Moving Household Goods to the United States - Nonresidents/First-Time Immigrants - Customs Forum

**admin** · 09-09-2011, 14:22 PM

The difference between foreigners / immigrants and First-Time Returning Residents
Requirements for the importation of alcohol, tobacco, cars and gifts by foreigners / immigrants are first-time than those used for the return of residents. Please note the following sections for specific details.

Tax exemptions for household and personal effects
You can import furniture, dishes, linens, libraries, graphics and other household items for personal use duty-free. To be eligible for duty-free exemption, the articles were either for use or disposal in a household where you were a resident for one year. The year of the application must not be continuous, yet it needs to the year immediately preceding the date of importation. Personal and household effects entitled to duty-free entry need not accompany you to the United States, you can add your U.S. address delivered at a later date, if you choose. Your shipment of personal and / or household goods must be cleared through Customs at its first port of arrival, unless you have agreements with a foreign carrier that your impact in Customs custody in-bond from the port of arrival at a convenient port of entry for clearance. (Ask your moving company if they offer this service.)

Household goods from the country in which these effects were used and meet the above criteria, may be in the United States duty-free within 10 years after the first arrival in the United States as a legal resident.

Personal effects can be delivered or mailed to you at a later date. The package should be marked "Used Personal Effects" and must have been in your possession prior to entry into the United States. Everything in the package, the new one is included in the price to be dutiable.

Professional Equipment
A person emigrating to the United States can give you professional books, instruments and tools of trade, occupation or employment duty if the articles were used in the ownership and abroad. These elements must not be in your possession for a year before had been imported, but they must be imported for use and not for sale. Theatrical scenery, properties, or clothing and items for use in any manufacturing operation are not entitled to such relief.

Automobiles
Aliens / First-time immigrants temporarily import a vehicle duty free for personal use when the vehicle is imported in conjunction with the owner on arrival. Vehicles must not accompany the owner, but should arrive in the U.S. about the same time, at least within a few weeks. If a delay should take place more than a few weeks, the importer must prove that the delay was justified. The vehicles are defined as a car, trailer, airplane, motorcycle, boat or similar vehicle. Vehicles that do not conform to U.S. safety and emissions standards must be exported within one year and may not be sold in the United States. There is no exemption or extension of the export requirement. According to import vehicles under the duty-free exemption dutiable, if sold within one year after the importation. Duty is the most conveniently located Customs office to be paid before the sale is completed. May be imported under vehicles so in the U.S. remains indefinitely once a formal entry made for EPA purposes.

Foreign-made vehicles that are not in your possession before you leave your residence abroad, when imported into the U.S., whether new or used (ie, ordered for direct delivery to your residence in the U.S., either for personal use or for sale) are generally dutiable at the following prices:

• Cars ...................................... 2.5%

• Trucks .................................... 25%

• Motorcycles, mopeds
up to 700 cc .. ... ... ... ... ... Free
700-970 cc. ... ... ... ... ... 2.4%
over 970 cc ... ... ... ... ... ... Free

• Trailer ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... Free

The duties may be on the market value of the vehicle and the prices change on an annual basis.

Alcohol, tobacco
Foreigners who are 21 years old may bring in free of duty and Internal Revenue tax up to one liter of alcoholic beverages - beer, wine, liquor - for personal use. Amounts in excess of the one-liter limitation are subject to duty and Internal Revenue tax.

You can also in your personal exemption not more than 200 cigarettes (a carton) or 50 cigars or two kilograms (4.4 lbs.) Smoking tobacco or proportionate amounts of each included. Cuban cigars are prohibited.

Firearms and ammunition
Firearms and ammunition are subject to restrictions and import permits. The importation of fully automatic weapons and semi-automatic assault-type weapon is prohibited. In general, importing weapons and ammunition acquired abroad, but only under permit. For complete information to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, Department of the Treasury, Firearms and Explosives Import Branch, Washington, DC to write 20226th This agency will provide permit applications and answer questions about the Gun Control Act of 1968.

Gifts
Foreigners are up to $ 100 (or $ 200 if from American Samoa, U.S. Virgin Islands or Guam) worth of goods allows internal, duty free and tax revenues, as gifts for other people. These gifts must be included in your statement and you must accompany them. Gifts are not considered part of the household and personal effects.

Foreigners include cigars in their $ 100 gift exemption, but not cigarettes or alcohol. Gifts from the countries currently under sanctions with the U.S. (see Prohibited and restricted imports is on page __) can not claim to be the $ 100 gift exemption (Example: Iraq). To ensure that gifts are eligible for the $ 100 exemption, you should questions to the Office of Foreign Assets Control at 202/622-2480 to be referred.

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