jldodge

jldodge

Lagoonguy Loc: New Smyrna Beach, FL

I’ve travelled a lot overseas to various countries including New Zealand twice and fortunately I’ve never experienced this situation. I do carry photos of all my photo gear including serial numbers and warranty certificates for insurance purposes on my cell phone and iPad mini. I don’t know if that would suffice for the Customs agents but at least I have it with me. Good luck!

bikerguy

We travel quite a bit internationally. Whenever we get new equipment we visit the CBP with a new form and all of the listed gear. We keep the signed form in each camera bag and a copy of them on our tablets. It has been years since anyone asked about it. However, it is a piece of mind issue. For items without serial numbers, we bring the original invoice.

SonyBug

And guns. Those Canadians are positively paranoid about guns...

Morning Star Loc: West coast, North of the 49th N.

Keep the sales receipt for the items in your camera bag!
When buying something new, make sure the receipt describes exactly what the item is: Not "lens",
but "Olympus lens, 12-40mm, 1:2.8"
If the register does not print all that on the receipt, ask the clerk for a handwritten receipt with store stamp and clerk's signature.

BrHawkeye

I got the form for one of my first Nikons before a trip to Europe long ago. Never had to show it to customs.

However, after another trip I was delayed an hour in Boston by customs agents who challenged my claim of the cost of a chronograph I'd bought in the Netherlands. I even had the receipt but they chose not to believe it. Also long ago.

camerapapi Loc: Miami, Fl.

Never an issue with Customs although when I visited Japan I made a pre-flight declaration of my gear...just in case.

crazydaddio Loc: Toronto Ontario Canada

Been to Thailand, Hawaii, EU, Hong Kong, DomRep, Guatemala, Mexico, Jamaica, Singapore and the US (from Canada) in the past 5yrs and other than a security agent wanting to look at my gear (photography curiosity more than security), I have never been bothered.

Doesnt mean on a slow day that they will decide to apply the letter of the law for training purposes or they are "bored", I am sure they are within their rights to demand proof of purchase for large $ items. So far, no issues.
In the end, camera gear is cheaper in the US than probably any place on the planet, including Japan. (I have looked for cheaper priced gear while travelling and it's either been the same after exchange rate, or more expensive). If you are from the US, it's the foreign customs agents not the US I would be most concerned about. As long as you are a US national, I think they will leave you alone. If you are a Jamaican heading back into Jamaica from the US, you would want proof you bought in Jamiaca or you will pay duty.

ggab Loc: ?

wishaw

I know that in Britain they have lists if ID numbers for lots of stuff and can look up the numbers very quickly to see if it was imported legally. I ussume usa is the same

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

My belongings were never physically check by US Customs returning from Canada on my many trips by car. But there was one year (many years ago) I was spot checked by Canadian Customs and really had to explain that I was NOT a professional doing work in Canada, just my hobby and I had a lot of stuff.

Jaackil Loc: Massachusetts

Just returned from two weeks in Europe with my camera and 3 lenses was not even questioned. All of my camera gear was carried on so I had it with me going through security and customs check points at airports and train stations. I assume if questioned the only, and best proof I had was pictures of the reciepts in my gear vault app.
I did however get questioned by security about my platypod in Germany. Told them it was a tripod device and actually had to screw the ball head on it just to show how it was used. The comment was “interesting device, be prepared to assemble it like that if you get questioned at any other check points and you should be fine.” He was very helpful also telling me that the base part could be confused with some type of weapon on an x-ray machine.

dennis2146 Loc: Eastern Idaho

How odd you can see check points down the road at each state boundary but I nor probably every American doesn't see that. We are a country, not a group of separate states.

Dennis

davidrb Loc: Half way there on the 45th Parallel

Many years ago, when the USA was still a major manufacturing power we had to get this form for any and every item we had that was made outside of the US. Wrist watches were the hot item then and if we wore a foreign made watch customs was legally able to charge if the item was not documented as having been taxed one time. The air war in Viet Nam was still going on and I was in and out of the zone about every 10 days. That meant Tokyo and Okinawa, the two biggest toy stores in the world. We all carried items of concern and the documentation we needed to prove taxes had been paid. Now, 50 years later the USA produces little other than bull shit and hot air, and both are difficult to regulate. Customs agent are chasing coffee grounds and almost everything we buy is made over-seas. Congress feels this is a piss-ant problem and doesn't care on way or another. Keep in mind that a good photographer prepares themself for all contingencies. Ian Flemming once created a "license to kill" for his alter-ego James Bond. He had no idea the U. S. Customs agent already possessed such a thing. It's true, you can look it up.

davidrb Loc: Half way there on the 45th Parallel

The U. S. Constitution proves this statement incorrect.