I am wondering about the declaration form CBP 6059B. The instructions say: 15. If you are a U.S. resident, print the total value of all goods (including commercial merchandise) you or any family members traveling with you have purchased or acquired abroad (including gifts for someone else, but not items mailed to the United States) and are bringing into the United States.
Note: U.S. residents are normally entitled to a duty-free exemption of $800 on items accompanying them.

Am I supposed to list the $300 worth of clothes I bought in Germany and the $50 worth of trinkets I bought in London? Or only list anything when I have purchases over $800 US?

I've never really understood what I was supposed to list here but now that I am starting to travel much more internationally for my new position I figure I should find out.

Thanks

The way I understand it, is that you add up all of your purchases abroad and list the total on the other side. The $800 is the duty free allowance for American citizens. I think that increases for the U.S. Virgin Islands. I figure it's best to be honest because if you happen to get caught........

My understanding is that you only need to list if you exceed the duty-free limits. We routinely list a dollar value without listing items, it's never caused any reaction.

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I think you need to list no matter what the total is. I always do.

Granted the form is a little unclear though.

Until recently, I didn't itemize on the back either. But a couple of times recently, when the officer asks what I bought, I tell him and he writes it on the back for me. So I've gotten so I itemize every time.

If you're like me, you always "estimate high" on how much you spent abroad. I can never remember exactly how much I spent abroad, so I'll put $200 or something and then write on the back:
$100 clothes
$50 chocolates
$35 music CDs
$15 misc.

That kind of thing. I figure that if they really care, I could pull out receipts, but I'm not going to itemize and add up every last $35.27 charge. Better to just say $200 and call it good. That way you aren't violating any laws.


Remember, always tell the truth on your declaration forms and in your conversations with the officers.

Itemize and add it up on the back, and I agree with the high estimate, so long as you don't exceed your duty free amount. If you do, be honest about it. Customs may decide not to collect the duty if it is not worth the time and effort even if you are over the $800.

By the way we should all note that what matters is the VALUE of the goods you purchased .... not the amount you paid ...

In some (european) countries sales tax are in the 20% range and unlike in the US the sticker price INCLUDES the sales tax ...

So don't forget to deduct sales tax when calculating the VALUE ...

This almost makes the exchange rate with the Euro acceptable !

If you are a returning US citizen/resident you need to declare everything you acquired abroad, meaning bought, traded for, given as a gift.

You can just write down the amount on the front of the form.

If your total goes over $1100, I'd recommend doing the breakdown on the back of the form. It'd make your life a lot easier if you get sent for duty collection.

Simple. On the front of the form write "$350".

On the back write:

Clothes -- $300
Misc Gifts -- $50
Total -- $350

You don't have to list each item-- just each group or category. When the value is low, CBP officers rarely care what you write. I doubt they would even notice if you wrote that you acquired $300 worth of condoms abroad. (I'm not saying that you should write this. )

Also, if you are really concerned, you can just ask any CBP officer when you land. My experience from bringing in commercial samples (which is more complicated than just clothes for personal use) is that they are very helpful in helping you fill in the right information if you ask.

I agree with everyone else - I usually just put a few line items for clothes, gifts, etc. and leave it at that.

On our last trip, I put down $1400 for the total, but that was a single form for both me and my husband. The customs officer said, "$1400? someone had fun shopping!" and sent us on our way. So I think the $800 exemption must apply to each individual.

However, I did spend $950 on another trip by myself and the customs officer just waved me through. So maybe the customs officers in JFK really like me or something.

I admit, I fibbed on the form to and from Japan, and I will be doing so again when I move there this summer. I fibbed the value of dolls I was carrying with me, as I have no intention of paying for dolls I've owned for years all over again (excepting the two I bought on my last trip, which were $1500 on their own.) So on my last form, I wrote "Dolls: $400" and all the US customs fellow said was "Dolls?" I answered, "I collect them." He wished me a good day, and sent me on my way.

I don't think most customs people would believe me if I said I was hauling almost $5k in dolls on my carryon bags anyhow.

I don't make a habit of lying, but this was one exception I was willing to make. :/

I do the same. I never seem to buy anywhere near the limit, either. One time I had a problem, though. I'd itemized and estimated that I'd spent $400 or $500 on stuff and they started asking for details, like "How many books did you buy for $100." In the end, it didn't add up to what I'd written. So, they asked for receipts. They were rather stumped that I'd managed to declare more than I actually had by $100 or so. They didn't search me and were actually rather pleasant about it.

that's what I always do and have never had a problem (800 plus entries in fifteen years)

Has anyone actually had to pay duty on items? A few years ago, my then girlfriend and I brought back around 50 750ml bottles of wine from Canada crossing the border at Niagara Falls. The officer looked, asked a bunch of repeating questions along the lines of "How many bottles did you say?", thought for a few minutes, and in a stern voice said something like "I should make you pay duty on those bottles, but this time I'll let you go through without any problems." I think actual duty on that would've been around $10 or so, so I guess it wasn't worth his time.

It's usually not worth their time, especially on wine/beer since the cost of duty is calculated on the actual amount of alcohol in the bottle - not the total liquid contents.

I had some jerk in Tijuana begin to lecture me that "You are only allowed one bottle of liquor" on a random questioning a while back. I had three bottles (didn't tell him they were Havana Club - still wrapped in newspaper in bags). I said "Actually, sir, it's not one bottle but 1 liter and I can bring back as much as I'd like as long as I pay the duty on the amount over the allowance. If you would like to prepare the paperwork I'd be more than happy to pay it". He huffed and just said "Just get out of here."

It's usually not worth their time to do the paperwork on that small amount of duty...