U.S. Customs Declaration Form

Old U.S. Customs Declaration form. They no longer routinely hand these out on planes. It’s electronic for most U.S. arrivals.

When it comes to the U.S. Customs Declaration, I do declare everything I purchase abroad. Yes, everything I bring back into the U.S. is accounted for in my declaration. When I purchase an item overseas I put the receipt in a special section of my wallet. Then, prior to packing for my return home, I put all the items together and take inventory.

Plan ahead and pack wisely

I pack the suitcase with all those items on top, thus closest to the opening. Upon departure from Paris, when requesting the VAT tax refund you must be prepared to show all items requested for the refund to the French authorities. Keeping the articles in one easily accessible spot prevents the embarrassment of rifling through your bag exposing your delicates in public.

Invariably, when I am traveling with someone they will ask me. “Do I have to declare” such and such? I always tell them that I declare everything, but do what you want. Then typically a short discussion ensues about what is the individual allowance? (It’s $800 by the way – not Euros!) Followed by, “Does the stuff in Duty Free count?” (It does count towards your $800.) I used to be that person asking because I traveled less frequently, but have always erred on the side of extreme caution. When in doubt, declare.

I did this for over 20 years and was never stopped until…

…now

What happens when they pull you to the side and send you behind the secret wall?

I was stopped this past trip, damn that Louis Vuitton “forever” bag. It flagged me for sure. I did not sweat it though because one, I had declared everything and two, I was prepared to pay any duty owed without a fuss.

The young non-U.S. resident girl next to me with a suitcase full of dubious electronics was in a complete panic. She had very few receipts, the items were jumbled up inside clothes and her suitcase was completely open, exposing her privates to the world. When I left the room she was in tears over the fact that they said she was going to pay a hefty fine and other penalties harsher still were being discussed.

The Customs Official went through my list, looked on his computer to see what applied to the $800. I offered to show him any and all items in question. In the end, it was determined that I was totally fine and owed no duty. It pays to be honest the official said and I could not agree more.

Do you declare everything in your U.S. Customs Declaration?