One of the most loved parts of any trip is shopping time! Change your cell phone, bring some cosmetics and give gifts to friends and family. You can and should enjoy all this, but it is very important to understand what is customsHow does your criteria, limits and taxes work, thus avoiding all kinds of headaches, unforeseen events and returning home quietly!
What's customs?
O customs control or customs is the process of monitoring the import and export of goods. It is a very well equipped government agency, with country-specific rules to analyze and regulate the flow of goods between countries. Given the volume of transit at international airports, the presence of customs agents at these locations is intense and very well structured.
Every good bought outside the country is subject to the rules of control, and so it works all over the world. In the case of airports, it is important that the person declares the items they bought outside when returning to their country of origin.
Failure to comply with these measures can lead to some unwanted problems, such as heavy taxes and fines.
Many people think they are smart enough to cheat one of the best structured government agencies, with career officials and very well prepared. Make no mistake, attending hundreds of cases a day, these employees are experts, and the best you can do and understand their criteria and rules to better take advantage of your right to exemptions.
How does customs work?
Within the international airports, at the time of disembarkation, your company will offer a form to declare goods, or you can pick it up yourself at the customs counters.
All items purchased abroad must be declared at the time of landing on the offered form.
There is an individual value limit on which no import tax will be levied, which is $500.00. Each person has the right to declare this value in purchases at the time of landing.
The value is individual and non-transferable and is limited to 30 days before another declaration can be made.
Right. Now let's talk about the details of all this:
U.S. Customs, what can I bring?
The United States is the most popular shopping route, especially shopping in Orlando and Miami. Many clothing and electronics companies have very attractive prices and added value.
The rules we are discussing apply only to Brazilian legislation, it is important to observe the rules of each country.
Talking about the $500.00 limit is not about a purchase restriction, but about exemption. Many goods have restrictions, such as works of art, animals and several others. But the case in question are common everyday goods.
You can exceed $500.00, it happens that this will imply a tax on everything that exceeds the exemption ceiling. And that fee is half the amount exceeded.
Let's say you brought a $700.00 notebook; $200.00 over the limit. 50% over 200 = $100.00. A little salty, no? And on top of that, if you're caught trying to pass something without a statement, you'll have to pay a fine that is 100% of the excess value!
You can choose to declare larger amounts and pay your tax without problems, just walk up to the queue of passengers with items to declare and generate a kind of DARF to pay the tax. Remember that this can only be paid in cash or debit.
Values above $10,000.00 will go into another form of declaration.
Personal effects
Your personal effects will not be taxed. And this is one of the main resources of those who want to renew some things by buying abroad.
For example: you buy a brand new phone in Miami, take it out of the box, put your data in, chip. No matter how new, it's a personal good. Same for a new pair of sneakers, clothes, etc.
Customs officers are experienced and understand these situations. In the end, common sense is the best guide: if you come back with two mobile phones, you will certainly be taxed, as well as coming back with matching pairs of clothes, etc.
Many people usually divide the value of purchases between the individual suitcases, which is possible, so that again there is good sense: a child would not have bought a notebook or a shaver, for example.
The ideal thing for those who want to shop is to go with empty bags and no cell phone, if you want to buy a new one, the same for cameras and the like.
But the limit does not only refer to the price in dollars, you also have a limit of product units.
No more than 3 equal products can be declared, even if they do not exceed the exemption value. For products below U$ 10.00, the limit is 20 units, with a maximum of 10 equal units.
The Free-duty Shops
We leave the best for the end: besides the U$ 500.00 that you can declare individually of purchases abroad, the internal area of international airports have stores where there is an extra quota of exemption. In 2020, the fee was regulated from U$ 500.00 to 1,000.00.
This means that in addition to the $500.00, you can declare another $1,000.00 purchased within these areas, which have a bit of everything!
But beware, the limit rule also applies here, to avoid smuggling:
- 24 units of alcoholic beverage, no more than 12 units each;
- 20 packs of cigarettes, 250g of smoke or 25 cigars;
- 10 units of cosmetic or hygienic articles
- 3 toys, watches or electronics.
Coming home
Now that you know how customs work, you will certainly buy more safely, enjoying the trip much better.
Divide the goods among the quotas of each person with good sense, answer all the questions, be sure to declare goods purchased that are not of immediate personal use.
Residents with one year or more can declare work and/or study assets with exemptions, for this you must inform yourself with the Federal Revenue, at 0800 702 1111 or 146.
The Revenue also provides an app so that you can advance the payment of taxes on surplus goods (which does not exempt the buyer from crossing the queue of declaration of goods at landing), which gives much convenience!
In our blog you can find Happy Tours blog you will find several travel tips for the USA to enjoy everything fully prepared, and if you need to rent a car to enjoy the destinations and shopping outlets, in our portal you schedule your rental paying directly at the destination, with no cancellation fees and convenience in pick up, without mileage limits so you don't have to worry about doing all the routes you have planned!
