Customs declaration

Customs declaration is a form that is required by most nations - countries when a citizen or a visitor or goods are entering that nation's borders, called import. The purpose of the form document is to declare what goods are been brought in to the nation, as some may have limits or customs excise tax or are banned from entry. The form is also used to calculate tariffs or duty, if any.^[1]

Type of forms:

• If traveling with your goods the form is called a customs arrival card or landing card or an entry voucher. The traveler or family are required to complete the form and sign the form for the customs agent. The form is turned over to the customs and/or border protection official before arriving into the nation. Most nations require declaration of: alcoholic drinks, tobacco animals, fresh food, plant material, seeds, soils, meats, and animal products.
• If not traveling with the goods, goods that are shipped, there are other customs declaration forms used like: a commercial invoice or a proforma invoice or import declaration form or ATA Carnet or re-export declaration. Incoterms on these forms define the shipment and customs declaration. The form many require a Hs code-Harmonize code helps define the type of goods and the tax rate of the goods, if any. On the forms the country of origin of the goods is normally noted, sometimes a certificate of origin is needed. These forms can also be used when hand carrying goods across a boarder.^[2] Errors on the forms can cause delays or return of the goods. A customs brokerage is often used to clear goods through customs. ^[3]

When traveling with your goods, some nations require a customs declaration form from each person, for other nations there is one form per family arriving together. A family is usually defined as family members residing in the same household, that are related by marriage, adoption, blood, or domestic relationship. International flights travelers are often required to complete the form cards and present the custom form with their passports at immigration checkpoints.^[4][5][6]

U.S. Customs and Border Protection Form 6059B (arrival card)

United States

U.S. Global Entry Kiosks, that can make a Customs declaration for the traveler.

• U.S. Customs asks Head of house hold to completes the form, current as of July 2016 CBP Form 6059B is used. Family members residing in the same household, that are related by marriage, adoption, blood, or domestic relationship can use one form. For returning U.S. residents: The personal duty exemptions of each family member is $800.00. For example, a family of five members returning are allowed a combined personal duty exemption of $4,000. That $800 for each times five equal $4,000.^[4][7]
• For international visitors: US laws allow visitors some exemptions, like: tobacco, gifts, personal effects, and like etc. Head of house hold can complete a form for a family. It is good to check the current duties and exemptions to avoid tax or lose of goods.
• Traveling with more than $10,000.00 must be declared.^[4][8][9]

Shannon Airport preclearance

• At some international airports the US operates United States border preclearance stations, where U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement is done before boarding the international flight.^[10]
• If exporting goods valued more than $2,500.00 an extra form is required: the electronic export information (eei) form. The Automated Export System (AES) is the system used by U.S. exporters to electronically declare their international exports, known as Electronic Export Information (EEI). This information is used by the Census Bureau to help compile U.S. export and trade statistics.^[11]

Canada

Customs declaration managed by the Canada Border Services Agency:

• Each Canada resident returning to Canada can bring in without tax, goods and/or gifts purchased or received out of Canada: if gone for 7 days or more CAN$800, this includes alcohol and tobacco see visitor below.
• Each visitor is limited to for duty free entry: Gifts (excludes alcohol and tobacco) no more CAN$60 each. 1.5 Liter of wine or 1.14 Liters of liquor or 24 cans at 355 ml beer or 8.5 L bottles of beer or ale. 200 cigarettes, 200 tobacco sticks, 50 cigars or cigarillos and 200 grams of raw tobacco.
• Traveling with more than $10,000.00 must be declared.

^[12][13]

European Union

The European Union has an European Commission for Taxation and Customs Union. European Union Customs Union sets trade in the EU. European Customs Information Portal is an importing and exporting service provided by the EU.^[14][15] Some territories within the EU do not participate in the customs union, usually as a result of their geographic circumstances. Through agreements, the EU is in customs unions with Andorra, San Marino, and Turkey respectively, with the exceptions of certain goods.^[16][17]

United Kingdom

UK Border Agency handles customs in the United Kingdom. UK Border Agency works with HM Revenue and Customs.^[18][19]

The UKBA often cooperated with the Police, such as at this customs raid. The officer on the left is a Police Community Support Officer (PCSO)

Australia

Australian Customs Service handles the customs imports and exports of Australia.^[20]

New Zealand

New Zealand Customs Service handles the customs imports and exports of New Zealand.^[21][22]

India

Central Board of Excise and Customs handles the customs imports and exports of India.^[23][24]

