Mike Gardner wrote: > > Another point to consider if you have new or new-looking camera > equipment, is to carry copies of your purchase receipts for the gear > with you so that upon your return to the good ole USA the friendly > Customs dudes will be assured that you are not "importing" gear and owe > them > import duty.
You don't need to carry receipts. Before you leave the US, stop by the US customs office in your city or at the international airport from which you ar leaving. Bring all your gear, plus a list of each item, value, country of origin and serial #. Ask customs for form 4457 "Registration for Personal Effects Taken Abroad", it's a small piece of paper that fits in your wallet or passport. On form 4457, under "list of items", write "see attached list", staple it to your lists. Customs inspectors are supposed to then cross-check your stuff with the list, but they usually just pick out one item on your list to spot-chack and say "show me this"...they are satisfied & put oficial US customs stamp on form 4457 and your list. When you return to the US, you show these documents to the customs inspector when clearing US customs and you'll breeze right thru. If you are at a customs office any time, you can pick up form 4457, just to have it on hand. Since most of my foreign travel was on spur of the moment, I always kept a couple forms ready to go with my passport. --Dave Busse --> SPORRS: Serious Photographers of Railroad Related Subjects
