border Protection website.

Thanks for your help in advance.

[VOL 425]

Never heard anyone paying bringing in personal items

[Nich-Nick 3,353]

I am moving to the U.S. next month and have some questions regarding some personal belongings I plan on taking with me.

I plan to pack my 2 x Sonos Play:3 speakers in my checked luggage, which I bought around 2 years ago for £249 each.

Do I have to declare my personal belongings on a form before I land?

Do I need to pay duty on my personal belongings? If so, which ones?

I can't seem to find clear guidance on the Customs & Border Protection website.

Thanks for your help in advance.

You get to bring unlimited "household goods" into the US. If on the plane with you, the CBP calls that "accompanied goods". You don't have to itemize or value them on the customs form you get on the plane. Our agent said simply write "household goods" on the form. By definition it is supposed to be things you have owned for a year. If you buy sunglasses or gifts in duty free, then list and value those items like any other trip because they are brand new with tags.

Things that are shipped over are call "unaccompanied" and require a big customs form where you list the inventory of the boxes. You also include a photocopy of your visa to show you are immigrating and get to bring your stuff free.

[Roy&Chanel 109]

Hi guys, since this topic is been made, mind as well post my queries here

Just want to know what about jewelries that are passed down from grandma and branded handbags? Can I hand carry luggage them?

[Nich-Nick 3,353]

Hi guys, since this topic is been made, mind as well post my queries here

Just want to know what about jewelries that are passed down from grandma and branded handbags? Can I hand carry luggage them?

If they are inspected and are knock-off designer bags then they could be seized I suppose like any other counterfeit. If your bags and jewelry look used then I suppose they would pass as your personal items. Not every person will even have their bags inspected. Depends if somebody actually inspects your luggage and if you story sounds believable I suppose. A large case full of brand new designer handbags with tags might look like something you were planning to sell rather than your personal household goods owned for a year. Of course having a receipt from the Louis Vuitton store from 2013 might help. I suppose you'll find out. There is no specific answer that I know.

[Roy&Chanel 109]

Hi there, thanks for your reply! That really helped and reminded me of receipts! My bags are pretty good condition, I do have the receipts! Bought them for years but they are pretty new I barely use them! I am not going to check in cos they are costly. My jewelries do not have receipts.

[Nich-Nick 3,353]

Hi there, thanks for your reply! That really helped and reminded me of receipts! My bags are pretty good condition, I do have the receipts! Bought them for years but they are pretty new I barely use them! I am not going to check in cos they are costly. My jewelries do not have receipts.

Best to have anything that might get stolen with you rather than checked or shipped.

That reminds me of when I was on a plane from London after a big terrorist plot was thwarted...I think the first plane allowed to leave from London after canceling flights for days. We could take nothing on the plane except one sandwich size plastic bag. No handbags, pens, snacks, books, etc. I took my credit cards, some cash, and the ignition key to my car (parked at arrival airport). It was interesting looking at the ladies in departures wearing all their fine jewelry... Like eight chains, multiple pendants, pearls, stacks of bracelets, and such.

[agnesb 47]

Just to let you know you can buy a pair of sonos for 350$ in best buy. Would you get 250£ for selling that pair now in uk and then buy new ones when you get to us?

[agnesb 47]

Oh nvm its sonos 1 i was thinking about.

[raven52 233]

It is my understanding, that what you would declare, is only what you bought, if you visited a foreign country, and bought new merchandise.

You paid taxes on the items you bought in your home country, and paying taxes on them entering the USA would be double taxation. It is just my opinion.

I would consider one post, if you could sell the mdse., and buy the same thing here for close to the same price.,.,.,,.might to be considered.

[lizanddavid 1]

Thank you all for your replies. That has cleared everything up nicely. Agnesb - I like your thinking, I'll look into that.

[mhavermans 2]

You get to bring unlimited "household goods" into the US. If on the plane with you, the CBP calls that "accompanied goods". You don't have to itemize or value them on the customs form you get on the plane. Our agent said simply write "household goods" on the form. By definition it is supposed to be things you have owned for a year. If you buy sunglasses or gifts in duty free, then list and value those items like any other trip because they are brand new with tags.

Things that are shipped over are call "unaccompanied" and require a big customs form where you list the inventory of the boxes. You also include a photocopy of your visa to show you are immigrating and get to bring your stuff free.

I'm still far from moving, but i'm looking into all of this.

In regards to the 'unaccompanied goods'. The form CBP 3299 needs to be filled in (the inventory). Does this form needs to be placed inside the box together with a photocopy of the visa? I would be shipping it by courier or postal service to my new address and hoping they would deliver it there

From what I found on google, this was to be taken to the CBP at the POE when everything was clear

[Nich-Nick 3,353]

I'm still far from moving, but i'm looking into all of this.

In regards to the 'unaccompanied goods'. The form CBP 3299 needs to be filled in (the inventory). Does this form needs to be placed inside the box together with a photocopy of the visa? I would be shipping it by courier or postal service to my new address and hoping they would deliver it there

From what I found on google, this was to be taken to the CBP at the POE when everything was clear

I don't really know the answer. If it is coming directly to your home, then you won't be going to the customs area where the FedEx (example) plane lands and unloads in the US and the packages cleared. Some people just mail their stuff with no papers. I suppose if it got held up in Newark customs for example, they would have to sort it with documents to get it released if there was no paperwork with the box. Ask your mailing company what they require.

In the case of shipping a big load on a boat ship, there is an appointed "agent" who clears the shipment at the port when the container is unloaded before the boxes are loaded on a freight truck/moving van to be driven cross country to the destination. We were a little different because we picked our 23 boxes up at the port. We served as our own agent, which included clearing the customs release with a CBP agent. That clearance paper provided by the CPB guy allowed the goods to be released from the warehouse. (You don't actually go to the boat in the water to collect your things. The containers are x-rayed as they leave the port and transported to a nearby warehouse for unloading and release.)