Importing a watch from Japan to US?

[GRabens]

Does anyone have any first hand experience doing this? How much was the import duties/taxes? Did you have any issues with Customs?

Thanks in advance.

[vh2k]

More details needed. What brand/reference/country of manufacture? Yes, you will have to pay import duties.

[brandrea]

We have a web site to help calculate this. I’m sure US Customs has something similar.

https://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/travel-v...t-cal-eng.html

[beshannon]

Originally Posted by GRabens

Does anyone have any first hand experience doing this? How much was the import duties/taxes? Did you have any issues with Customs?

Thanks in advance.

Your broker should be able to help you with the paperwork

https://www.cbp.gov/trade/basic-impo...rnet-purchases

[SaintMickey]

I've bought a dozen from Japan. Depending on how it ships you may get a customs bill. For mine if it went FedEx or DHL I got a "bill" or notice from them on the duties to pay.

Seems like if it takes the slow boat nothing ever comes re duties. But of course you have to pay them yourself regardless.

[inadeje]

So here’s the deal, it isn’t the country from which you import but rather the mechanism or shipper.

DHL, Fedex, UPS etc “All” sucker-up to customs agents by “Always” processing your shipment as taxable. No exceptions. Why? Well, its pretty simple, and no they don’t get a cut of the tax, but they DO miraculously happen to have their own “customs agent” who will happily process the paperwork for “an additional fee”. Look closely at the import form and you’ll have the tax amount and the customs agent fee clearly denoted and separate. The customs agent fills out the form and for that luxury charge an exorbitant fixed fee (sometimes its based on % of tax so even more…)

USPS or the regular postal service don’t care, nor do they have their own in-house customs agent happy to charge, so through these carriers you won’t be charged tax, primarily because the carrier doesn’t care and customs simply don’t want the hassle for a few bucks in tax. I received my omega soeedmaster from Japan and it was shipped via USPS and simply just arrived, no tax.

[beshannon]

Originally Posted by inadeje

So here’s the deal, it isn’t the country from which you import but rather the mechanism or shipper.

DHL, Fedex, UPS etc “All” sucker-up to customs agents by “Always” processing your shipment as taxable. No exceptions. Why? Well, its pretty simple, and no they don’t get a cut of the tax, but they DO miraculously happen to have their own “customs agent” who will happily process the paperwork for “an additional fee”. Look closely at the import form and you’ll have the tax amount and the customs agent fee clearly denoted and separate. The customs agent fills out the form and for that luxury charge an exorbitant fixed fee (sometimes its based on % of tax so even more…)

USPS or the regular postal service don’t care, nor do they have their own in-house customs agent happy to charge, so through these carriers you won’t be charged tax, primarily because the carrier doesn’t care and customs simply don’t want the hassle for a few bucks in tax. I received my omega soeedmaster from Japan and it was shipped via USPS and simply just arrived, no tax.

I would like to see the documentation as proof for your claims.

Lawful import duties are levied based on international trade agreements and the Harmonized Tarriff schedule. ALL imports are dutiable as per Federal Law.

Perhaps you should refrain from commenting on things you do not know anything about?

[inadeje]

Originally Posted by beshannon

I would like to see the documentation as proof for your claims.

Lawful import duties are levied based on international trade agreements and the Harmonized Tarriff schedule. ALL imports are dutiable as per Federal Law.

Perhaps you should refrain from commenting on things you do not know anything about?

My comments are based upon personal experience over an extended period (many years) while receiving abundant packages from overseas.

The cited private/commercial shipping companies automatically levy tax and act as import agent (filling out the forms) for which they take a handsome “supplementary” monetary fee ($$$$$). They are thus motivated to even run a pair of socks through customs if they can charge their filing fee.

I have never in my entire life received a package from overseas which was shipped by the regular postal service (then delivered by USPS here) and been subject to import duties. I repeat, Never.

I understand “ALL imports are dutiable as per Federal Law” but in the real world this country’s postal service would collapse if every single inbound package from overseas was levied for duty. The country does a fine job imposing duty where it materially makes sense. 2 buck socks made in China aren’t a priority federally, unless of course they’re shipped via DHL, Fedex, UPS etc at which point, wondrously, the aforementioned will make the socks a tax liability by default, as I explained.

So, I am talking about “me” and “my” experience, which I assure you I am the most qualified person to comment upon these occurrences.

Extracted From the link you posted:

Regular postal service - If the item's value is more than $2,000, it may be held at the mail facility until you can arrange for a formal entry. This may require either hiring a customs broker to clear your goods or you may file the paperwork yourself.

Courrier service - Goods shipped by courier, express, or other commercial service usually are expedited through CBP by a customs broker hired by that commercial service and then delivered seamlessly to your door. Customs brokers are not CBP employees. There are a number of different charges associated with these services, including shipping and handling, the fees charged by the service for clearing the merchandise through CBP, as well as any Customs duty and processing fees that may be owed on your importation.

So, as the website states, CBP is already alerting citizens that whatever you ship through a courier comercial outfit, said comercial enterprise has an economic vested interest in running every single package through the levy machine…independent of goods value or if tax would have been levied or not (note the 2k mention)

In a nutshell? My comments are founded on facts. The regular postal service could care less below the threshold and that is why packages arrive unhindered. Conversely, as CBP states, the comercial courier, interested in accruing more revenue will force every conceivable package through its fee based customs broker charade. Yes, even the 2 bucks socks…

[ArtNouveau]

Although it’s been around 10 years since I have, over the years I have bought half a dozen or so watches from Europe, Singapore, and Japan.
I was not charged customs duties on ANY of them. All of them had the proper paperwork/documentation on the outside of the package as required, all were stamped/stickered by customs as having arrived in the US, again no duties levied or billed. Things may have changed since then but my guess is many packages arrive here with minimal oversight. Anyone flying in from overseas will tell you the same thing. Sometimes the third degree, other times a quick and cursory check from customs and immigration.
To the OP, I’m sure you can look up on the Customs website what the duties might be, whether or not they are levied may vary.

[eijiboy]

Bought a omega from poland and was sent via ems and usps when it got here in usa and no tax was paid.


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[Mick006]

I thought the conventional wisdom was to wear your purchase home and ship the box/papers.

And then, of course, pay to Caesar what is Caesar’s.

[beshannon]

Originally Posted by Mick006

I thought the conventional wisdom was to wear your purchase home and ship the box/papers.

And then, of course, pay to Caesar what is Caesar’s.

The item still needs to be declared, the box and papers are irrelevant.

Unless of course you and many others on this website are seeking to avoid paying lawful Federal duty and encouraging others to do so?

[Mick006]

I would never encourage anyone to avoid paying proper duties.

Is there a threshold $ number to declare? Is it cost or fmv?

[beshannon]

Originally Posted by Mick006

I would never encourage anyone to avoid paying proper duties.

Is there a threshold $ number to declare? Is it cost or fmv?

https://www.cbp.gov/travel/us-citize...hen-you-return

[vesnyder]

I purchased a new Grand Seiko from Japan that was just under $4k. I was expecting to have to pay customs. If I remember correctly, it is calculated based on the value of the movement, the case and band - and different if an exotic material is used for the band. It was shipped vis FedEx and ultimately I was not billed anything for the customs and duties. Not sure where the threshold is. My calculation based on my estamted value came out to about $150, but never was billed. Good luck!