bringing wine back to the states

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EvoFX

EvoFX

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Hello All.

i am currently living in romania, but will be flying home for christmas, and will be bringing wine back with me.

i have two questions.

1. for buying duty free after security check. will it make it to california? why might i ask this. well i am flying from Bucharest, to Poland, then to new york, to California. and i know i will have to go through customs again maybe in poland but in new york for sure, but the problem is carrying it on with me i understand is ok, but what about once i get into poland then when i am in new york.


2. wine being in check baggage. i understand getting it packaged right. but what i have read is 5 litters is the max, do you know how much they would charge for non duty free wine? or is there a limit to how many bottles i can carry in my checked before they tax my wine?


cheers
 
Alcohol -- You are allowed to bring in one liter (33.8 fluid ounces) of an alcoholic beverage (liquor, beer, wine, etc.) as part of your duty-free exemption if you are 21 (Customs officials say youths returning home from spring break often violate this one) and the beverage is a gift or for your own use. (This allowance is subject to state laws -- check yours out before you leave on your trip. And don't forget, federal laws prohibit the shipping of alcoholic beverages by mail within the U.S..)

If you want to bring back more for your personal use -- unusually large amounts raise red flags about your intentions for the product -- you can. But you will be charged duty and Internal Revenue Service tax. (FYI, the U.S. Customs and Border Protection enforces these laws on behalf of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF). This means they are within their rights to decide that these products are being brought in for commercial purposes and to hold the alcohol until you obtain a permit to import it.) Finally, importation of absinthe, a potent green liqueur flavored with European wormwood, or any other liquor or liqueur containing an excess of Artemisia absinthium (wormwood) is prohibited.
Click to expand...
From http://people.howstuffworks.com/us-customs-service3.htm
 
I go usually 2-3x /year to Germany. Whenever I fly back, I usually bring something along. I'm not sure about the legal limit for liquor and/or wine, but due to weight restrictions, I can only bring so much usually.

I just pack the bottles between clothes in my bags. I always fly through Atlanta and have to go through immigation and then customers there. Once that is done, bags are checked again immediately and off they go. No need to worry about anything.

However, when you buy something duty free, I recommend you put that in your bag after you pass customs. Otherwise you are going to have issuea at the next security check for your domestic connecting flight
 
-Dan- said:
I go usually 2-3x /year to Germany. Whenever I fly back, I usually bring something along. I'm not sure about the legal limit for liquor and/or wine, but due to weight restrictions, I can only bring so much usually.

I just pack the bottles between clothes in my bags. I always fly through Atlanta and have to go through immigation and then customers there. Once that is done, bags are checked again immediately and off they go. No need to worry about anything.

However, when you buy something duty free, I recommend you put that in your bag after you pass customs. Otherwise you are going to have issuea at the next security check for your domestic connecting flight
Click to expand...

do you mean checked bagged? because it usually checks through all the way to the states..but maybe this time will be different
 
You and your bags will typically clear US Customs at the first port of entry.
When you buy something duty free it doesn’t mean you will not pay duty on it when arriving in the US. It means you didn’t pay duty when you bought it. Customs will usually allow 2 to 3 liters per person of hard liquor tax exempt. Since the exemption is based on percent alcohol you should be able to bring in quite a bit of wine. Anything over the exemption will be taxed on the spot. If you are importing a volume that could be considered commercial things get much more difficult.
For security screenings from NY to CA you should check with your airline.
 
i talked to one of the cashiers at the airport liqueur store. assuming that they get this questions alot. and what he told me, is that when your purchase, they put it in the little bag, and you should be able to take it through the next two security checks (this is my schedule coming back). as long as i do not open the bag. the reason is that i guess that shows that i bought it at my first stop and allowed to carry it on as long as the bag has not been opened or something. i guess well have to see if this is true :)
 

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