Alcohol and tobacco are generally the best discounts you’ll find at a duty-free store. Cameras and electronic products are usually not a very good deal. Retail items like cosmetics, clothing, and perfume can be hit or miss in terms of their value. If an item wouldn’t normally be on sale at a regular retailer, you may get a deal, but otherwise it might be cheaper to look for these items on sale at a regular retail outlet. Candy and other confections are usually worth purchasing duty free if they are imported. However, regular candy that you can purchase at a supermarket is usually not a very good deal, and may actually be sold at an inflated price if you’re buying at an airport duty-free store.
Many duty-free shops deliver your purchases to you as you physically leave the country. Your items may be delivered to you as you board a plane or as you drive or walk across an international border.
Countries eligible for duty-free shipping back to the U. S. are categorized as either insular possession (IP) countries or Caribbean Basin Initiative (CBI) countries. IP countries are sovereign nations that are considered U. S. territories (excluding Puerto Rico). These include the U. S. Virgin Islands, American Samoa, and Guam.
If returning to the U. S. , you may bring up to five liters (169 fluid ounces) of alcohol as part of your allowable $1,600 exemption if at least four of those liters were purchased in the IP country and at least one of those liters was a product of that IP country. You may bring up to $800 in goods duty free if returning to the U. S. from an eligible CBI country. [6] X Trustworthy Source U. S. Customs and Border Protection Federal law enforcement agency responsible for monitoring U. S. borders, facilitating international trade, and upholding customs laws Go to source Only one bottle purchased in a cruise ship’s duty-free store would be exempt from taxes. However, you may be allowed to bring back two bottles duty free if at least one of the bottles was the product of an eligible CBI country. Any additional bottles of liquor would be subject to a 1. 5% flat duty rate, as well as additional Internal Revenue Service (IRS) taxes.
Ask the merchant to hold your item at the time of purchase. Let him/her know you will send a copy of the Declaration of Unaccompanied Articles form, also known as CPB (Customs and Border Protection) Form 255. Fill out a separate CBP Form 255 for each individual package/container you’ll be sending back to the U. S. , which will then have to be attached to the package before shipment. Pay any Customs duty and taxes you may owe upon returning to the U. S. A CBP officer will also verify your list and validate your form(s). Send the yellow copy of CBP Form 255 to the vendor who is holding your purchase. Keep the other copy you’re given by CBP for your own records. Once your package clears Customs, the U. S. Postal Service will be delivered to your home (if you are shipping it through the USPS). If you’re using a transportation service, you will be notified when your package arrives, and you’ll be able to claim it at their office.
U. S. citizens traveling to Canada for under 48 hours may bring back up to $200 (U. S. Dollars) worth of goods per person without paying taxes or duties. However, alcohol and tobacco may be subject to duties and taxes if it was purchased on a brief trip. U. S. citizens who spend more than 48 hours in Canada may bring back up to $800 in goods per person, and will not have to pay taxes or duties on up to one liter (33. 8 fluid ounces) of alcohol, one carton of 200 cigarettes, and 100 cigars.
Most product-specific limitations restrict travelers to bringing back one liter (33. 8 fluid ounces) of alcohol and one carton of cigarettes per person per trip. At the U. S. /Canadian border, individuals may only bring up to $800 in goods per month. If you and one or more family members who reside at the same address travel together, you can collectively bring a total of $1,600 worth of goods per month per household.
You can pay in cash, but it must be in the currency of the nation whose Customs office you are dealing with. For example, if you’re a U. S. citizen crossing from Canada back into the U. S. , you’ll need to pay the U. S. Customs office in U. S. currency. You can write a personal check for the exact amount of your Customs duty, provided you have a bank account within that country. For example, a U. S. citizen may make a personal check payment to the U. S. Customs office if he/she has a U. S. -based bank account. If making a payment by check, you will need to provide an authorized photo ID (typically either a passport or U. S. driver’s license). You may also make a Customs payment by money order or traveler’s check if the total you owe is below a certain amount. At the U. S. border, for example, that amount is set at $50.
