Traveling to buy wine
Sep 11, 2014, 9:54 am
#1
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Traveling to buy wine
A few years ago we fell in love with South African wines while there and brought back 2 cases, fully expecting to pay duty on them. The US customs site says duty will be 3%. They waived us through customs without paying any duty.
Last week we went to the Barossa and Mclaren Vale wine regions, and bought 4 cases, again expecting to pay 3% duty. We were told that the amount we paid was irrelevant, and were charged 23 cents per bottle for 46 bottles (2 can come in duty free). With a small service charge, we paid about $15.00 duty on 46 bottles of Australian wine.
Anyone ever been charged the 3%?
Last week we went to the Barossa and Mclaren Vale wine regions, and bought 4 cases, again expecting to pay 3% duty. We were told that the amount we paid was irrelevant, and were charged 23 cents per bottle for 46 bottles (2 can come in duty free). With a small service charge, we paid about $15.00 duty on 46 bottles of Australian wine.
Anyone ever been charged the 3%?
Sep 11, 2014, 10:08 am
#2
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A few years ago we fell in love with South African wines while there and brought back 2 cases, fully expecting to pay duty on them. The US customs site says duty will be 3%. They waived us through customs without paying any duty.
Last week we went to the Barossa and Mclaren Vale wine regions, and bought 4 cases, again expecting to pay 3% duty. We were told that the amount we paid was irrelevant, and were charged 23 cents per bottle for 46 bottles (2 can come in duty free). With a small service charge, we paid about $15.00 duty on 46 bottles of Australian wine.
Anyone ever been charged the 3%?
Last week we went to the Barossa and Mclaren Vale wine regions, and bought 4 cases, again expecting to pay 3% duty. We were told that the amount we paid was irrelevant, and were charged 23 cents per bottle for 46 bottles (2 can come in duty free). With a small service charge, we paid about $15.00 duty on 46 bottles of Australian wine.
Anyone ever been charged the 3%?
Sep 11, 2014, 10:30 am
#3
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We had receipts ready to show the value of what we bought, and we didn't buy cheap wines. Didn't want to see the receipts. Charge was only the 23 cents per bottle.
Sep 11, 2014, 11:44 am
#4
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Traveling to buy wine
Customs generally doesn't care that much about legal items that are clearly for personal consumption. If they thought you were an importer then you'd likely get dinged.
Sep 11, 2014, 2:58 pm
#6
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I've never brought more than a case, but I would say with 6, you still look too small time to qualify as an importer in their eyes. I would probably keep to recent vintages and keep recipts handy.
For the record, I have never be charged duty on any alcoholic beverage I've brought back home from outside the US>
For the record, I have never be charged duty on any alcoholic beverage I've brought back home from outside the US>
Sep 11, 2014, 5:28 pm
#8
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You are mixing the personal exemption for total imports limit with the alcohol in excess of 1L limit. Not declaring (my $ value) a case of that Madeira could result in a hefty fine and forfeiture. Declaring a case of "whatever wine" won't.
Sep 12, 2014, 7:16 am
#10
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You can get wine shipping boxes almost anywhere. In SA, we got them in wine stores. In Australia they sell them at the post office. We also buy wine online and it comes in sturdy packing boxes. When we are traveling to buy wine, we take strong empty ones with us so we don't have to keep buying new ones. They are sturdy enough to check the wine without issue. A case of wine is below the weight limit of almost all airlines for checked bags.
Sep 13, 2014, 5:55 pm
#11
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A few years ago we fell in love with South African wines while there and brought back 2 cases, fully expecting to pay duty on them. The US customs site says duty will be 3%. They waived us through customs without paying any duty.
Last week we went to the Barossa and Mclaren Vale wine regions, and bought 4 cases, again expecting to pay 3% duty. We were told that the amount we paid was irrelevant, and were charged 23 cents per bottle for 46 bottles (2 can come in duty free). With a small service charge, we paid about $15.00 duty on 46 bottles of Australian wine.
Anyone ever been charged the 3%?
Last week we went to the Barossa and Mclaren Vale wine regions, and bought 4 cases, again expecting to pay 3% duty. We were told that the amount we paid was irrelevant, and were charged 23 cents per bottle for 46 bottles (2 can come in duty free). With a small service charge, we paid about $15.00 duty on 46 bottles of Australian wine.
Anyone ever been charged the 3%?
We also love South Africa wine, but the shipping charges were so outrageous that we didn't bother. We now have a wine suitcase that holds 6 bottles, and we bring bottles to drink with us when we travel and then use it if we find wines to purchase--and never declare. (Never had any issue, but then it's just 6 bottles.)
We now tend to check with our local wholesaler to see if they carry any of the wines we otherwise might buy when abroad--occasionally, they do. A few times, they've even been willing to order some wines we particularly enjoy (South African) and allow us first crack at them, selling the rest as usual. It's a nice arrangement that saves us a lot of hassle.
Sep 13, 2014, 10:35 pm
#12
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As a *G, you'd have your suitcase plus 2 cases of wine as your 3 bags, all free. If there are 2 of you, you'd have 2 suitcases + 4 cases, or 1 suitcase + 5 cases.
Sep 14, 2014, 11:16 am
#13
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I guess we've just never liked the idea of checking a package of wine, assuming the wine wouldn't survive the trip--with airline baggage handlers being less than careful on too many occasions. We are returning to South Africa in January, so maybe we might try again...but again I would be apprehensive to purchase wine and then check it through the commercial airlines. I think it's great that you've done so without incident, though!
Sep 14, 2014, 3:28 pm
#14
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With wine boxes, checking the boxes is not an issue. We worried what it would be like to have to pay duty, but the process was simple. Next time, it will be 6 cases and carry luggage.