Bringing alcohol into the US
 

Apologies if this is the wrong forum but I figured my question was pretty general.

Anyway, having never flown into the US before, I was wondering what the import restrictions are for bringing alcohol into the US (specifically avoiding paying duty). I have been trying to use the TSA's and CBP's websites for the last half hour and both have proven utterly useless.

I am also interested which rules also apply for cigars. Obviously I cannot bring any Cubans with my but I just how many am I allowed?

Here's your website:

http://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/travel/va...aying_duty.xml

It looks like you can bring in 1 liter of alcohol and 100 cigars duty-free, but read the page in its entirety. They also mention that various states might have state laws that are more restrictive than federal laws. You should check the state laws, as well. You will be concerned with the state in which you first touch down in the US, which is where you will go through Customs, as well as the final destination state.

Having said that, others might offer more specific advice from their own experience. I don't drink alcohol, nor smoke. I'm only looking at the CBP website for info.

I never bought anything duty free in the aiports themselves, but I have taken bottles of alcohol home in my checked luggage without any problems at all.

Oh, and the cuban cigar thing, I brought them back in my carry on luggage from Colombia and didn't face any problems.

Thanks for the link, though that seems to deal with US residents returning with items from travels overseas rather than visitors (me) bringing the same items over the border. Would I be correct in presuming that the same restrictions still apply?

I was planning to check them as well but I figured I would still have to claim them on whatever form they ask us to fill out.

I believe so. I found another website for you:

http://www.worldtravelguide.net/unit...rica/duty-free

This is not an official site, but it does agree with the 1 liter of alcohol and 100 non-Cuban cigars mentioned in the official CBP site.

The site does specifically mention a prohibition on Cuban-origin cigars, regardless of the country of purchase. A PP poster who mentioned Cuban cigars in his checked luggage is officially a smuggler.

No need to bring any. It's readily available. We repealed Prohibition back in the 30's. :D

It all depends on where you're flying into. Look at state laws -- they determine how much you can carry. If you're carrying anything over 1L, you need to declare it, however the duty is quite small, so you probably won't need to pay anything, but DO DECLARE IT. I've been told by CBP at SFO that they don't really care about alcohol as long as it's declared if it's over 1L/pax.

My sister brought 2 large bottles in her checked bag. No problem at all.. shes not even 21.. She never declared anything..

lol, it's more of a novelty, really. The friend I am visiting and I have a running joke and I want to bring a certain brand that isn't available in the US.

As for the Cuban cigar issue, I have read of many ways of getting around the embargo but I figured discussing them here would not go over so well. Nonetheless, thanks for the help and advice!

And if it helps any, I will be flying and staying in the ATL area.

While it's true that the traveler must comply with any state laws for the state in which they're entering, generally speaking, US Customs will not enforce state laws, and only care about the federal duty limits on alcohol. With the one exception being...

... that no importation is allowed for travelers under 21, since the drinking age in all states is 21. As to the above situation, it's the same as the Cuban cigar situation: it's called smuggling. I don't think the OP was asking about how easy it would be to smuggle undeclared goods in through Customs without getting caught, but rather was asking on what the duty-free allowance was.

Unless the liquor isn't available in the U.S. state you are visiting and it is really special, you might want to check local price and availability first. Some U.S. states do make it expensive and difficult to buy liquor (e.g., WA and PA) but it is cheap and readily available in others (e.g., NV, HI and CT).

That is correct, but the application of the law by customs will be at their discretion. I've been camping numerous times between 18 and 21 years of age from Montreal to upstate NY, often we brought beer into the US by land. Sometimes we'd be asked if we had any beer/etc, we would always answer honestly. We never got any confiscated, and we were usually told "just be good and don't drive if you drink". "Yes sir!".

HTSC

Declare everything but Customs is usually lenient about things like alcohol.

Yeah, wait a second. US Immigration is a federal agency, and the drinking ages are mandated by state law. I guess they wouldn't have the jurisdiction to stop that.

My wife and I recently brought back seven bottles of wine from Argentina in our checked luggage. We landed at DFW, declared all of them, and were just waved through customs.

The duty due on alcoholic beverages beyond the initial allowance is based on the alcohol content. Because of this the duty on wine and beer is often such a small amount that the agents don't think it worth the time and effort to do the paperwork.

They will be happy to do the paperwork involved, however, if you don't declare it.

I recently brought ~2L of alcohol from Iceland thru JFK.

No problems, just declare it on the form and be over 21.

Quite possibly true, but if they don't have jurisdiction they could just tip off local/state LEOs and you would immediately be a Minor in Possession.

Fortunately, it isn't much of an int'l gateway but those arriving into the U.S. at SLC should be aware of very restrictive liquor import laws that U.S. Customs there enforces.

My husband and I bring scotch whisky home from the UK all the time. Even when I'm traveling by myself and bring 4 bottles in I always get waved through- this has been at EWR, DFW and ORD. I always decleare them and occasionally an agent will comment on them ("you know the limit is one liter per person, right?") but have never been charged duty. If I ever get charged, I'll happily pay it.

Let's say I hypothetically bring home 10 bottles of German wine (0,75L and for personal consumption), split between my wife and me. If I am charged tariffs, what would I expect to pay?

I found the Harmonized Tariffs Schedule on the CBP website, but that's pretty hard to analyze...anybody?

One time driving back to the US from Canada, I had 8 bottles of wine, which I bought in Canada from the duty free store at the border with the money refunded from the GST.

I voluntarily told the CBP officer I had the extra wine, which was sitting on the back seat in plastic bags and asked her where do I go to pay the duty on the extra wine, she said no need to pay, and cleared me through.

If I had tried to sneak the wine in, they could have fined me or even confiscated, but being open and honest I knew they would not make me pay any duty on the extra bottles of wine.

Mr. Elliott

Or, I guess, what's the limit I could bring without any suspicion? All would be for personal consumption and not for resale.

2 liters I think
 

I have brought back liquor from many countries, and usually buy at duty free. I was told limit is 2 liters per person or 5 cartons of smokes...they even sell 5 cartons in a bonus pack for the price of 4, I bring them back for my brother. My wife and I declare the amount paid for our 4 bottles and usually arent questioned. I also read that on cruises that stop in st thomas you are allowed an extra bottle each. To be sure do a search on duty free limits for your country. 4-6 is about all you can comfortable carry with luggage anyway.

Best find has been in Canada....they sell a Crown Royal Limited that comes in a different shaped bottle and is only sold in Canada...not crownXR or cask 16 or reserve, but Limited....very smooth and its the price of regular crown here, sometimes cheaper with the Canadian dollar, I keep it in my safe since my wife quit traveling to Canada for work.
Mexico has great deals on Kahlua and tequilla...Jamaica has appleton 12year rum for next to nothing....depending on the country, some brands can be just as cheap back home....I get Grey Goose just as cheap here as in most duty free shops I have seen...so it helps to know your prices.
Its a pain to travel with because we have to go through customs here in ATL and then put it in our checked bags to go through additional screenings before we can claim them to go home...I cant wait until ATL has a seperate and secure international concourse to come home to, where we can claim our bags once and leave.