OK, I talked to US customs--according to the individual I talked to,
the duty on woodwinds is 4.9 percent plus a 25 dollar handling
fee. If the instrument was made in the USA there is only
the handling fee--however documentation must be provided.
US Goods Returned must be marked, some distinguishing
mark on the flute, serial number, name...
I'm not sure this is enough documentation, may try to
inquire further.
Thanks everyone, for the good info
Customs on imported flutes?
Inquired further. Customs says that 'documentation' should
include a letter from the American maker identifying
the flute as his/her work. I asked if a bill of sale from
the maker, marking the original sale to the party abroad, with the
maker's name and address and the serial number,
would be sufficient. No, the customs individual said.
This doesn't quite make sense.
Either the person I was talking with
was confused or customs is thinking of the possibility
that the bill of sale doesn't prove the maker
made the flute--maybe he imported it and then
sold it. A bit complicated.
include a letter from the American maker identifying
the flute as his/her work. I asked if a bill of sale from
the maker, marking the original sale to the party abroad, with the
maker's name and address and the serial number,
would be sufficient. No, the customs individual said.
This doesn't quite make sense.
Either the person I was talking with
was confused or customs is thinking of the possibility
that the bill of sale doesn't prove the maker
made the flute--maybe he imported it and then
sold it. A bit complicated.
-
Jayhawk
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Jim - you're scaring me! I was planning on sending my Seery back to Desi for more keys, but now I'm not sure if that's safe...
I bought it from Frank out in LA (basically via Kevin's website), but now I fear I will be charged for not just customs/duties on the new keywork but on the flute I already own!
Just curious who you're calling so I can call and bug them, too.
Thanks,
Eric
I bought it from Frank out in LA (basically via Kevin's website), but now I fear I will be charged for not just customs/duties on the new keywork but on the flute I already own!
Just curious who you're calling so I can call and bug them, too.
Thanks,
Eric
I do think it's wise to be careful. I've had some bad experiences
returning a flute to a maker in the UK--decided not to keep it--
where he was charged a vast customs sum, so he refused to accept it;
it was returned to me, except it was lost for several months--mucho
transatlantic aggravation for all concerned. Of course this was the Brits, not the USA, but I rather think government bureaucracies are capable of anything. (This, if I may say so,
is why I'm skeptical of socialized anything, FWIW.)
There is a US customs website and if you hunt about, patiently,
under Imports, there
are field offices, they have phone numbers. Find one,
call it, and ask for Customer Service. I called the one
in Chicago. Be nice, be kind, and breathe deeply.
returning a flute to a maker in the UK--decided not to keep it--
where he was charged a vast customs sum, so he refused to accept it;
it was returned to me, except it was lost for several months--mucho
transatlantic aggravation for all concerned. Of course this was the Brits, not the USA, but I rather think government bureaucracies are capable of anything. (This, if I may say so,
is why I'm skeptical of socialized anything, FWIW.)
There is a US customs website and if you hunt about, patiently,
under Imports, there
are field offices, they have phone numbers. Find one,
call it, and ask for Customer Service. I called the one
in Chicago. Be nice, be kind, and breathe deeply.
-
sturob
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SOME of it, at least, isn't really all that complicated.
The bill of sale, Jim, isn't sufficient because an American maker could have sold a flute not of his own manufacture. They want an affidavit from the flutemaker stating that he made the flute in the US. Whether or not you end up having to pay a duty really ends up on the vagaries of the customs agent at the port of entry, and whether or not s/he feels like bothering.
As for sending your flute to Desi, Eric, make sure you write on the customs form that the flute is BEING RETURNED TO FLUTEMAKER FOR REPAIRS. Include, if possible, the aforementioned affidavit. I've had trouble sending things to Ireland, actually, since Irish Customs can be sticklers about proving the origin of the item as well. I had to have Geoff Wooff fax them an affidavit.
And do NOT think that UPS has somehow screwed you in that you might get a bill from them for getting an item through customs. High-dollar items, like instruments, are like candy for customs agents. They (Customs) LOVE charging the duty, and UPS/DHL/FedEx consider rapid turnover through customs part of their service. Not everything sent via UPS/etc. will get charged a duty, but it'll be a lot faster than the mail, and the item won't languish in USPS Prison waiting for you to pay the duty. UPS/etc. pay the duty on your behalf.
And, in defense of the US, it's the only country I've lived in which makes it a habit of allowing the item to pass through customs quickly, even if there's a duty. The UK, Ireland, and Canada (Ireland and Canada are the worst) are notorious for customs backlogs that can last for WEEKS or MONTHS. Meaning your flute/chanter/etc. can languish in a customs warehouse for WEEKS (with no climate control). This doesn't happen with DHL/UPS/FedEx, but it DOES happen with the mail. You pay extra for UPS/etc. to get your crap through customs.
Oh, and don't EVER send anything to Ireland in late December or early January. BACKLOG backlog BACKLOG.
And don't generalize.
Stuart
The bill of sale, Jim, isn't sufficient because an American maker could have sold a flute not of his own manufacture. They want an affidavit from the flutemaker stating that he made the flute in the US. Whether or not you end up having to pay a duty really ends up on the vagaries of the customs agent at the port of entry, and whether or not s/he feels like bothering.
As for sending your flute to Desi, Eric, make sure you write on the customs form that the flute is BEING RETURNED TO FLUTEMAKER FOR REPAIRS. Include, if possible, the aforementioned affidavit. I've had trouble sending things to Ireland, actually, since Irish Customs can be sticklers about proving the origin of the item as well. I had to have Geoff Wooff fax them an affidavit.
And do NOT think that UPS has somehow screwed you in that you might get a bill from them for getting an item through customs. High-dollar items, like instruments, are like candy for customs agents. They (Customs) LOVE charging the duty, and UPS/DHL/FedEx consider rapid turnover through customs part of their service. Not everything sent via UPS/etc. will get charged a duty, but it'll be a lot faster than the mail, and the item won't languish in USPS Prison waiting for you to pay the duty. UPS/etc. pay the duty on your behalf.
And, in defense of the US, it's the only country I've lived in which makes it a habit of allowing the item to pass through customs quickly, even if there's a duty. The UK, Ireland, and Canada (Ireland and Canada are the worst) are notorious for customs backlogs that can last for WEEKS or MONTHS. Meaning your flute/chanter/etc. can languish in a customs warehouse for WEEKS (with no climate control). This doesn't happen with DHL/UPS/FedEx, but it DOES happen with the mail. You pay extra for UPS/etc. to get your crap through customs.
Oh, and don't EVER send anything to Ireland in late December or early January. BACKLOG backlog BACKLOG.
And don't generalize.
Stuart
Last edited by sturob on Thu Dec 09, 2004 8:59 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Thanks for all this helpful info, Stu
I appreciate that it was unclear in context, and
the complication I had in mind was getting a maker
to track down the sale, then write and send an affadavit to the
other side of the planet so that the individual there
can include it in the parcel sent to me here.
In case anybody hasn't guessed, I'm considering
purchasing the Olwell advertised below,
which now resides in China.
I appreciate that it was unclear in context, and
the complication I had in mind was getting a maker
to track down the sale, then write and send an affadavit to the
other side of the planet so that the individual there
can include it in the parcel sent to me here.
In case anybody hasn't guessed, I'm considering
purchasing the Olwell advertised below,
which now resides in China.