China

General Administration of Customs handles the customs imports and exports for the Government of China.^[25][26]

Russia

Federal Customs Service of Russia handles the customs imports and exports for the Russia. Russian Customs Tariff cover the Federal Customs Service of Russia ^[27]

South Korea

Korea Customs Service handles the customs imports and exports for South Korea.^[28]

Hong Kong

Customs and Excise Department handles the customs imports and exports for Hong Kong.^{[29] [30]}

Singapore

Singapore Customs handles the customs imports and exports for Singapore.^[31]

Philippines

Bureau of Customs handles the customs imports and exports for Philippines.^[32]

Pakistan

Pakistan Customs handles the customs imports and exports for Pakistan and control of the list of tariffs in Pakistan.^[33]

Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka Customs handles the customs imports and exports for Sri Lanka^[34]

Poland

Customs Service of Poland handles the customs imports and exports for Poland^[35]

Sweden

Swedish Customs Service handles the customs imports and exports for Sweden.^[36]

See also

• Airport check-in
• Departure card
• Passport
• Visa
• Landing card
• Migration card
• Duty-free shop
• Free trade zone
• NAFTA
• Electronic System for Travel Authorization
• Freight forwarder
• Customs valuation
• List of countries by imports
• Title 19 of the United States Code
• Carnet de Passages en Douane

References

1. cbp.gov, US Customs: What to Declare
2. Carnet Countries, Corporation for International Business
3. US Comtoms, Importers - Who needs a Customs Broker to help clear goods through CBP
4. U.S. Customs and Border Protection Declaration Form 6059B, CBP Issues New Customs Declarations Form, Features Expanded Definition of Family Members
5. NZIS431 - New Zealand Passenger Departure Card. Statistics New Zealand.
6. Passenger Cards. Department of Immigration and Citizenship. Australian Government.
7. cbp.gov, US Customs, US Citizens traveling
8. cbp.gov, US Customs, US international visitors
9. cbp.gov, US Customs, For Canadian and Mexican Citizens
10. Batrawy, Aya. (January 26, 2014.) "US Customs passenger facility opens in UAE". Associated Press. Seattle Post Intelligencer. Archived from the original Archived January 26, 2014, at the Wayback Machine. on January 26, 2014.
11. cbp.gov, US Customs, When to apply for an Electronic Export Information (EEI)
12. Canada Customs declaration
13. Canada Customs, Travelers, Visitors to Canada
14. European Commission for Taxation and Customs Union
15. FAQ: Customs, Taxation and Customs Union, European Commission, Retrieved 20 August 2016.
16. EU Customs unions, Taxation and Customs Union, European Commission. Retrieved 20 August 2016.
17. EU, Customs declaration
18. "Security in a global hub – Establishing the UK’s new border arrangements". Cabinet Office. Last updated 16 June 2009.
19. "UK Border Agency". GOV.UK. 2013. Retrieved 27 March 2013.
20. Australian Customs Service
21. New Zealand Customs Service
22. New Zealand commercial declaration
23. "India, Arriving at consensus with states critical to implement GST: Hasmukh Adhia", Live Mint, 6 August 2016
24. India, Customs declaration form, sample
25. China, General Administration of Customs
26. People's Republic of China, Standards on Completion of Customs Declaration Forms for Import/Export Goods, 08/26/2005
27. Federal Customs Service of Russia
28. Korea Customs Service, Official website (Korean)
29. Hong Kong Customs and Excise (official website) (English) (Chinese)
30. Hong Kong, Types of Declaration Forms
31. Singapore Customs
32. Philippines Bureau of Customs
33. Pakistan Customs
34. Sri Lanka Customs at www.customs.gov.lk
35. Customs Service of Poland
36. Swedish Customs Service

External links

• U.S. Customs and Border Protection at cbp.gov
• U.S. The Department of Homeland Security at dhs.gov
• US Coastguard at gocoastguard.com
• Canada Border Services Agency at cbsa-asfc.gc.ca
• Customs Declaration Form / Bill of Entry Export for South Africa
• Customs, How to complete the customs declaration for Belize
• Customs Declaration for Japan
• Japan customs declaration form

Gallery

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  International Customs sign
• 
  Detroit Customs stop
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  US Forces Customs patch
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  Customs control at Sheremetyevo-2 international airport
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  Canadian Customs and Immigration sign
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  U.S. CBP officer directing a truck
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  US CBP Badge
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  Tape used by U.S. Customs and Border Protection to reseal packages that they have searched, and to indicate that they have done so