How can we bring expensive treasures to USA

[PJB 0]

For those of you who have done this or if you have knowledge of Russian and American customs laws, banking laws etc;

How can we bring all of our treasures from Russia to America? We have paintings, coin and stamp collections, Soviet Xmas ornaments and family heirlooms. I am afraid many things over 40 years old would be confiscated by Russian customs if we tried to take them on the plane with us. Is there some legal way to bring all this to US?

[mox 298]

For those of you who have done this or if you have knowledge of Russian and American customs laws, banking laws etc;

How can we bring all of our treasures from Russia to America? We have paintings, coin and stamp collections, Soviet Xmas ornaments and family heirlooms. I am afraid many things over 40 years old would be confiscated by Russian customs if we tried to take them on the plane with us. Is there some legal way to bring all this to US?

Take a look here.

You'll have to determine if any of your possessions falls into any of the defined categories. More importantly, you're going to have to determine if customs will think they fall into any of these categories. If you've got some unique items of art or antiques, you may have to take them to the Ministry of Culture to be evaluated and have a letter issued stating that they do not fall under the categories of protected items. And if you do have anything that falls under the definition of "cultural valuables" then you're better off leaving them with a family member or donating them to a museum. Otherwise you're smuggling, and that could get ugly.

[PJB 0]

For those of you who have done this or if you have knowledge of Russian and American customs laws, banking laws etc;

How can we bring all of our treasures from Russia to America? We have paintings, coin and stamp collections, Soviet Xmas ornaments and family heirlooms. I am afraid many things over 40 years old would be confiscated by Russian customs if we tried to take them on the plane with us. Is there some legal way to bring all this to US?

Take a look here.

You'll have to determine if any of your possessions falls into any of the defined categories. More importantly, you're going to have to determine if customs will think they fall into any of these categories. If you've got some unique items of art or antiques, you may have to take them to the Ministry of Culture to be evaluated and have a letter issued stating that they do not fall under the categories of protected items. And if you do have anything that falls under the definition of "cultural valuables" then you're better off leaving them with a family member or donating them to a museum. Otherwise you're smuggling, and that could get ugly.

It looks like all of our stuff falls in that protected status catagory.

[mox 298]

It looks like all of our stuff falls in that protected status catagory.

Better to keep them with family then, rather than risking them being confiscated and losing them for good. Sorry to hear it. :\

[slim 1,514]

Wouldn't you handle that much the same as you'd handle anything else in Russia? (By that I mean you'd pay the right "fine" to the right guy and he'd give you a stamp on the right document.)

[Danno 1,228]

There was a few news stories not long ago on this subject, one about a woman busted with a WW2 medal which was bought in a market. She was locked up for some time as I recall and ended up paying a pretty good size fine (as well as attorny fees)

I have brought WW2 medals out in my pocket and got by, but knowing what I know now, I would not chance it, I would send it postal or something.

I also brought a Nazi Panzor Badge and a USSR Order of the red star, out of Kiev with no problem but I don't think they have any such laws.

I may be wrong but I was under the impression, if it was from your family, you can bring stuff out by filing the paperwork mentioned above.

*shruggs*

[PJB 0]

There was a few news stories not long ago on this subject, one about a woman busted with a WW2 medal which was bought in a market. She was locked up for some time as I recall and ended up paying a pretty good size fine (as well as attorny fees)

I have brought WW2 medals out in my pocket and got by, but knowing what I know now, I would not chance it, I would send it postal or something.

I also brought a Nazi Panzor Badge and a USSR Order of the red star, out of Kiev with no problem but I don't think they have any such laws.

I may be wrong but I was under the impression, if it was from your family, you can bring stuff out by filing the paperwork mentioned above.

*shruggs*

There have been many incidences of Americans getting locked up for "stealing Russia's history" reported on Moscow TV and papers. Usually the poor guy/girl bought a medal or coin for a dollar at the renok from some babushka. But even if the coin is really only worth a few bucks to collectors, if it is older than 30 years the authorities call it "historical".

Our stuff actually is valuable (and historical) and so bribing someone to get it out would end up badly. And going to Russian jail is a bad idea. A really, really bad idea