Hello FT and all!

Until December 2002, the US Customs Decalartion form was $400.00! In January 2003, they made a new form with $800.00 when entering into JFK! WOW! Double!! February 2003, into JFK it is $800.00!! March 2003, into JFK again $800.00!! So, I feel fine, no problem.

Come April 2003, I decide to go to ORD and they also have the new form.....it is $400.00!! ??

What's up with this?? Is it $400.00 or $800.00?? What the error/mix-up?? Was it a John Ashcroft way of writing bogus info for those who declared more than $400.00 on the $800.00 form and get them later on??

Fortunately for me, I declared a *whopping* $399.00 in the February 2003 form. Everything else was under $400.00......but I still *REALLY* like to come into the US with $750.00, if the form says $800.00

Is it $400 or $800?? Help needed!

SHADO

http://www.customs.gov/xp/cgov/trave..._exemption.xml

The above link is the most current and definitive source for all your answers

It's $800 in most cases, they probably had old forms out.

If though, you were out of the country in December, January, February, And April, and any of those trips were within 30 days of each other then you need to be aware of this (in which case it's only $200):

You have not used your exemption, or any part of it, in the past 30 days. If you use part of your exemption - for example, if you go to England and bring back $150 worth of items - you must wait another 30 days before you are allowed another $800 exemption. (However, see the section on the $200 exemption.)


This is found on the link given above, I wasn't aware that the exemption had a date limit on it until reading a story on exemptions at the end of last year.

[This message has been edited by cordelli (edited 04-26-2003).]

A related note: Used to be that you didn't have to itemize purchases on the back of the form unless they were above some amount - I forget how much. On the new forms you are told to itemize all items acquired overseas.

I recognze that a lot of people probably were itemizing everything anyway, but I didn't unless I was over the amount. The additional requirement is a bit of an imposition.

Thanks "cordelli" for that $200.00 issue. You'd expect the United States would dump such a restriction. Oh well, I can't buy much on business. Just curious.

The form at ORD (Chicago) was the new form and it was listed as $400.00. The new forms at JFK are $800.00. Both were not the old form, but the new forms in which you have to itemize what you are declaring.

SHADO

[This message has been edited by SHADO (edited 04-26-2003).]

A copy of the form, which says $800 and $400 is at the customs site at

http://www.customs.gov/xp/cgov/trave...ation_form.xml

Of course, to being the government, the customs form they have the image of still says $400 each, while the descriptive text item number 15 says $800. If they can't get it right, how are we supposed to?

I believe this too is an old form, they just didn't bother scanning a new one in. I think the new ones are dated much after April, but may be wrong.